Happy Thanksgiving

I have much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving - my family, my friends, my health, my job in a place full of wonderful people, my little dog and so much more. Occasionally, I hear someone talk about how hard life is and I realize how truly blessed I am.

Instead of cooking yesterday, I went to Pike's Landing for dinner with my friend Mae. We enjoyed a buffet that included turkey, ham and prime rib, salads, all the side dishes and a huge dessert table complete with sugar-free desserts. I did splurge as I do every time I visit Pike's brunch and had a creme brulee. It's only about four bites and since I only have it 3-4 times a year, I allow myself this special treat. The food was wonderful, as always, and we ran into other friends who wanted to spend the holiday away from the kitchen.

We took the circuitous route on the way back home. The sky was blue and the sun was shining down through the trees. It looked like a winter wonderland.

It was about 10 degrees, very nice after the -30 we had last week. All in all, it was a very nice day.

Today it was 20 degrees when I got up this morning. My little dog Buddy loves the warmer temperatures. He's always excited about going out - jumping, barking and turning himself inside out. (I think it may have something to do with the treat he gets when he comes back in.) When it's -10 or colder, he's in front of the door within 30 seconds, wanting to come back inside. We were out last weekend when it warmed up to -15 and he was giving me his most pitiful look - the guilt-trip thing. After just a few seconds at the colder temperatures, his beard turns white with frost.

Today it was up to 25 degrees, so we went out for a short romp. He loves to sniff the air and check out who was near his yard last.

I opted not to shop today. I don't like crowds, and especially rude crowds. I went out just twice on Black Friday and decided I will never do it again. The pushing, shouting, running down aisles really spoils my holiday spirit. I was not raised to act like this in public (or in private, for that matter) and I simply want to grab those people and tell them to act like adults. I'd probably end up in jail :) I guess I must be getting old, because I have little patience for dealing with it. I would rather spend more money and shop in relative peace.

I cooked a turkey today and spent some time with my daughter and her family, then did some laundry and put up my tree. It's not trimmed yet, but I can do that later. I love looking at the lights on it. Hopefully all the work is done now and I can simply relax and enjoy the weekend before going back to work Monday. I have a lot of leave I need to use up over the next month, and will be taking time off.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. I hope your holiday was as good as mine was.