For those of you spending the day with family and friends, let me offer a couple of tips on making the day a more smooth, pleasant experience.

1. If you’re cooking (either the entire meal or something to take elsewhere) expect to burn it or undercook it. That’s right, expect a flop. You know that recipe you’ve made a thousand times and can prepare flawlessly while you chew gum, vaccuum and address early Christmas cards? It’s destined to be a culinary disaster today. Trust me on this. I have plenty of experience ranging from the time I slept through the alarm when I was smoking the turkey–yes, it was along the lines of a petrified turkey, to the time the Gulf shrimp I’d hauled back from the shore and frozen for the occasion thawed out to mush and I had no back-up planned–Waffle House never closes and eggs and grits are darn good when there’s no food on the table at home.

2. Expect someone in the family to behave like a heathen and generally cause a scene or maybe even a family feud. There’s something about family gatherings at holidays that just brings out the worst in everyone. Some people naively show up anticipating a day of familial harmony and goodwill. Don’t fall victim to that delusional expectation. Chuck that sentiment at the door. Someone’s gonna show out today. Maybe Cousin Roy’s going to announce he’s opting for some elective surgery in the upcoming year and henceforth would prefer to be called Rowenna. Aunt Mary could ask Uncle Dave for a divorce while she’s passing the peas and carrots. Your sister might inform your parents she’s blown her 401K on therapy because they never allowed her to play with Barbie dolls and she’s had a helluva time getting in touch with her femininity and they need to reimburse her the therapy expenses. When your spooning up seconds, your dh might opine to the table in general that you should skip the second round since your pants seem a bit tight. (Keep spooning at that point–the tighter the better since he won’t be getting anywhere near them for a long time after THAT comment!) You get my drift. Someone’s going to open their mouth and upset the apple cart. Know it. Embrace it.

3. Bring a video camera. You can pretend it’s to record the wonderful occasion. You and I will know it’s to catch the disaster for posterity. You could be sitting on a cool 10K because there are lots of shows that pay for that kind of uncensored video footage. How about America’s Most Disastrous Holiday Meals coming to satellite tv soon?

4. Drink before the occasion. Go ahead and knock back a couple of beers or glasses of wine. Heck, mix and match if you want. The key is finding that “just right” spot between taking the edge off the day and taking the edge off your brain. Uh, tread lightly here cause you don’t want to be the one spectacling yourself (refer to #2 above). If you feel you’ve over-fortified yourself for the occasion, for goodness sakes, skip #3. You’ll hear about it for the rest of your life, you don’t want it recorded in technicolor.

5. This is really just a summary of the above, but expect chaos and a disaster. Mentally prepare for the worst. Take those expectations and see just how low you can go. Alrighty now, anything above that will make for a fabulous day!

Seriously, Happy Thanksgiving. I wish you a peaceful, joyful occasion wherever you are and however you spend your day.

Jen :hehe:

I’m well aware that I often see things differently than the rest of the world, but this holiday thing is really crazy! The world has gotten insane. I was watching t.v with The Girl last night–I almost never watch t.v.–and this commercial came on that simply left me laughing. The commercial was about giving a Mercedes-Benz for Christmas. Oh yeah, let me add that to my shopping list. LOL! I’m equally astonished when I see these articles that read “Great Gifts for Under $500.” What’s up with that? I buy stuff for friends and family throughout the year because I see something I think they’ll like or enjoy or it reminds me of them…and then I give it to them. Then there were the commercials for shopping specials starting at 6 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning and the day after. My husband loves all that chaos. Me? No thanks. I’d prefer to be beat senseless. :crazy: I refuse to be caught up in that and I refuse to hang a price tag on my regard and affection for friends and family.

Don’t get me wrong. I fully admit to being materialistic. I have a penchant for jewelry–nice, expensive jewelry. In fact, while I was in Sedona, I found a gorgeous necklace with a Russian icon that was a one-of-a-kind in an art gallery. It could’ve been mine for $2000. In three installments. Really, not that bad for a unique piece of jewelry. I’m not sure I could’ve stared down that temptation alone, but my two good friends led me out of there. :rolleyes: Would I turn that down if it was presented as a gift? Uh…no. But I don’t expect it for Christmas. It’s the expection factor that bugs me…as if there’s something wrong with us if we’re not willing to shell out five-hundred bucks on a gift or maybe a couple of thousand for a necklace or maybe several thousand on a car. And it also sets up the expectation that others should do the same for us.

Okay, I’ll climb off of my soapbox and try very hard to keep my mouth shut for the next month. :blush: And would I like a Mercedes-Benz for Christmas? No thanks, I’m perfectly happy with my car. :)

Okay, someone asked me this morning on the phone what I had planned for Thanksgiving dinner. Actually, I haven’t given it any thought, but I was too embarrassed to admit it (this particular woman loves to cook and she lays out this huge spread) so I just made up a menu on the spot. But, it sounded pretty good once I made it up so we’ll probably run with it. :rolleyes:LOL! Wouldn’t Martha just shudder over my lack of domestic goddessness?

