Ticks, Trees and Traditions
Jack didn't get sick from the buttermilk pie, he actually really enjoyed the two hour ride home and his time out in the sticks of East Texas. He enjoyed being outside without a leash, went walking through the woods with Todd and came back with ticks (yikes!) and apparently loved the sound of his fingernails tap-tap-tapping on mom's hardwood floors. He followed me everywhere. Something I love so much it makes my heart melt.
It was a really good Thanksgiving holiday. I really enjoyed my time home -- seeing mom's new house and what my sister is doing to redecorate her new home as well. Makes me wish so badly that I owned a home. One day.
Mostly I loved the ride there and back, and the little trips in between, because you get to see some of the most beautiful colors of fall with all of the leaves changing. The brightest yellows and reds are my favorites. Surely Todd got tired of me saying, "Look at that one! Man! So bright!" Nah, he loved them, too.
Equally as enjoyable were the church signs. Not the signs outside of churches, not that those weren't a blast, but the signs in people's yards: "We HEART Rose Hill Baptist Church", or "We HEART First Baptist Church"...you name it, they had it. It's almost like all the churches were running for homecoming queen. Tons of families had those signs in their yards and I couldn't help but wonder, "Why?" What purpose do the signs serve? Recruitment? Advertisement? Todd and I almost started counting them, tallying up which church had the most yard signs, but we were too hung over by then to put out the effort.
Speaking of hung over...Todd experienced what a true small town party is like in the wintertime - right beside a campfire. We met some friends for dinner (BYOB! In a dry county!) then headed out to the sticks where a friend was building his new house. When we arrived, the campfire was in full force. We didn't find out until the next day that they had a "burn ban" that weekend. Mom said the fine could be up to $1,000 if you're caught. Thankfully (and surprisingly), no one told on us. I still can't get the smell of smoke out of my pants or even the bra I wore that night. It was a lot of fun, though. And there was a port-a-potty, so I didn't have to squat in the woods.
We came back into town on Saturday and spent the rest of the weekend with Todd's family -- playing cards, eating and watching television. It was nice to relax with them for a while, as even though they live in the same town as us, we rarely get to see them for longer than an hour or so.
Todd's mom puts sausage in her stuffing (or dressing, rather), my mom does not. They smoke their turkey, my mom does not. Neither is "better", it's just that the consumption of this particular annual meal is a religious experience for me. My mom knows we must have turkey, dressing, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, homemade rolls, giblet gravy, cranberry sauce (from the can) and an array of desserts. If they're not there, the convulsions begin. Todd's family had steak and lobster one year. I just love it. BUT, if there's ever a time when I don't get to spend Thanksgiving somewhere near my mother and her cooking...Well let's just say I have a lot of learning to do. Because I can't go more than 365 days without that meal. My stomach is growling as I type this.
Now I'm back to work. And I have so much work to do that I can't see straight, I don't know where to start. The work pile-up isn't a result of the holiday. It's because it's end of year.
"End of year". Heh. I used to be so thankful when it came to the end of a year, looking forward to closing the door on it and starting fresh the next. Closing the door on all the mistakes, the misunderstandings, the unfulfilled wants, the regrets. Not so much this year - I have loved 2005. It was a banner year for me. But I am excited about what 2006 brings. It's just a different feeling altogether. A good one.
It was a really good Thanksgiving holiday. I really enjoyed my time home -- seeing mom's new house and what my sister is doing to redecorate her new home as well. Makes me wish so badly that I owned a home. One day.
Mostly I loved the ride there and back, and the little trips in between, because you get to see some of the most beautiful colors of fall with all of the leaves changing. The brightest yellows and reds are my favorites. Surely Todd got tired of me saying, "Look at that one! Man! So bright!" Nah, he loved them, too.
Equally as enjoyable were the church signs. Not the signs outside of churches, not that those weren't a blast, but the signs in people's yards: "We HEART Rose Hill Baptist Church", or "We HEART First Baptist Church"...you name it, they had it. It's almost like all the churches were running for homecoming queen. Tons of families had those signs in their yards and I couldn't help but wonder, "Why?" What purpose do the signs serve? Recruitment? Advertisement? Todd and I almost started counting them, tallying up which church had the most yard signs, but we were too hung over by then to put out the effort.
Speaking of hung over...Todd experienced what a true small town party is like in the wintertime - right beside a campfire. We met some friends for dinner (BYOB! In a dry county!) then headed out to the sticks where a friend was building his new house. When we arrived, the campfire was in full force. We didn't find out until the next day that they had a "burn ban" that weekend. Mom said the fine could be up to $1,000 if you're caught. Thankfully (and surprisingly), no one told on us. I still can't get the smell of smoke out of my pants or even the bra I wore that night. It was a lot of fun, though. And there was a port-a-potty, so I didn't have to squat in the woods.
We came back into town on Saturday and spent the rest of the weekend with Todd's family -- playing cards, eating and watching television. It was nice to relax with them for a while, as even though they live in the same town as us, we rarely get to see them for longer than an hour or so.
Todd's mom puts sausage in her stuffing (or dressing, rather), my mom does not. They smoke their turkey, my mom does not. Neither is "better", it's just that the consumption of this particular annual meal is a religious experience for me. My mom knows we must have turkey, dressing, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, homemade rolls, giblet gravy, cranberry sauce (from the can) and an array of desserts. If they're not there, the convulsions begin. Todd's family had steak and lobster one year. I just love it. BUT, if there's ever a time when I don't get to spend Thanksgiving somewhere near my mother and her cooking...Well let's just say I have a lot of learning to do. Because I can't go more than 365 days without that meal. My stomach is growling as I type this.
Now I'm back to work. And I have so much work to do that I can't see straight, I don't know where to start. The work pile-up isn't a result of the holiday. It's because it's end of year.
"End of year". Heh. I used to be so thankful when it came to the end of a year, looking forward to closing the door on it and starting fresh the next. Closing the door on all the mistakes, the misunderstandings, the unfulfilled wants, the regrets. Not so much this year - I have loved 2005. It was a banner year for me. But I am excited about what 2006 brings. It's just a different feeling altogether. A good one.
posted by Lauri at 2:12 PM
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