Thanksgiving

...and then suddenly it was Thanksgiving!

We had dinner at Marty and Laura's new home in Noblesville; they've lived there only two weeks and already they have it painted, furnished and decorated so completely one would think they had lived there for a long time. Laura is a master decorator, a talent I am sorely lacking, so I was in awe. Seeing the house for the first time were Mike, Eric, Lucas, Ian, Miki and Kevin, so Marty had a well-orchestrated guided tour for them. I went along and thoroughly enjoyed it, because everything looked so different when I was last there on Nov. 6th & 7th, painting completely empty rooms. Including Laura's daughter, Kayla, we numbered 10.

Laura is also a very good cook. Determined to please every palate, she had prepared several side dishes to go with a big turkey and a ham. She also had five desserts, so there was more than plenty to go around (they'll be eating leftovers for a few days!). We all had a great time and it seemed Marty and Laura were very happy hosts. Mike and I had a second Thanksgiving dinner tonight with the food I brought home from there. Oof, too full again!

Danielle had 16 at her house in Kirkland, WA. She and Phil were pleased to put their newly renovated kitchen through its paces, and also pleased the crowd by announcing Danielle's pregnancy... another girl, due in early June!

There's nothing lacking in my life, and I have so much to be thankful for, I can't begin to list it all. I dare not even think about it too much for fear of tempting fate.

Christmas is coming fast on the heels of Thanksgiving, and though I've begun shopping, it's far from done. I'm seriously considering getting a tree this year; it's been many years since we had a Christmas tree, and maybe it's time. I'm even considering sending out cards via snail mail, which would be a truly old-fashioned Christmas!

There were lots of shoppers on the road today, even in small-town Loogootee. I'm sure the WalMarts across the country were full of customers. Colleen had to work the holiday, actually pulling the night shift Wednesday to get ready for the crowds, and then also having to be there when the doors opened to the madness of Black Friday. It would have been nice to have her with us at Marty's, but it was not to be.

Many busy days ahead. I'm going to concentrate on the good stuff and try to block out everything that's going on politically, both locally and globally. It's just too much to hear it all and know I am helpless to change things, except in my own little back yard (where all the good things are happening anyway :)