Thanksgiving Weekend
I had a delightful holiday weekend. It started off on Thursday…ok, well, it didn’t start out too horribly delightful…As a matter of fact, I was about to turn around and go home and say forget it. I called Steve (who had been so kind as to invite me to visit with him, his family and friends for Thanksgiving) and told him that traffic was going 5mph and I just wasn’t going to deal with it. He pulled up the traffic website and checked out what was going on and assured me that I’d break free fairly soon. So, my trusting soul continued southward….yeah. Two hours later, I broke free and made it into San Diego. That was one of the longest 69 mile trips I’ve ever made. The amusing thing is that I still beat everyone else by several hours.
So, I helped Steve set up what could be set up and put out the savory brie for he and I to nosh on while we waited for everyone else. I have to say that I actually prefered the savory brie. 
The melted brie with cranberries and blueberries was nice…but, the one that really got my taste buds happy was the herbed brie with sundried totmatoes and capers. I served it with water crackers and garlic-herbed pita chips. Mmmmmm. It was very, very tasty, in my opinion.
His son Eric and family showed up around 5ish…I immediately fell in love with Steve’s granddaughter, Audrey. 
She’s so adorable! The family (and Laura, a very sweet gal who is a friend of Steve’s) all disappeared into the kitchen to do…kitchen things. I figured I’d be in the way, so I plunked myself down on the couch and knit on Mike’s birthday/Christmas present. Glad I did, too…Little Miss Audrey decided the front door was a perfect thing to open up. I caught myself saying, “No ma’am” to her just like I do to Valkyrie (my littlest dog). She looked over at me and just grinned…then dropped down behind the couch and popped up – the next thing I knew, I was playing peek-a-boo with Audrey and giggling with her and just having a blast…while the adults worked. Score. I totally won out on that contest.
Steve made this wonderful turkey. The stuffing seemed to go over well – since I don’t eat it, I can’t speak to how great it was. But, given the number of compliments flying around it must have been tasty. Most seemed to find the gravy bland – I guess I have bland taste buds, then, because I enjoyed it. Steve’s daughter-in-law made this greenbean casserole that was delightful. Ok…ok…those who know how much I despise greenbean casserole, pick yourselves up off the floor. Seriously, it was really good. And, given how much I hate the stuff, the fact that I liked it is pretty astounding, I will admit. Laura brought mashed potatoes that were creamy and rich and fluffy – and I could never make nearly as nicely as she did. I’m too lazy, I think.
There was a surprise in store for me for the night – it was Eric’s birthday, as well as Thanksgiving. I felt a little odd being there for his birthday with nothing to give; but, not a one of them seemed to think a thing about it. So, in addition to pumpkin pie, there was birthday cake – I was a very good girl and did not over induldge…much. Just a tiny, little bit. I swear!
We wound up playing Cranium and some other game I can’t recall the name of. Let me say, for the record…I suck toad toenails at the ‘green category’ of Cranium. Whatever category that is – see? Mental blocked it because it and I don’t get along…at all. Period.
Anyway – it was a great time and I felt really welcome and not at all like an outsider. It takes a special class of people to be able to open their home up to someone they don’t really know and make them feel so welcome and so much a part of it all. So, while I was over 2500 miles from my family, this holiday – it was one that reminded me, I really do have so very much to be thankful for.
