Ok, I have been remiss, as demonstrated by not only regular reader Becky, but also my former foreign friend (formerly foreign, not former friend) Heather, both of whom have impressed upon me my delinquency by quoting, word for word, the opening sentence of my last posting.
I'm not sure if I'm honored or a little creeped out. I'll choose to go with honored.
It's been a busy two months, but I will endeavor to hit the highlights and to bring you up to date on Rose. Spoiler alert: this may have to be a series of entries. You know I tend to run on. But as my much acclaimed series on the trip to the UK this summer proved, my readers will read anything. Which is ironic, isn't it, Becky?.
November:
You will recall, especially Becky and Heather, that in our last episode, I had an eventful weekend, going to the ER because I knew I was dying of a heart attack and totally bummed that it was happening AFTER my bariatric surgery and privately bemoaning all of the yummy food I could have shoveled in the previous 7 months if I'd only waited to have the surgery in December. I, of course, was fine and since I have resumed taking my Prilosec like a good little girl, have had no issues whatsoever. Not even that weekend that I made REALLY spicy chili – so spicy that Duncan told me that if I'd entered it in our firm's chili cook-off, I'd have won the spicy category hands down - and then proceeded to eat it for several meals a day after that until it was gone.
Thanksgiving – well, the sibs had plans that didn't include me and Mom so it was just the two of us. The week before, however, mom had the brilliant idea that maybe some of the little old ladies in the church might not have plans and we could invite a few of them over to join us. I wasn't going to be eating much, so at least mom would have someone to cook for. Not that she had to cook for me. I'd have been ok with the same-ol' same-ol'. So I left for work thinking that Mom was going to call a few and fill the seats at our table. That evening, when I got home, I asked who we were having Thanksgiving dinner with, and she said that she remembered that my college roommate came home with me once for Thanksgiving because she couldn't go home for a 4-day weekend, so she thought maybe there might be some college kids in the church who'd like to join us. A slightly less preferable option, in my book, because I probably would have known the old ladies, whereas I don't know many of the college-aged kids. As it turns out, though, we didn't have any college-aged kids join us either. Either they'd all had someplace to go, or we'd left it too late and they were thumbing their way up the highway.
So Thanksgiving arrives. I told mom that there wasn't much point in her cooking the turkey boob she got for just the two of us when we could just go out to Bob Evans or someplace and get a perfectly good meal. She was game. That morning, as per my usual, I got the newspaper with all the Black Friday ads, and as I'm skimming them, looking for what/where I might want to get/go the next day, mom is reading the actual paper. Silly rabbit, news is not for kids. It turns out to be a good thing, though. While reading, she noticed an ad for a restaurant on the (far enough that mom almost packed a bag) east side of town that was serving turkey and all the trimmings. We decided that we'd head out, and if we saw something that flipped our wigs before we got there, then fine, but otherwise, we'd go to the Carousel Restaurant. As we drove down the Expressway near the 'do, there were two options: Burger King and Denny's. Closer into town, we passed the Cross-eyed Cricket, but we were in the wrong lane to make a left-turn to get there, so we ended up at the Carousel. It was fab. Turkey, dressing, veggies, a roll, a drink and pumpkin pie for… well, it's been a while… I'm thinking $9.99. The place was packed!
After filling our tums (mine is filled much quicker and there was quite a doggie bag for me), we headed a wee bit north (so for those of you keeping track, now we're even farther away from the 'do… making mom REALLY wish she'd packed that overnight bag) and went to go see the new Muppet Movie. At the time, I intended to give you my impressions of the movie in a blog entry, but, yeah, that obviously didn't happen. I enjoyed it. It was very entertaining, and I adore Animal. But.. I'm thinking that the unthinkable may have happened and I may have outgrown the Muppets. I'll have to ponder that and get back to you.
Après movie, I took mom back home and then I went to Michaels. Yes, this was Thanksgiving afternoon, but they were open and there was a coupon with everything 40% more off! Mom and I generally take a couple of names from the Angel Tree at church – each angel has the name of a kid who has a parent in jail/prison and age/gift suggestions/sizes for the child. The gifts are delivered from a member of the church along with a tiny Bible and the kid has a present "from" the incarcerated parent. Well, one of the names we picked wanted art supplies and so not only were the art supplies that I got him on sale, but I got an additional 40% off, so for the $20 I spent on him, he got $40 of loot! I do try to get as much bang for my buck for these kids, since they may not get much more. In addition to getting the Angel kid's art stuff, I was able to get some quantity/not quality gifts for my secret pal at work, and for the nieces and nephews… and, let's face it, some stuff for me, too!
Friday, mom and I had been invited down to Eddyville, Illinois, to have a "real" Thanksgiving meal with my Aunt Linda's family. We had a very nice time. They hadn't seen me in person since my surgery in April, just pics on Facebook which is not the same thing, so there were ooh's and aah's which, although not necessary and certainly not required, sure did make me feel nice.
Before we left for Eddyville, though, I was able to hit Kohl's and get myself a new coat, since the one I had was big enough for three of me (when I bought it, I accidentally bought the wrong size, so it was huge on me even when I was bigger), and some sweaters, and the other Angel kid's gift – clothes at really cheap, so he got $40 worth of stuff for my $20, too! Very successful!
We finished up the Thanksgiving/Black Friday shopping weekend by going to Burlington's on Saturday to get Mom a new coat because the coat she had been wearing was the one she bought in Indy when she went up for either Hollian, Natalie, or Brynn's birth. So at a minimum it's 21 years old. A good quality coat, but ready to be put out to pasture. Mom doesn't like shopping, AND Burlington also qualifies for her needing to pack a bag to go there, so I got her home as soon as possible and we burrowed into our condo for the remainder of the weekend.
By Monday, I was rested and relaxed and, other than just not wanting to get up at 6:30 and go to work, I was ready to go back to work.
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