the back burner

Two weeks ago we were in a car accident. It looked nightmare-ish but it came out loads better than it could have. Long story short. Jonathan was waiting to U-turn. Motorcycle sees stopped vehicle, and turning signal in the lane closest to oncoming traffic. Motorcycle decides to pass into the incoming traffic lane to pass as Jonathan is beginning U-turn. Motorcycle hits front quarter panel of the car and slides landing on his arm on the pavement. You're getting the nightmare here right? Motorcyclist has broken arm, Jonathan escorts him to the hospital and we begin what is to be a two week journey through paying for an accident we didn't cause. Understand he admits that he broke the rules of the road but thanks to a great system commonly practiced here "larger vehicle pays" and we are responsible for the accident. 1 week is spent working out the details of paying for the hospital bill and his motorcycle. 2nd week is spent gathering reports, letters and waiting for our vehicle to be repaired. We just got it back this afternoon. Sigh...

What happens when you have an accident 2 weeks before christmas is that everything goes on the back burner. And the back burner is not where you want to have hopes and dreams of a family christmas. @ was supposed to get a bicycle. The family was supposed to get a new computer. Today was the first time we've had much of a chance to look at doing any of those things and neither of them happened. Jonathan went to buy @'s bike this afternoon and got there as a family was paying for 3 bikes- including the one we had eyed for @. Maybe tomorrow we'll get to the other store on the far side of town before someone buys all of the bikes there. And I'm only being a little dramatic- its a group effect to wait till the day before christmas to start shopping- kid you not. So of the 5 million people in this town- most of them are starting tomorrow. The family computer is of less concern because the software for it will come from the states with a friend in a few weeks- can't really do much without software, and you really don't buy software here. Pirating pirates of pirates I think is how you would most accurately describe it.

The problem is too that I dropped the ball on our families too. I forgot about my sister and her family... its less of a thing because Hanukkah is a forgiving holiday that lasts a week. I arranged a phone call with my mom. I don't think our families have christmas cards or much notice at all.

In truth none of this stuff is a huge deal. Christmas comes and goes without presents and that's fine. To some extent over the years I think I've replaced our being present with our family with presents- its what I can do from a world away. So not getting that done feels a little sad to me. And the thing that I'm probably most erked at, is that I HAD 2 WEEKS. Would someone please give me back my 2 weeks! But its what happens every year on our anniversary/ birthday - the world starts falling apart and needing rearranging. Maybe there's hope for next year, but I don't think I'm getting out of bed.