It's beginning to look a lot like facade

Geez, this time of year digs in my ribs.

Don't get me wrong, I'm loving this year especially, with the LGBB so "in" to Santa and the whole gift-giving thing. I love knowing my home will be brimming with loved ones. I love that I can use some of my fancier recipes if I get my arse into gear in time (must seek Averil out for some apron-donning rolling-pin inspiration to get me in the mood!).

However, the anger on the roads, the fights and pushing in the shopping centres* I can just about do without, thangeweverymuch.

That's not to even mention the real reason why this time of year makes my heart beat a teeny bit faster, my mind get a bit foggier, my temper frayed a smidgeon more (this time for justifiable reason!).

My little girl, Ellanor, will probably not be mentioned (even if she is thought about) by some of the people we're spending Christmas with. It's so hard not to bring her up in certain company, but infinitely more difficult to mention her (in context) and receive blunt, cold, hard proof they'd just as soon not have to acknowledge her existence.

Urrrrrgh. I shake my head and ask, when? When will the taboo fall away? I will never stop striving for its breakdown for as long as I have breath in my body. That is my promise to my daughter. My dear, free soul out there. And just quietly, when will these situations inadvertently stop providing yet more fodder for my book? I mean, how long can the bloody thing get??


* Did you know, here in Victoria at least, there was an appeal in the newspaper last week that parents with young children leave their "infants" at home and don't take them shopping "to cut down on shopper rage" incidents? INCIDENTS! There are brawls happening at checkouts because, apparently, mums with "a baby on her hip, a pram in one hand and a shopping trolley in the other" if I can use a direct quote from the utterly ludicrous piece of "journalism", are holding up busier, more worthy shoppers. Fark orf and get over yourselves, everyone!