Thanksgiving trip

I think my road trip to RI tomorrow will really suck--snow in the north, heavy rain in the south--but once I get there it should be great.  Sunny and 50's.  Ahhhhh.  I guess we're supposed to get something like 4" or so, which I guess shouldn't be a surprise.  We've only had a tiny bit of snow here & there so far.  It's hard to believe that some years the lake freezes by Christmas, we're so far from that right now.  The lake freezing, not Christmas.

I'll leave tomorrow morning--nothing more fun than packing a car in the snow, then return on Sunday.  I'm looking forward to being there and visiting with Liza, Mark and Jenica.  Relaxing, good food (lobsters, of course) and plenty of restful time.  I don't have a great bunch of books this time; I usually take a pile of books for people to read (sometimes librarians just can't help being librarians) but this time I'm without great inspiration.  I looked over a zillion books here at work yesterday without finding much.  I do have a bunch of paperback discards for Jenica.  The author shall remain nameless, but Jen has a favorite mass market author and I try to provide her with books from time to time.

I think I'll go to Burlington tonight to visit my friend in the hospital there.  I talked to her yesterday & she said she was feeling better but was depressed.  I offered to stop on my way to RI (which would mean going the long way, through Vt and NH) but she said her daughter will visit her on Weds., so I offered to go tonight.  Will finalize plans later today.  Not thrilled with the idea of going, but it so much sucks being in the hospital that if I can offer distraction and maybe cheer I'll go.

I stoked the stove before leaving this morning, plus left the heat on.  It was cold--15, and frosty.  Don't think it's supposed to get higher than in the 30's today, though the sun should help warm things.  I have errand to run before leaving for RI--must buy all the stuff to make the pumpkin pie (Martha Stewart recipe) plus wine plus must get meds at drug store.  Whew.  I could have done some of this last night but had to work until 5 and just felt like getting out of town.  So now I deal with that.

Chances is doing well.  She seems to stand more than she used to, and does a pretty good imitation of walking on rugs.  She still slumps down sometimes, her hind end just sliding out from under her.  And she's very tottery.  Pretty depressing but I think she's improving.  I'm not very optimistic about a full recovery but she's so sweet and brave.

Had book group on Sunday night (Chris Bohjalian's Secrets of Eden) and we had Thanksgiving dinner at Marylou's.  It was great, delicious food and a really nice time.  I made gallons of rice and mushrooms, not sure why I made so much but it was tasty and was dinner last night.  The turkey and stuffing (by Andy) were fantastic.  We skip a December meeting and will meet in January at my house so everyone can admire my Christmas tree, which will go up after Thanksgiving sometime.  We're reading Erik Larson's In the garden of beasts, which is Berlin in WWII but is supposed to be really good.

I went Christmas shopping with Lin on Saturday, didn't get much more than groceries but we had a good time.  Had lunch out, checked out a few stores without much luck, made plans to shop in Saranac Lake and maybe Lake Placid after Thanksgiving.  My it sounds as if there will be a lot of activity after Thanksgiving, doesn't it.

Happy Thanksgiving to all--