We Are

Well, we pulled it off.  Thanksgiving dinner for 30.  28 actually, two people were missing; my cousin who pulled her back that morning and my father-in-law who was in the hospital.  

We knew, unfortunately, that my FIL would not join us.  His diagnosis-to-surgery timeline was mind-spinning fast, but it was the unknowns that cropped up that turned everything sideways.  He is home, recovering, now. It will likely be a slow recovery - mostly because he doesn't know how to be still - but we are truly grateful.

There were lighter times to our pre-Thanksgiving week, though, and we are grateful for them as well.

• My hubby and son took a quick trip out to Maryland to visit the Naval Academy.  Our son's top pick to attend, after graduating this May.  
• This is what it looks like to travel with your dad.
• Crunching the numbers at various nursing schools - application time is approaching.
• And so the prep begins
• She cooks with rum, too.
• I have no idea why now.
• It only took 24 hours and four dishwasher loads to clear all the dishes from Thanksgiving.  It took several days longer to deal with linens, chairs, tables, smokers and roasters.
• As a former worker in the customer service industry myself, the Girlie and I have decided that it should be a requirement that at some point in your life you have to work in some sort of customer service field (retail, food service, etc.) - just once and only for a few weeks - just to understand how to treat people (or perhaps how not to treat people) and not be a complete ass; people need to get a glimpse of being on the other side.
• AHA Mite Tournament - first ever for this one.  (NOTE:  Never been much of a fan of tournaments, and I don't believe that is going to change much with hockey, who plan all their tournies over the holiday weekends.  Which wouldn't be so bad if it were a summer sport, but hockey is a winter sport, thus Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. weekends are now (or will soon be) required travel time.)
• Two days.  Six games.  Six losses.  Played well.  That fourth game on the first day, though, he was, shall we say, less enthusiastic.  Played sick on the second day.
• He left all he had on the ice
• Thanks to grandma he has a tournament shirt.  Has his first tourney pin for his bag
• And then there was indoor soccer. . .

Happy Wednesday,