A Stuft Turkey

Thanksgiving 2008 has now come and gone. I had a really nice time
visiting with Mom & Dad, but it wasn't the same. I mean seriously,
somehow we missed having macaroni and cheese! If only it was that
easy.

My Dad's mom and his brother Rich came to eat with us, and we
certainly had plenty of food. Mom and I did some trial and error sort
of cooking with the cranberry salad and dressing that Grandma Alston
always made. When it was said and done with though, we got it pretty
close to right and I learned more about how to make the dishes along
the way. I almost lost it one time - right before we ate. I asked
Grandma Johnson to bless the food but she wouldn't. Mom ended up doing
it. I knew I wouldn't be able to do it without crying. Somehow I
managed to hold the tears back. Its amazing how the little things
catch you sometimes. Like in orchestra rehearsal last week - the
strings play a rendition of White Christmas that does not have a wind
part, so we just get to sit back and relax. Its a great break for my
chops, but it lets my mind wander and I was having to do a good acting
job of having something in my eye as I wiped away the tears.

With Christmas only 24 days away now I feel apprehensive about the
holiday and what it will be like this year. Uncle Chuck is suppose to
come visit, so I guess that will be something normal about the
holiday. That is generally the one time a year he makes it our
direction.

Mom and I braved the crowds Friday morning. We had our eyes on laptops
at Office Depot, but of course they were all done. Target was next on
the list. We ran into a friend of ours and stood talking for an hour I
think. But, we did get a bit of shopping done. Fitting everything in
the car on the way home was an interesting trick. I think the
highlight of Friday was French toast sticks at Shoney's. Uber tasty.

Saturday was nothing other than a disappointment in general, it was
rainy and the gamecocks lost. They didn't really even show up to the
play at all. Big bummer there. I really thought we should have won
that game. I was also a little sad about having to hit the road back
to Charlotte. Sitting around and playing Guitar Hero with Mom was much
more fun that returning home to an empty apartment and the promise of
the office bright and early on Monday morning (although today it was
raining still so it was a dreary and wet return to the office). That
evening I met up with a friend downtown to have a few drinks and watch
football, then I went on over to Tiki Beach and hung with Matt, Shawn,
and the rest. It was a good time. Too bad I can't say the same for
Sunday.

I woke up around 9:30 - was sort of milling about and then realized I
didn't really feel too well. I knew I had been drinking on an empty
stomach the night before (wasn't hungry considering I was a "stuft
turkey" from an entire weekend of gorging myself at the parent's
house). 7 hours later and at least 5 trips to the restroom my stomach
finally settled down. Oh, the joys of a day spent in the bed and on
the bathroom floor. Even this morning I still feel a little queasy,
but now it is becoming the battle of hunger vs. being ill. I can't
really differentiate the two. Sunday was made even worse by the fact
that A) I was so cruddy feeling I didn't get to watch much of the
packers game, and B) we lost to the Panthers. Again, I really thought
we should have one that game. From what I did catch of the game it
seemed as if the Packers at least showed up to play, which is more
than the cocks did Saturday. We would have won if Delhome wouldn't
have completed a bomb pass down to Steve smith in the 4th quarter.
DeAngelo Williams did put up a big 38.60 on my fantasy team though.
Can't complain about that. This week's match-up (against my dad) is
already wrapped up. I have 153.54 and he has 132.82. I still have
Andre Johnson and Maurice J-D left to play tonight too. Securely in
second place for the playoff I have a bye next week - and then I just
gotta hope my boys keep it up. Scot is going to be 12-0 going into it
and has scores 1890 pts this season while I only have 1796. Just gotta
keep my fingers crossed.

Well, another lunch break wasted. I've been working on eating Wild
Mushroom Bisque. I think it is going to stay down.

So long for now.