The Countdown begins

Posting from Paradise

Only two more wake ups til the Macy's Day Parade, non-stop football and Tom Turkey! Thanksgiving is one of those holidays where you spend hours preparing for one meal that everyone gobbles (sorry about the pun)down and then you spend the rest of the time cleaning up the mess. I spent far too many years repeating this tedious routine so, when I was divorced eons ago and the kids and I were celebrating our first Thanksgiving by ourselves, I decided to reinvent the day.


First of all, I only cooked the turkey and the stuffing. The kids each picked two dishes and those were theirs to prepare and serve and clean up as they went. We did watch the parade but the tv went off for the remainder of the day until after our meal. Then we would watch a movie that we had picked out together the day before. What did we do with all that time from morning until our late in the day Thanksgiving meal? We played board games and got a new one each year. My personal favorite was Scrabble as I was the only one who could use "bad" words and got double points for them...it was the only way I could win!

Things have shifted and changed as all things do. E has taken over the turkey and dressing and makes real gravy, not the gravy in a jar I use to use. And he enjoys the parade as much as we all do. We played the games for a couple of years after he joined our family but they have gone by the way. Everyone still has their specialty dishes and all help with the clean up.

This year we are eating out joining my sister and her boyfriend at a back bay restaurant. This also is a big change for us. E is cooking a turkey Sat. while he and Kristen bake Christmas cookies so we will have our cherished left overs. Rob, don't let Chris and Kristen tell you that there were none as we are sending a bunch back with them for you!

Biggest Congrats to my dd, Kristen. She recieved the news today that she has passed the Florida State Media Instructors Exam for her certification! Yeah! See you tomorrow, K. Drive carefully