Ok, NO I am totally in Scrooge mode so don't fuck with me

Update... photos from yesterday. Baby Jeebus arrived early yesterday morning. Must have had a tight schedule. Astonishing things inside. (sniffle...)

There ARE angels, and she finally proved it yesterday.

Whereas the store workers looked just plain silly as always...

And I looked like this before I finally went nuclear.

As of twenty minutes ago, it is 'silent night'. Yup. But the hours before? Pandemonium.

Because, you see, the entire country shuts down, and if you forget to buy something, you might as well be dead, or very creative in the kitchen. Or kill yourself.

This year is really crass. And was up in the morning, running to the supermarket at six-thirty in the a.m. Where I get subsiduary stuff. Herbs, staples, the usual shit. And then on to the market.

Where I nearly had a fucking stroke. I had stuff for today, but need something to stretch for two days, and get all the stuff Peter needs.... And the crowds, and the waiting, and my back hurt. But that is the 24th, hey, it 's what they do... elbow in front of you, are agressive, as if there is never gonna be food on this earth ever again.

I had thought, ok, pot roast, and I can make Gatsch on the second day. Gatsch is what I used to call leftovers that my Mom used to make, a mish-mash of it, and it was even better than what was the day before. Right. So I finally get my turn, and whaddaya know, that piece of beef cost 27 Euros! I was so pissed of I could have spit. But swallowed my pride and bought the fucking thing...

So that was two trips back and forth between the square and Peter's already, and he was breakfasting. Back again for the vegetables, and the prices were ok. Saw a goose for four people going over the counter for 48 Euros, I was fucking speechless. I only did that once, goose. It was fun. And I set off the fire alarm in the hotel, but it was worth it. And the firemen were sad... It smelled so good, they said. But I saved 90 per cent of it, and did the rest at home, and we ate on it for a WEEK...

Five years ago they cost half that, and that was damned expensive.

Then it was time to go and get a Xmas tree. We used to have knock-out, beautiful ones. It was mostly a Peter thing, that, having an xmas tree. But I enjoyed decorating them and doing something different, it was creative. We used to have Styrian ones, American ones for decoration, and collected an immense amount of ornaments, and things for it. We hadn't had one for over five years...

So I relented, and said ok. Not a big one. And I had seen a beautiful one yesterday for 27 Euros, and he gave me 30 for it. Today it cost 37 for the same tree. And I told him to stick it where the sun don't shine.

They are OUT there gouging the fucking WHITES out of your eyes, because 'it's Christmas.' By this time, I was getting REALLY pissed off.

I found a nice one elsewhere for 25. Perfect. So I dragged it home. Cussing, and turning the air blue.

So... I thought I had everything DONE, you know? And took the key to the cellar to get out all the ornaments and shit. And whaddaya know? That key doesn't FIT there any more. The fucking Serbs in the house changed all the locks where his and my stuff is stored. I bought so much stuff from Venice, and elsewhere, and I couldn't get in.

It didn't surprise me. Not in the least....

So I had to leave Wimpy crying, and get something to PUT on the goddamned tree. And by that time, I was near the boiling point.

Twice more to the market, just to get something to make it look like a Christmas tree. Photos tomorrow. I never did a poverty tree before....

But then it got to be too much. For today, you eat fish here. And I made a mussel soup, and then a light salad with fresh herring and a sauce tartar dressing. I fucking THOUGHT. Peter had used up all the sauce tartare, and I got stuck in the kitchen with NADA.

And THAT is when I started yelling. LOUD. He ATE it, on bread. Well, glory fucking hallelujah, and just betray me again, you git. I had to make ham and eggs... And am going to go to hell. Am already there, as I am allergic to eggs...

Oh, yes, Xmas.... My dear friend and former colleague thinks I am going to have a wonderful one this year. Because I was ALWAYS the one to say, hey, I'll take those shifts, you have family, and mine are far away... And I got St. Stephan's off, and invited people to dinner.

Well Mr. Scrooge here says, 'Just FUCK it. Christmas my arse... Just another excuse to gouge the whites out of your eyes. Fuck Christmas.'