[personal profile] grayhawkfh
So, yeah, here we go...


Saturday, Nov 20: Big thing for today (for me anyway) was to go grocery shopping. Needed to get the fresh fruits and veggies for Thanksgiving, as well as some other items we didn't want to get until the last minute and staples like milk. F & I grabbed the coupons & bags and headed out to Safeway. Now, the Giant is closer, but I went to Safeway for 2 reasons:
  • They sell celery by the stalk (and I only need 2-3 for the stuffing)
  • They sell Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese
Well, once we dropped a bunch of cash, got home, and unpacked the groceries, it was time to stay the heck outta the way as [livejournal.com profile] mousecat0 put it in high gear and started churning out loaves of pumpkin bread. To be exact, she made 3 full loaves, 6 1/2 loaves, and a batch of muffins. B worked on the bathroom, F & I worked on the living room and what parts of the dining room we could. We all kinda collapsed that night.

Sunday, Nov 21: A little quieter, as only the pies were being made. The kids helped peel the apples, and B made the chocolate pie.

Monday, Nov 22: Back to work. Let [livejournal.com profile] mousecat0 vent about her job before I left work. Made Cranberry, Apple and Ginger Chutney with F. that night (this year, with 100% less grated Grayhawk thumb!).

Tuesday, Nov 23: Nothing interesting here. Stayed late for server updates and reboots.

Wednesday, Nov 24: The Secretary of Commerce allowed non-essential personnel to leave 2 hours early. I did not get to take advantage of this. Fortunately, I had the good sense to pack an audiobook in the car for what was sure to be a sucktacular ride home. Once home, we did final cleaning and got the table set for Thanksgiving, all while watching Merry Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special. I sent everyone to bed, dropped the bird in the brine, and popped in Garfield's Thanksgiving. A half hour later, I was in bed as well.

Thursday, Nov 25: Up at 7 to go get bagels. Forgot that the 28th Annual Turkey Chase was going to be right on my usual route to the store. Got back in plenty of time to eat bagels, drink coffee, and watch parades. Dinner prep went smoothly; in fact, things were ready for a 4 pm start - I had told everyone 4:30. So I put certain items in a holding pattern until people arrived.

Dinner, was, as always, delicious and well received. When all conversation dies at the table because people are eating, you know you've done something right. We decamped to the living room after dinner to relax and have some coffee. About an hour later, we served up some pie. Both kids stayed up this year to watch White Christmas and help with dishes. In bed before 10:30; things seemed to go quicker this year.

Friday, Nov 26: Up at 0430 to drive to NJ. But first? 5 Hour Energy and a shower. Poured everyone into the car and headed north. With a stop to pick up gas and a second for a gift, made it up there by 0830. Sat around and talked for a while, then went downstairs to take a nap while [livejournal.com profile] luvmomh, [livejournal.com profile] mousecat0 and B. went Christmas shopping. Due to other people's travel plans, the annual mini-reunion was kicked back to Saturday, so Thanksgiving Dinner 2.0 was held on Friday night. My cousin Crystal and her son Brandon came over to get some kielbasa from Dad, spent a good half hour talking with them. Definitely a great night.

Saturday, Nov 27: Got up, had breakfast, and headed out to get the necessary ingredients for the crab dip I was taking to the mini-reunion. Came back in time to crank out the 100 lbs of kielbasa for the year. F helped a little before he was whisked away by [livejournal.com profile] luvmomh & [livejournal.com profile] mousecat0to go shopping; B was a help, especially when my "nephew" wanted to crank the press. I held him while B helped him turn the crank.

The mini-reunion that night was great fun as always. These are people who were some of my best friends in high school (and before), and our wives seem to get along as well. It really has become a great way to start the holiday season.

Once that party broke up, we headed back to my folks place, loaded up the car, and headed for home. Yeah, it was ~11pm when we left, but if you've ever driven on I-95 in the mid-Atlantic region on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, you understand why I don't want to deal with that traffic. Got home ~2:30 am.

Sunday, Nov 28: This is easy. We crashed. When we woke up, we were landslugs. Glad the Eagles game wasn't on, because I'd have been screamin' up a storm...

As I usually do, I find myself extremely thankful for a number of things this year:
  • [livejournal.com profile] mousecat0, B, & F.
  • My job and [livejournal.com profile] mousecat0's job
  • My clueless end-users
  • My in-laws.
  • My family
  • The fact that I have a roof over my head, food on my table, and clothes on my back.
  • And perhaps most especially, my friends, whether near or far, whether they read this drivel I write or not. (and that does mean all of you)


Even though Thanksgiving has come and gone, I would ask one thing from each and every one of you. Please, try to remember to be thankful for each and every blessing in your life every day. Let the people in your life know you are thankful for them. Let us not give thanks only on Thanksgiving, but every day.

And I am thankful for all of you. Believe me when I say that even when I don't comment, I am reading what you write, and rejoice with you in your triumphs, and weep with thee in thy sorrows.

If you're worried and you can't sleep
Just count your blessings instead of sheep
And you'll fall asleep counting your blessings.

--Bing Crosby, Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep)

Profile

Frank N. Huminski

February 2014

S M T W T F S
      1
23 45 6 7 8
9 1011 121314 15
16 17 1819202122
232425262728 

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Jul. 25th, 2025 08:31 am
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios