Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all.  I'm leaving in the morning for Rhode Island, looking forward to safe travels and a nice visit with my mother and Mark.  I've got myself somewhat organized for the trip but I never really pack until just before leaving--what would we do without traditions?

Our Thanksgiving is really nice, very quiet and sort of private.  We have a turkey (I bought one here and it will have many miles on it before we cook it), mashed potatoes, good stuffing, and Mark insists on having TWO kinds of lima beans--once I told him that I can't get Fordhood limas here, and Liza likes baby limas, so he buys tons of both kinds.  What would we do without traditions?  I make a delicious pumpkin pie using Martha Stewart's old recipe, which has 1/4 tsp of chili powder that makes it delicious.

I had lunch with Julie today and ran some errands in Plattsburgh (my second home).  I got wine and champagne for RI, picked up a prescription, and Julie & I ate at our new-favorite Japanese restaurant.  We have lunch once a week and always went to the Thai restaurant but this Japanese restaurant opened downtown recently so we've changed our routine.

It was cold--but what I'll soon think of as "cool," in the 30's today.  It didn't get above freezing here in Hawkeye but was in the 30's in Plattsburgh.  I got chilled, which sort of upsets me because I really have to adjust to cold, colder, coldest temperatures.  Right now the living room is toasty, with a good fire and the heat on.  I'll leave the heat on while I'm gone and will worry about my house.  I'll turn on the cellar heat, not really necessary but a safety thing.

The Holts are coming tomorrow and will be here exactly as long as I'll be in RI--we'll totally miss seeing each other.  I asked them if they would stack some of my wood, which I hated (REALLY hated) doing, but it seems almost insurmountable at this point for me to do it myself.  If I were more disciplined and in better shape I could do it with no problem, but I just looked at the 4 cords left to be stacked and thought how cold it's going to be and how long it will take me.  Oh I'm just a wuss.

I take the dogs with me and they seem to like being in RI even though they have more fun here at home.  Right now Tess is out on the deck barking non-stop at the woods.  I do wish we could communicate better with our pets, it would be fun to know what they bark at.  It's like high sport to them sometimes.  They went to Plattsburgh with me--I take them in the car whenever I can.  They get excited about "Want to go in the car?" but it's never very exciting for them (by my standards).  They mostly sleep but do get to bark at other cars and people in parking lots.

I hope everyone has a happy and peaceful Thanksgiving, full of whatever pleases us all.