How are you spending today? (Last day of TG weekend)

[catherine]

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving. It was so great to see the kids, integrate new DIL deeper into the family, eat, bowl, play Pictionary, sit out around the firepit and pass the guitar, rent apocalyptic movie on Netflix, etc. etc.

We just said farewell to the second car of Vermont-bound kids. The house is quiet.

Now begins the recovery from Extended Sensory Overload. Ahh. Even DH went to the dog park with Nessie and I have the house to myself... So, sorry guys, but communicating with y'all is also too much right now. Going to go veg out outside and enjoy the peace and quiet.

How are YOU spending the last day of Thanksgiving weekend?

[jp1]

Flying back to California from Denver. Spent the weekend visiting dad at his assisted living facility. I'm thankful that we were able to come but I'm exhausted. All he has the energy to do is sit in front do the tv, full blast because he doesn't have the energy to go to a hearing doc. I'd really like to spend the next few days in a dark, quiet room... But at least the airport isn't crazy busy and our flight is expected to be on time (fingers crossed).

[SteveinMN]

After a Thanksgiving morning fundraiser walk/run, a Thanksgiving dinner, and two Thanksgivikuh celebrations in the past three days, I am enjoying a quiet day at home. DW has gone to visit her mother, where her sister from out of town is staying, and was planning to spend the night (grown-up slumber party); she's off tomorrow. I'm doing some cooking for the week (curiously, after all this food, I'm not eager to eat but I am enjoying cooking that does not come with a deadline). And I suspect a nap is in my very near future. Life is good.

[Alan]

On the first day in a quiet house since last Wednesday, I'm taking advantage of a mild day to get some work done outside. We had a fairly violent storm come through a few weeks ago, followed by extreme cold and snow. Limbs which fell from the trees are finally picked up and disposed of, the chimney cap which I found in the neighbors yard has been replaced and the garden shed has been subjected to a small measure of organization.

I now have another two hours to compete the shed and tidy up the garage before sitting down to a late afternoon of football. Go Bengals!!

[early morning]

I've actually had more energy today so I'm catching up on laundry, taking advantage of the sun and breeze to get things dry. Picked up branches, changed all the liter boxes at one time (generally I stagger changing/washing them). Doing a little decorating of the front porch: pumpkins are in the field now, the fall wreath is down, the chair cushion is wrapped in red instead of orange. Paid bills, balanced the check book, tested the single string of outdoor lights we will hang on the porch. Played with the cats, read a book, planning dinner in my head. Filled the shed window box (well, it's a wire bike basket, but whatever) with ivy and pine cones. I keep sticking my head into the shed to inhale the lovely scent of our Christmas tree (a Canaan fir) as it sits in a bucket of water, swaddled in a sheet so we will be able get it through the door... Little, quiet, satisfying stuff.

[Simpler at Fifty]

We just got back from MN. Drove over yesterday for our friend's 60th birthday party and back today. It was a nice drive both ways. Put on 500 miles. We really enjoyed being there. They came to the hotel last night and we talked until 12:30 then met for breakfast and talked another 1 1/2 hours. Tonight I am picking up my neighbor and going to an Advent by Candlelight event at church. It is the perfect start to the Advent/Christmas season.

[Mrs. Hermit]

Said goodbye to the last carload of kiddos just now, and am trying to get a handle on this coming week (and month, to some extent). I love the activity the young'uns bring. But I like the peace afterwards, too.

[Simplemind]

Had a lovely quiet three days with family in small doses. Today I am on call for my volunteer job and have already been out three times. The last spent out in the rain for a couple of hours. Now I'm at home getting warm by the fire in dry clothes and waiting for what else may come.

[chrissieq]

Quiet house, nap, read, church, hung the Boy Scout wreath, started decorating the house which is quite minimal - will finish it up tomorrow AM.

[Blackdog Lin]

Had my normal and perfectly perfect Sunday: laundry and football (though alas! my team sucked pond water). The laundry is all done and put away for another week, we enjoyed a good brunch, and the dishes from Thursday are finally all cleaned and put away. It amazed me that just getting out a few "good" serving pieces, and the use of the industrial-sized roasting pan, could generate so much extra hand-cleaning and putting- away chores.

[Tradd]

Took the second required 8 hours training for my IL concealed carry permit (I received credit for the first 8 hours, which are just basic handling, safety, marksmanship, from an NRA Basic Pistol class I took last year). 16 hours total required.

VERY diverse class - a middle aged husband/wife, a lesbian couple who had guns with matching pink grips (one had the revolver and another the semi auto from the same mfg), a black family (mom, dad, 22 year old son), one Hispanic guy, me.

Managed the live fire qualification without an issue. :)

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-T42BPB49eM4/Upvp6S50e-I/AAAAAAAAGuA/BWq-ARxopS4/s400/CCWtarget.jpg

[rodeosweetheart]

church followed by Christmas shopping--bought an incredible Hemingway book of local Northern Michigan origin, with wonderful photos--

http://www.amazon.com/Picturing-Hemingways-Michigan-Painted-Turtle/dp/0814334474

but bought it at a little local bookshop with a good local history section. Dad will love it; he is 86 with cancer, and reading is his biggest remaining pleasure. I remember him taking us when I was six to Hemingway's house in Key West.

Bought a wood longboard for my son, who skateboards to work. Bought it because it was so darned beautiful, and the very nice 19 year old clerk told me that it was good for people with longer rides--stable, kind of a commuting board. The best part was I said, "Would you be happy if your mother bought you this for Christmas" and he said, "absolutely, I don't want to be a sleazy salesperson, but I'd be really happy, and it's so cool looking I might just hang it on the wall." It is really heartening to be around such nice young people.

Bought a collage picture frame because I really need to get some pictures of my kids up in the new house. My husband said, "why not just leave the sample pictures in there, maybe they won;t notice." Bought photo paper for the printer. I am excited about this project, but I really need to get the photos (30 years worth) into scrapbooks. However, with 6 spaces per collage, I am going to do a "everybody grown up" collage with 6 great pictures, and then get another one for some awesome little kid pictures, then maybe a middle one.

Went out to lunch; it was terrific fun.

Came home, washed dog, made dinner, and graded papers for 2 hours.

A nice day.

[gimmethesimplelife]

I have to admit I have done some shopping, but on things I have been wanting for some time and that were truly marked down more than I have seen the past few months. The sixth season of Mad Men and the first season of White Collar and an eight quart pot with glass lid and an indoor outdoor thermometer - all mine! And that's it with me and Christmas shopping - I will get a few people gift cards and that's IT! So happy to have that done. Other than that, I have been listing things on ebay and planting veggies in my backyard - beets and broccoli so far, with some snap peas going in soon.

I had a very nice and mellow Thanksgiving Day with my Mom - she made an Austrian ham and scalloped potatoes and the meal was great. Rob

[Gardenarian]

Good shooting Tradd!

Did a little gardening in the morning. There was a huge red-tailed hawk in one my trees watching me for about an hour.

I picked up dd from a sleepover on the other side of the Bay, stopped at Ikea to pick up some light bulbs (the thing about Ikea lamps - they only take Ikea bulbs.) It wasn't crowded! Then we got very lost in an odd area of Oakland - it was fascinating - felt like we could have been anywhere in the world, really. Found our way back, stopped at Goodwill and dropped off all the bags in my car (13!!)

My daughter performed (dance) in a local festival in the evening, then we went home and walked the dogs. (Good night for stars - new moon.) Then to bed with a book I'm enjoying very much - Night Film by Marisha Pessl.