Well, I didn't get better before Thanksgiving. In fact, I'm still not. But I'm ignoring that as best I can.
Thanksgiving was fun. I drove to my grandmother's house in Versailles. We were the first to get there, besides those who had come earlier in the week. My Aunt Nancy had the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV. Do you watch that? I kind of forgot it existed. I don't know if I've ever watched it before. Abbie was very impressed, and sat watching the whole time Gran and I were getting things ready. Both my aunts were asleep in the den, and Mackenzie wasn't up yet. Josh went to get beer with my uncles. Oh, and my mom's youngest sister was out for a walk in the woods with her husband. My cousin Hannah and her mom both got lost on the way, poor kids, but the driving was free of any real disasters. When my mom arrived, I got bumped out of the kitchen. I spent the whole day talking, even though I had some serious laryngitis. The food was not balanced at all, but was tasty. We somehow ended up with 3 turkeys, plus ours which we had brought so Mom and Dad could taste the Alton Brown version. And we had brisket and corn and my squash, and green bean casserole, gravy and mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce, and 3 stuffings (though 2 were the same), and Waldorf salad that I didn't get any leftovers of. We also had sodas and beer and LOTS of wine, and cran-apple juice for me, and French silk pie and pumpkin pie and some fruit (peach? apple?) pie that I wanted some of, but was too full and then too late, and mom made chocolate chip cookies. Oh, and 3 different loaves of St. Louis Bread Company bread.
The guests were: Uncle Bobby and his wife, Betty, and Mackenzie, Uncle Pete, Uncle Tim and his wife, Laurel and Sky and Kelsey, plus his daughter Hannah and her mother, Rosy and sister Hillary, my parents, husband and children, my Aunt Nancy, my Aunt Kathy and her husband, Bob, and an old family friend, Ms. Laura, and my grandmother's sister-in-law, Aunt Betty. Oh, and we brought Jake, Hannah brought her dog, Carmen, and Hillary brought her beagle, Isabel. A full house, no?
Hannah was the most excited about the pictures, and is going to make enlargements for her house of some the old black and whites of my grandparents, and of her dad in his football uniform. He actually had my favorite quote of the day while looking at that picture. He was TINY!!! He laughed and said, "When I was 16 and got my drivers' license I put down that I was 5'1" and weighed 105 pounds.....and I lied on both!"
Well, Thanksgiving was great fun, but it was too much for a sicky like me. Josh drove home, but I couldn't sleep or anything. I felt dreadful, and couldn't even sing Christmas carols all the way home. You never notice how much singing you do until your voice is gone. Friday, I was much, much worse. That is particularly not fun, because I wanted to go out Friday night with my old friends who were in town, but it was obvious I was much too sick. I sent Josh and stayed home with the kids. He came home Saturday morning and slept on the couch half the day.
Josh took Grant to his first Rams game on Sunday. It was Josh's Christmas present from his dad. They had a great time, and I stayed home with Abbie. We watched Winnie the Pooh. I started to get some blessed sleep, but Abbie noticed, and woke me up violently. Then we danced until I started coughing, and listened to Christmas music on Youtube. Josh brought soft tacos for dinner, which was just what I wanted. Still wish I had some apple pie, though.
Last night I actually got a few hours of sleep. I was hoping to wake up recovered, but not so. Maybe tomorrow.
All my friends are asking me if I did any shopping on Black Friday, or what I am getting for my family for Christmas, or what Santa is bringing the kids. It's hard to know what to think. The truth is, I've made no lists of presents to buy. I don't know what to do. I mean, October and November I got multiple notes from the bank, complete with insufficient funds penalties. Christmas is a scary, insulting thing to me this year. I still need to pay my personal property taxes, and now I feel like a bad person for not loading up my Santa Clause bag with presents for everyone I know. Yes, I WANT to do that, but it doesn't seem like anyone understands that I can't. I don't even know what to do about my own children, but I'm already getting lists of things I'm required to bring to all the family Christmas parties Josh insists we are still attending. Josh is the worst of all. We decided that we could only afford a present each to Grant and Abbie from us, and one each from Santa, and stockings. He's already dancing around because he got me something. I know he's trying to make me happy...but....
Anyway, I had planned to decorate the house this weekend, but I might do it next weekend. I should be better by then. Josh needs a haircut then, too. He has his job interview a week from tomorrow. Then, I have my hair appointment that Friday. Then, the Christmases begin. How am I going to make it?
But you want to know what I am looking forward to? Visits from friends. Ms. Darci is coming the week after Christmas, and that is going to be great. And then Rob is coming in mid-January, and we are already making plans with his sister to go out.
On a completely different note, Abbie's 4th birthday is the first week in January. I'm having a party for her on the 9th. It is finally decided. It will be between lunch and dinner (haven't picked a time yet) and all are welcome to show up in a costume. Yes, it's the Birthday Costume Tea Party. All are welcome. Oh, and Abbie doesn't want anything for her birthday. What she wants is to see her friends. If you feel weird coming empty handed, just bring your favorite tea, and I'll boil some water for you.
Sorry I'm not especially eloquent today. You can tell I need something to read, can't you? Well, I'm going to spend today recovering from illness, and then we'll see what I can come up with, later.
I'm so cold! I'm getting tired of apple cider, but it has 100% vitamin C, and makes my throat better. Maybe I'll go make some now. This message sounds pretty cranky, but I promise you that I'm actually doing much better, and even have intentions to enjoy my day, if possible. Hmm. That sounds cranky, too. Well, if Grant weren't being so mean today, it would be a perfectly nice day. My kitchen is sunny. (There. That's much better.)
Happy last day of November!
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