Thanksgiving, One and Two
7:42 a.m. - 2004-11-28


I made my rolls on Thursday morning, and they came out beautifully, maybe because I set the timer and kept an eye on them, instead of my usual getting involved in some task and forgetting them. I had about 4 dozen. The EG's showed up about 2:00 and we sat around and chatted for ten minutes, because I had loaded the breadmakers and the last loaf wasn't out yet. Then we drove over the back road to west county, and a beautiful drive it was, all green and fall colors over the hills. We made excellent time. Eventually all the guests arrived - us, Bev, Randy and Therese, Elisabeth and Jacob, Sue, Tom, and Aaron. They had the dining table set up in the regular place and another table in front of the back window. I sat at the big table next to Therese. She was telling me all about her music therapy practice and how they are fixing up Aunt Flossie's house, stripping the woodwork and other interesting things. She is very vivacious and flamboyant, and was looking particularly nice, with lots of curly blond hair. The food was the usual, Craig baked one turkey and BBQ'd one. Therese brought a green bean dish that she got from Giada De Laurentis on the Food Channel (I remember watching that episode and thinking the green bean and tomato casserole looked weird) and in spite of my first opinion of these green beans, they were fabulously delicious. Dessert was assorted pies.

The funny incident of the evening was when Jacob was telling us how he has moved out of his childhood home, but his brother still lives there with the folks, and Aaron muttered, "At least SOMEBODY'S brother has moved out!"

E and J are having a dual purpose weekend here in California. Jacob, unbeknownst to his employers, is going for an interview at a university in SF on Monday. He wants to get into their program for, I can't remember the real name, but it is for museum display, a field he really wants to go into. If he gets it, they will move back here to the grotesquely expensive Bay Area.

On Friday, I alternated cooking my greenbean casserole with knitting a sweater for myself. It was a cold and misty day, but looked like it would burn off. We went to Jason's about 6:00. Auntie M as already there with Amanda, and we chatted a bit about her trip to Portland for some nursing seminar. When the nurses go up there, they always hit the thrift shop because the upscale population gives away wonderful clothes. She was wearing a lovely taupe real linen blouse that she got for $2.00. Apparently Alex was over at Mary's mom's, though he did put in an appearance just before I left, so I did not get any good Alex/Mary updates, sorry girls. However, Adam was there with HIS girlfriend, and they were very chummy, holding hands and looking goofy at each other. She is slim and has long brown hair. I think she goes to San Jose State, and Adam is at Riverside now. Her name is Cheryl.

January was looking lovely, wearing the gold cashmere pullover that used to be my mother's, a gift from Jason some years ago. We noticed that there were two tiny moth holes in the ribbing, so she took it off later in the evening to give to me to repair for her. I don't know why, but it makes both Melissa and I happy to see her wearing my mom's clothes, though we also wish we were still small enough to fit into them.

The Evert cousins never showed, or maybe they came earlier before I got there, so I didn't get to see the baby. The packaged dinners Jason got were surprisingly good, especially the mashed potatoes, which were even tasty padded out with some of those Costco powdered ones, and the gravy was good. The stuffing was quite peculiar looking however, like it was drowned and resurrected, but tasty. January brought pickled peaches, Jane brought a green jello salad, and there were assorted pies for dessert with staggering mounds of perfect whipped cream.

I got something sticky on my hands, and went to the kitchen sink to wash them, when Jason came in and thanked me heartily for doing all the dishes (which I hadn't touched) but I was too honest to take credit for them, but I could have.

Saturday I knitted on the pink T-top, which is a first try for the pattern I drafted, so I don't expect it to be perfect the first time, but it is coming along nicely. I was making the back, but I forgot and shortrowed the darts in , so I guess it is now the front. I could see that the three balls of yarn I have would not be enough, so I ran out to Michaels to buy one more. What a mob at Michaels! No parking all around, so I went over to the municipal lot and parked there and hiked back. I guess the signs that say "Don't park here you will be towed" scared off other parkers, but they don't tow on the weekend. I managed to get in the one fast checkout line, which has to be a lifetime first, and was out of there quickly.

Now I am going to go to church, knit on my sweater, and maybe go to a movie this afternoon. And I am so sick of stuff with gravy that I may make soup for dinner.