It's still January and I'm still starving, although less so than I was a week ago.  And my tree is still up and deader than ever.  I couldn't swear it, but it may be that as branches have dipped ever downward, some ornaments have fallen off and crashed to the ground; pieces only to be swept under the skirt. No worries.  I'll get to it.  I swear.But here's the thing.  There's a lot of crap going on right now.One kid is living back at home after being awakened in the middle of the night to see some strange guy peering at her through her NYC apartment bedroom door.  GASP, HORRORS.  Thank God he did nothing but stare, but as it turns out, he happens to be the neighborhood locksmith. Crazy.  So she's home because she doesn't feel safe living in a building where this guy can get into just about any lock he chooses and the police say there's nothing they can do since he didn't hurt her.   She and I are each other's new best friends...sort of...mothers of adult daughters, you feel me, I'm sure.The youngest just got back to school, and if you've been reading my blog, you know last semester wasn't the best of times for him.  That whole horrific "eye meets water balloon incident" proved tougher to recover from physically, academically and emotionally than we all initially anticipated.  We've named this fresh start the "Semester of Luke." He just rolls both good eyes...and I just worry.  19 year old boys are directly responsible for grey haired mothers.Then, let's not forget that the oldest is getting married this summer. I don't know how I ever got to a place where I will be the mother of the groom. It's not possible. He was just in footie pajamas, I know he was.And, oh yeah, we sold our house four months ago and have been living in a rental.  The rental is fine; the house is cool, but, two toilets don't work, two showers don't work, one shower leaked so much one morning that I watched as water ran through the ceiling light fixture onto my kitchen table.The best part though was when an army of mice spent the first weeks we were here scampering (such a cute little army) from under my TV to the adjacent radiator.  We finally found the hole the little buggers were using to get in and shut it down, but it didn't make for a happy first few weeks.  Then I found them in my kitchen cabinet...OMG.I emptied Walmart of plastic containers, glue traps, steel wool and poison. I threw out all the food, scoured every cabinet and ran all dishes and silverware through the "sanitize" cycle of the dishwasher twice.  All my food is now stored in plastic bins in another room.  War has been declared and I'm pretty confident we're winning.  I haven't seen anymore, but I'm taking no chances.  I'm "Game of Thrones'" Jon Snow guarding the wall of my home.  None are getting past me.So,  I haven't gotten to the tree.  Or the exterior illumination and greenery.  But I will.  I won't be that person who turns his wreaths into Valentine's Day decor by attaching red hearts to them.  (You know who you are!)I'm sure all of you out there are feeling pretty sorry for me now especially since I'm starving and not drinking during the week.  If ever there was a time for tequila, this is it.  Being a plumbing challenged, mouse infested, homeless and exhausted personal assistant to three adult children and one adult male, (who I like for the most part, but he knows that now is not the time to test that), is killing me.I'll get to the damn tree.  And it's the weekend.  A cocktail or maybe two awaits...bottoms up.So what's your excuse?