Actually, instead of writing tons of pages yesterday as I’d planned, I wound up laying on the couch all afternoon, feverish and nauseous. :( I wasn’t too sure that we wouldn’t be eating out on Thanksgiving depeding on how long I was sick. Fortunately, I almost never get sick and when I do, don’t stay sick for long. Still not up to eating today, but I’m upright and at my computer.

The Girl said this morning, “Gosh, mom, for your age you’re really healthy.” Ya know, I should definitely smack that kid more.

It’s overcast and raining. Pavarotti is performing La Boheme on the cd player. I have my tea. Perfect writing day. Here’s hoping I get lots of pages done today. Let’s put it this way…I NEED to get lots of pages done today. :confused:

Okay, so Thursday played out exactly the way I thought it would. I had my last MRI and check-up with my doctor. Left home at noon. Pulled back into my drive-way at 6:30. :crazy: The good news is I’m fine, but then I knew I was fine. The other bright spot is I adore my doctor…but I’m not sure that even he was worth that 6 1/2 hour time investment. :hehe:

Regardless of the time issue, I’m extremely thankful I was given a clean bill of health. I’m also thankful that once we finish The Girl’s soccer tournament today (two games yesterday) that soccer is over. Woohoo! I’m ready for a break from 2-3 practices a week and a game every week-end. Basketball starts Dec 1, but her dad’s in charge of that.

So instead of schlepping to soccer practice, I’ve signed up for kickboxing. I’ve done it before and not only is it a great stress release, it’s a darn good workout and it doesn’t require a high degree of coordination (always a bonus for me). It’s just what I need with the holidays and two looming deadline. I’ve really struggled with finding the time to fit in exercise lately, but I’m committed to carving that hour or hour and a half for myself every day. My sanity and health (and my waistline) are worth it. :)

Today is a monumental waste of time and money. I have a final follow-up MRI and visit with my doctor from my leg surgery last year. Between traffic and waiting and being seen, it will tie up my day from noon until, well, if I hit Atlanta rush-hour coming home it could be quite late. I’ve rescheduled this three times already. :doze: Aside from the fact that my portion of this bill is going to be a couple of hundred dollars, there’s the fact that my doctor is one of, possilbe the best, in the southeast when it comes to orthopaedic oncology. I feel guilty sucking up one of this time slots when there are people out there with real problems who could be using that appointment–who NEED that appointment. Me? I’m fine. I know I’m fine. However, when I mentioned to my husband that I should just cancel altogether he looked at me as if I’d sprouted a third eye. Guess not. So, I suppose I’m committed to blowing an entire afternoon and a couple hundred dollars and squandering a talented surgeon’s appointment time. :plain:

What a fabulous, energizing trip! There is a stark, awe-inspiring beauty to the landscape. Each morning we got up and took a half hour walk with this incredible red rocks towering in the distance. It beat the heck out of my usual walk/run in my subdivision.

I’ll have to say we were very diligent and spent most of our time working. Saturday, however, was deemed shopping day. I’m really not a big shopper, but it was great. I even got some early Christmas shopping done. Woohoo since I’d just about rather be beat with a stick!

We all had our auras read which was very cool. I almost didn’t do it until the woman assured me you couldn’t fail an aura reading. :P Who wants to find out they have a “loser” aura? :hehe: My aura was overwhelmingly yellow which is interpreted in the aura colors overview as creative, intelligent, playful, optimistic and easy-going. Hey, I’m good with that!

The only downside was it ended to soon. :( But I’m already making tentative plans to take the family back after the first of the year. There was no time for hiking and all of those trails along those fabulous red rocks beckoned….

This morning I’m off to Sedona for a 4-day writing retreat. Everything’s done. My work is caught up at the office. All the clothes are clean. Cat litter scooped. The Girl’s schedule is all taken care of for my husband. Bills paid and in the mail. Dishwasher empty. The bathroom could use a good scrubbing…but :doze: Pretty much everything’s in order and still I feel guilty for going. It’s a working trip, but it’s still going to be fun. We’ll work but we’ll also enjoy the red rocks, some shopping and a big definite is the dining out! Oh, well, I’m thinking once I get there, the guilt will diminish. :rolleyes:

As for the book I’m working on, which in typical fashion is not as far along as it should be :crazy:, is still coming along. I really like the direction it’s going and it’s been fun to write thus far.As much as I LOVE to read historicals (and they’re my favorite), it’s been interesting to imagine if I were suddenly plunged back 261 years. Yowza! :O

I suppose I should go catch that plane. It’d be bad form to miss a plane cause I was yammerin’ online. :hehe:

Jen