So I was sitting amidst boxes of Christmas decorations Friday when the mail came. What to my wondering eyes did appear? A card from her and her! (And the Bugaboo, too!) It warmed the cockles (?) of my heart.

But no return address? Ladies, this is hardly fair.

It was nice to know that they were thinking of me, wallowing here in my jealousy, and decided to taunt me with proof that they had, indeed, met.

Thank you so much, Ladies.

This little community is so cool.

We had a wonderful time at the parade on Friday. Best Friend and her husband hosted a lovely gathering. The man actually made Turducken for Thanksgiving this year. Turducken is a chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey. All are de-boned and wrapped in stuffing as well. I didn't try it (not much on duck), but I heard it was awesome. He is now my culinary hero, especially since he heard us bemoaning the lack of whipped cream for pumpkin pie and magically appeared before us with fresh whipped cream.

All of BFH's family were there, the first time I had seen most of them in years. His brother and I had long ago enjoyed a couple of trysts - more comforting each other in our loneliness than anything else. Nothing serious, ever. But I had never met his wife and kids. He had never met mine. It was nice to talk with him.

BF and her sister, BIL and mom were sitting at the end of the table, discussing how they had startled the limo driver on the way to cemetary by breaking into fits of hysterical laughter over some "odor" in the back of the car. It was wonderful to see them laughing and smiling and carrying on as they remembered their father. She's going to be okay, I think.

As for me, I am always amazed at how comforting it is to be surrounded by people who have known me forever and accept me as I am, as one of them. They know me warts and all. And it's okay. Even though we may sometimes see each other only once or twice a year, we step into each other's open arms and are instantly comfortable.

After reading some of my favorites, I'm thinking our Thanksgiving was kind of lovely. We still haven't finished decorating the tree. Lights are on but no decorations. Boy is putting them on as I type. He thinks this is a big deal. I'm just glad someone else is doing it. The rest of the halls are decked. I'm kind of going with a "less is more" theme this year. More botanicals and candles, fewer knick knacks. I swear I sent three or four boxes down back to the basement untouched. After awhile one starts to accumulate so much stuff, there just isn't room.

It looks lovely. Warm and welcoming and exactly what I had in mind.

Hubband was up until 2am putting hanging icicle lights. They're boring and trendy but we love the look. Every time we try to think of something different, we just keep coming back to the same thing. They just look so classic with our little white house and all its windows.

I'll have to post some pictures when we get all done.

I spent yesterday evening baking cookies for the cookie exchange SIL planned for today. I was so excited to be included, I said yes without thinking. As I was straining to mix the dough (by hand, ugh!) I was wishing I had declined instead. Especially when I noticed the recipe I was using supposedly yields only 2 dozen per batch. I tripled it and while it was chilling, when to the store to get more ingredients. I don't know how big the cookies were that the test kitchen baked, but I was able to get 10 dozen out of the dough. That made me happy, because I didn't want to mix anymore. My arms were tired.

Today, SIL and BIL, both of their kids and their spouses, Big Boy and GirlFriend are all coming for dinner. I have a roast slow cooking in two different crock pots with potatos and carrots and onions and celery. I will make peas and possibly some rice to go with it. (GirlFriend is a particularly picky eater, I hear.) SIL is bringing a salad and her daughter is bringing ice cream. I have a yellow layer cake with fudge frosting and an apple pie cooling on the porch.

It is Big Boy's birthday. He is nineteen, today. SIL had her birthday last week. We always celebrate them together, usually on Thanksgiving. But this year Big Boy was busy.

It's been a difficult year for us where he's concerned. He's branching out and making choices and becoming an adult. He's always been so compliant, all his life. Then he turned 18 and decided to just go his own way. We miss him. It makes Hubband upset that we never see him, which makes me angry in return. On the other hand, Hubband will not say a single word to him about it, because he doesn't want to push and nag. He thinks he'll come around later and be closer to him because of it.

I hope that's true. Having breakfast with my own father yesterday certainly didn't prove it. Two hours spent with each other stumbling around uncomfortable lapses in conversation. He filling the empty spaces with apologies for things he needn't and blaming me for things he shouldn't. Not that it was bad or anything. I love my father. And I long ago learned that he loves me as he is able. He never sees that the fact that he doesn't know us is as much his fault as anyone's. He never will.

Well, the sun is shining on the ice and snow that's accumulated over the last day or two. It looks pretty and wintery and ready for Christmas.

I think I'll let this go and get dressed. I need to help get ready for the day. Hubband is damaged from his trials with the lights. He slipped down the ladder, twisting his ankle and bruising his chest. He smashed his thumb. He burned his hand while warming up his dinner at 2am. He is achey and his knees are killing him from several dozen trips up and down the ladder. And I love that he does all of this for us.