Thanksgiving and Other Fun Stuff

So we couldn't have Thanksgiving on Thanksgiving. Mark was on call, and he didn't get home until after 10. I spent the day with Sam, his 22-year-old son, and then Sam and I picked up Mark's mom, Nancy, from the airport that evening. We had a rather un-traditional Thanksgiving meal of a smoothie and a delicious spinach salad.

Mark got off call on Friday night, so we scheduled our big meal for Saturday. Then Saturday around 2 p.m. we realized hey! today was supposed to be our big meal! but by then it was too late to make a big meal. Yes, the problem was the TURKEY, which apparently can't be whipped together at the last minute.

I said hey, no problem, we can just have a vegetarian Thanksgiving! But this did not fly. My vegetarian influence only goes so far...Thanksgiving is a non-negotiable turkey event (for now...mwah ha ha).

At least the turkey did come from a local farm where he had a decent, turkey-appropriate life while he was alive.

So Sunday, we had the big meal. And last night, Mark made turkey soup with the rest of the turkey, so thank GOODNESS I will not be looking at a giant turkey carcass when I open the fridge every day from now on.

I have to say, there was one other member of our household who really liked the turkey, though.




Sam had to go back to Michigan State on Sunday, but Mark's mom was able to stay through Wednesday, so we were able to go to the State Theater one night to see "Happy-Go-Lucky." The State Theater is a local theater in the middle of downtown that was lovingly restored one year ago. Plush red velvet seats, a balcony, stars in the ceiling, gorgeous art-deco decor...the whole nine yards. Michael Moore, who lives just outside TC, was the driving force behind restoring the theater and starting up an annual film festival, which has been enormously popular.

In my spare time, I've been working on a little slide project. My dad took thousands of slides, and they've been residing in my basement since he died in 2001. My aunt also was a slide-taker, and her slides had also found residence with me. NOW IS THE MOMENT! to go through all these slides. It's been fun, and I was amazed to find the slide viewer that my dad used still in good shape, with a working light bulb that survived the move. (It's only made of cardboard and plastic, for goodness sake.)

Actually, I'm just amazed to find anything I'm looking for these days!

The best part is I've thrown away ACRES of slides.

And finally, we got a surprise package in the mail the other day. Mark's collarbone is still healing, slowly, and it's cold and icy outside, but for a few moments we were transported to our road-riding days and dreamed of adventures to come. Thank you, Bob and Noelle!