Black Friday

I don't get it. Do the savings truly justify the inhumane wake up times, the lines, the harried sales clerks, the kneeing of fellow shoppers in the groin just to get the last gizmo for little pimple face for $10 less?

Compare my morning yesterday with Zac's.

Oh, I did do some shopping yesterday. I did it online.

Perfect Morning

The LTR and his sister are upstairs in the kitchen, sharing conversation as only a close brother and sister can.

Calls come in from Grandma's house and plans are made for the family gathering later in the day.

And me, resting in the den, stretched out on the couch wrapped in a flannel blanket with my dog resting at my side, while I sip a cup of warm coffee and watch Northern Exposure re-reuns.

And outside, the snow continues to fall.

Perfection

The First Annual Thanksgiving Day Swim

Staying at the LTR's sisters house last Thanksgiving, the LTR managed to lock himself out in the morning when letting the dogs out -- every day.

This was mild compared to what happened this morning. I'll let the LTR tell it:

Well, it was cold, and gloomy - as it always is in Akron - and pouring down rain, and five in the morning. So instead of letting the dogs run outside for a quick pee in the back yard, which isn't fenced, I decided to let them out the side door, which opens to the built in swimming pool. Much to my amazement, Ranger, who is terrified of water, ended up in the pool. On top of the pool cover, sinking into the pool, that is, and quickly becoming submerged in water that was pouring in from the sides and falling from the skies.

Panicked at not being able to reach her in the middle of the pool, and not finding anything long enough to reach her and pull her over, and knowing that everyone was sleeping in the house and my time was running out because the dog was sinking, I layed my body flat on top of the pool and stretched as far as I could....finally grabbing a handful of blond hair and jerking Ranger out of the pool.

At that point, I decided to renter the back patio of the house,
where I stripped off all of my soaked clothing, coat, etc. Realizing that once again I was locked out of the house, I walked around to the front of the house in my underwear and let myself in through the garage. The plan was to grab a towel, dry off the dogs, and get to my parents' house by 6 am to help with the turkey. As I walked into the back room with a towel in hand for the dogs, cold from the plunge and naked except for my soaked boxers, I again looked out back,
and who is in the pool again? Yes, it was a repeat of the whole rescue saga again. Except this time, it was at 5:10 in the morning, and I was wearing only undies. So I did the whole thing again...

When I arrived at my parents' at 6, the first thing out of their mouths was "well, did you lock yourself out of the house....'My answer: "you're not even going to believe this shit....'

Actually I could believe...except for leaving Ranger by the pool after the first time she'd fallen in. And a reader accused me of channelling Britney Spears' parenting skills?

Perhaps a more apt comparison would be Lucy Ricardo...

Eat Smart Today

Here are some tips for not completely losing it at the dinner table today, courtesy of Health Castle:


Don't go to the Thanksgiving dinner hungry: we often eat faster and more when we are hungry - therefore eat a wholesome breakfast and lunch on the day to avoid overeating at dinner time.

Thanksgiving dinner is not an all-you-can-eat buffet: Fill your plate half with vegetables, one quarter with a lean meat and the rest with a starch of your choice. Eat slowly and stop when you are full.

Turkey - go skinless: choose your 4-oz turkey portion skinless to slash away some fat and cholesterol. Save your appetite for the side dishes and desserts.
Side Dishes - watch your portion size: go for smaller portions. This way you can sample all the different foods. Moderation is always the key.

Make a conscious choice to limit high fat items: high fat food items can be found in fried and creamy dishes as well as cheese-filled casseroles in a traditional Thanksgiving meal . For instance, mashed potatoes are usually made with butter and milk; green bean casseroles are often prepared with cream of mushroom soup, cheese and milk and topped with fried onions; candied yams are loaded with cream, sugar and marshmallows. If you cannot control the ingredients that go in to a dish, simply limit yourself to a smaller helping size. Again moderation is the key.

Drink plenty of water: alcohol and coffee can dehydrate your body. Drink calorie-free water to help fill up your stomach and keep you hydrated.

357 Miles Later

Blogging by Bberry still. Almost to sister of LTRs (SLTR) house where we are staying. Tonight we go to his parents (PLTR) house for a pre T-day dinner. Tomorrow the whole family of LTR convenes for all the traditional fixins. The best is Ma LTRs oyster stuffing.

The LTR himself is in a fine whack - jammin to Ru Paul, Queen, Elton John, George Michael and at moment, Boy George.

My throat still hurts and I've been napping periodically.