associated in random thought

a little belated.

happy post-thanksgiving to everyone! i hope you and yours spent a fabulous day stuffing your bellies and hearts with turkey and thankyous.

my thanksgiving felt foreign, yet wonderful all the same. because it is virtually impossible to have time off enough to travel to pennsylvania this time of year, i've spent the past couple thanksgivings with helen's family in houston. this year, of course, was the first holiday without boompie, and no one expected the day to feel the same. however, everyone seemed to make room for the loss, the change, and the day was peaceful.

thanksgiving was held at aunt janis' house, and being texas, it was warm: eighty degrees. dinner was held outside in her big green yard, aka aunt janis' dog park. we left charley and moe at home in the backyard since we were making such a quick trip. and so, it was just lucy and clem who chased squirrels all day.

i must confess that i have never lounged on a hammock after thanksgiving dinner before. sure, i've made my share of post-turkey snow angels, but a hammock on a warm afternoon? totally new. in fact, i even managed to receive a mosquito bite on my ass (a thankful mosquito, helen says). yesterday felt more like an easter dinner than thanksgiving, and maybe that's the point: nothing was familiar about the holiday but the people in it. disorientation isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially when you're beginning something new, like a tradition.

and dearest fambly in pa: i'm coming soon. once i get through the crazy work season, i'm boarding a plane to you. it's been too long, and i miss you too much.