Traditionally, my family comes to my house for Thanksgiving. My brother has a bigger house, but he doesn’t have the time to organize the gathering. We have celebrated at other homes, but I can seat most of the family here, and it’s now second nature to pull the menu, seating and decorations together.
This year, my second sister announced that she was holding Thanksgiving. She didn’t discuss it with any of us to see how we felt about it, she simply staked her claim. Her sons will be coming in from out of state, and she wanted to host them in her own home. Unfortunately, she just had surgery last week for two hernias. We invited her to participate in our celebration, but she was adamant about doing Thanksgiving at home. I really hope this turns out all right. She thinks her boys will cook the dinner….
Dear Husband’s kids have decided to share Thanksgiving with us, so I opened my home to any of my family that also wished to participate. We seem to be hovering at roughly 24 people at the moment, but there could possibly be four more. I plan to set three tables of eight, and I have enough room to seat the four guests who have been invited.
I’m excited about having my family here. I love it when they come together for a meal.. The food will be wonderful, but even better is all the chatter and interaction. My youngest sister will bring her family to us Wednesday night, and they will help with the early morning chores, like making dressing and setting the tables. The rest of our visitors will begin to arrive between 1:00 and 2:30 in the afternoon.
Of course, we do all the traditional parts of a Thanksgiving meal, but we’re adding a few things this year. DH requested either cold corn salad (in a vinaigrette dressing), or corn with crackers casserole. I think he’s getting them both. I found a mashed potato with Gouda cheese casserole, and a cornbread dressing that I want to try. We’re also going to ask my nieces to assemble a torte-like dessert made with brownies, chocolate pudding, Cool Whip and Heath bar chips.
I began grocery shopping today, and I already have a list for tomorrow. I’ll do some of the baking on Tuesday, and DH will make the lasagna that is traditional in his family. Wednesday, we’ll pick up the linens, the rental chairs, flowers, and any last minute things that we’ve forgotten.
I’m REALLY looking forward to this. I wish you could all share it with us. Adding guests to family is the perfect finishing touch….and I keep saying “They don’t bite!”
If I don’t make it back….I wish you the Happiest of Thanksgivings!

I saw the doc today. I was working in the gardens a month ago, trying to do some cleanup and get the perennials ready to deal with the coming cold. I worked two weekends in a row, putting in roughly five hours on several of the days. I was having fun, and wasn’t uncomfortable at all. A couple of days later it hurt to walk, to sit and to rise from a chair or bed.
I thought that the herniated disk in the small of my back had been hurt. I could function, even go to exercise, but I was getting jabbed in the back with pain on a regular basis. I put up with it for a month before I finally called the doc, and as soon as I made the appointment, I began to feel better.
Doc. G asked me several questions, walked around behind me, and pressed on four or five places across my hips that HURT! He knew exactly where to push to identify what was hurting. He said that if he were to take an MRI of my back, it would show that there were microscopic tears where the muscles attach to my pelvis. He showed me some stretching exercises to do, and gave me three prescriptions. Based on my ability to move, he thought I’d be well in a week.
Heavenly relief! I can sit without being afraid of that awful jab of pain. I can get a decent night’s sleep!
The next time I see Doc, I’ll have to ask him what to do to prevent this from happening again. Meanwhile, I should be in good shape to host my family on Thursday. YEA!

We’re all still alive here, just in the holiday preparation weeds. I love hosting Thanksgiving. It gives me the incentive to get cleaning done as we’re closing up the house for winter, and I find that I tend to change over decorations and quilts this time of year, too.
Of course, all of this takes time, and it means that I disappear from the blog scene. Most of the world doesn’t even know I’m away from my blog, but for those of you who come to read now and then, we’re all fine.
I find as I work I’m composing blog entries in my head. I really need to take a page from Blue Witch and get a voice recognition program. Then, I could multitask! For now, all those entries are lost, like smoke in the air. Early next year, I’ll be back to more regular posting AND reading.