Thanksgiving was always my favorite holiday till nine years ago. I loved having the family gathered together. I inherited the mahogany table my Nana and Granddaddy had when they settled down in 1947. (It needs some refinishing, since after my Mom had it, there were waterstains and such.) They had had one leaf, but it can expand to three, so Rich made two others. It expands out to seat 12 this way, or 14 if you budge up. One year we had about 18 people, and another table in the living room, plus the cutting table. I always enjoyed having the world in, and I tried not to get narky like my Mom did. (With varying success. I recall icily telling Rich one year that if he said One More Word, it would be his last Thanksgiving in this house. He needed it, he'd been pretty awful for weeks, but I surprised even myself.) It was always nice.

Then my Mom died 9 years ago, and the family was semi-falling apart. After a pretty gloomy Thanksgiving here, I started running away. It didn't really make sense to have the girls both on the road when we could go down to Monica's, so for many years we drove down to San Jose and Roni came from the Bay Area. The first year we did that, she had so many co-workers and other guests, it was just like it had been. I think one year we stayed home, but generally we went to wherever Monica was (through 4 houses, and after she got married, too.) Monica is really good at putting together a nice celebration. Roni couldn't come, after awhile. Two years ago we went early, through the busiest day. (Why is this always regarded as newsworthy? And tomorrow you'll see the "reporters" at the malls, saying how crowded they are!) The fun thing about that year was going line-dancing the night before.

Then last year not only did we run away, so did Monica. They went up to the Noyo River Lodge (and THEY got to talk to the host!) We went to Pittsburgh. This year, with Rich sick, we decided not to go anywhere. The kids offered to come and take us out, but we didn't want that, either. Just as well, he's still ticking. I'm cooking a smallish turkey, and having some of our other favorite foods, but long ago I stopped making it a pig-out day. We will have hors-d'ouevres, mostly already made up, but I need to cut some of the peppers into strips. There's turkey and dressing (extra dressing) and sweet-potatoes, corn for Rich, cranberry sauce, and a fruit salad (I forgot to get bananas for it, so we won't have bananas in it.)

I was actually planning to run to the Grand Canyon this year, though Rich wants leftover turkey. Now I feel like the holiday has changed again, and it'll be all right. Vince is in Seattle with Niki and my sister, Bernadette has to work. I think we can just have the two of us and one or two friends, and it'll be all right. It may well become my favorite holiday again.

Rich's colonoscopy went well, he's OK. The paper they gave him said to stay home on the day of the procedure and go back to work the next day. That would be today, does he HAVE to? He's retired!