Long Overdue Thanksgiving Update

 I am definitely going to end this year much as I started it: as a blog slacker.

I should try harder to motivate myself next year, considering that it will be my 20th year in this space. We will see.

Anyhoodle, I would be remiss if I failed to document our Thanksgiving celebrations and, we can't have that. So. Here we go.

Queen B arrived in Hooterville on Monday night, and we kicked off our week Tuesday morning with some last-minute food shopping and a Starbucks run.

Queen B then spent some quality time catching up on her Guinness cuddles.

Thursday morning, Shanti and the Man-Cub came by for mimosas and to visit. At the same time, I started my marathon cooking session (23.5 lb turkey and alllll the sides, as usual), and took advantage of my kitchen to prep the jalapeno poppers that they were taking to the potluck meal they were attending at Shanti's aunt's house later that afternoon. Of all the things I was thankful for that day, having all my kids together in my kitchen was right up there.

Queen B took some time to update my chalkboard with some turkey art...

...and I set the table with my Thanksgiving dishes, which I love.

Then we noshed on a ginormous charcuterie board that included a couple of new cheese varieties that have become favorites.

Shanti and the Man-Cub left for their party, and we welcomed Oscar, Emily, Mom, as well as Hugh's brother and his family from Maine, who had flown in to surprise their parents. I failed miserably at getting pictures of the day, as I was busy in the kitchen with prep, cooking, and clean-up.

Shanti and the Man-Cub returned to our house in time to visit with the family and to end the day with us, which was my favorite part of the day.

I have so many things to be thankful for, and many of them were under my roof that day.

What's Up Wednesday, November 2025 Edition

 

Happy almost Thanksgiving! Can you believe November is coming to an end, already? I can't, but here we are with another edition of What's Up Wednesday, thanks to Sheaffer and Shay.

What I've Been Eating

I'm supposed to be making an effort to improve my diet over the next three months, thanks to a cholesterol level that is higher than my doctor would like, and, I intend to do my best. I do. Starting next week.

In the meantime, I have been experimenting with sourdough discard chocolate chip cookie recipes. As one does.

What I'm Loving

Hugh and the Man-Cub filled their deer tags this month, which made them both very happy.

I asked Hugh to play around with some pictures on Chat GPT and the cartoon he made was a favorite

 that has led to inspiration for this year's Christmas card.  

What I'm Reminiscing About

Last year, Hugh, Mom, and I flew to Texas for Thanksgiving, which, fell on my birthday. Queen B and The Rodeo Princess outdid themselves on our dinner, and I didn't have to raise a finger. It was a good day.

What I've Been Up To

My sister visited this month and we spent some time visiting antique stores, thrifting at the Goodwill, and crafting Christmas ornaments from vintage items. It was so much fun.

What I'm Working On

I decided to decorate the house for Thanksgiving this year, rather than jumping straight into the Christmas decor. I'm not sad about it.

What I'm Excited About

Queen B is home for Thanksgiving and I am excited about spending time with he.

What I'm Dreading

Oddly enough, I am sort of dreading getting in the attic to sort through my Christmas totes. The physical labor aspect of holiday decorating is daunting.

What I'm Reading

I read through the entire Windy City series by Liz Tomforde in record time and am actually really sad that I'm finished. I'd love to go back and read three-out-of-the-five again for the first time.

My Kindle reading streak sits at 188 days as I type this, and I just finished my 58th book. Not too shabby for a gal who struggled to concentrate through a single book for almost two years.

What I'm Watching

Mom, Shanti, Shanti's mom, and I attended the community theater's production of Matilda last weekend, and we loved it. Several of Shanti's cousins' kids were in the play, and they did a great job.

I haven't been watching much television, but I made an exception for Maxton Hall. This is literally the only show I've ever been able to sit through that's dubbed in English from its original language. Good job, dubber people!

What I'm Listening To

I like to read a book, and then listen to it on Audible while I work around the house. I am currently listening to a series by I.A Dice and enjoying the narration.

What I'm Wearing

Well, I just bought this outfit...

What I'm Doing This Weekend

My birthday is Friday, and I'm planning to spend the day decorating he house for Christmas with Queen B. We have a birthday party to go to on Saturday, and on Sunday, I am doing a walk-through of Kristi's house since her renters are moving out.

What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month

I am looking forward to all things Christmas!!

Favorite Purchase This Month

Hands down, the three Dept. 56 Dickens Village pieces that I found at Goodwill for $5.00 a piece. Great deal on pieces!

Friday Favorites

It's been a hot minute since I've done a Friday Favorites post, so some of these favorites were from October, but that doesn't make them any less important.

Let's start with the pumpkins that one of the churches in Hooterville sells from its front steps. This is a tradition the church members started many years ago; they didn't do it last year, and I missed it. It's such a happy sight to see when I drive by on my way to and from work, and I enjoy walking by them on my afternoon mental health breaks.

Speaking of mental health breaks, the show that Mother Nature is putting on with her fall colors this year has been stellar. Walking through the fallen leaves has always been a favorite of mine, and this year has been no exception.

Last weekend, I put out my Thanksgiving decorations and, while I don't go nearly as crazy with fall decor as I do with Halloween or Christmas, I still make an effort. One of my very favorite things is my collection of vintage Gurnee candles. Finding them online and in the wild was a thrill that I feel to this day.

When my bilingual victims advocate left Not So New Job this past spring, she was distraught at the thought that the Christmas cactus she had babied in the office would suffer from her absence. I was very happy to inform her that, not only has the plant not died, but, under my dutiful care, it is thriving. I sent her this picture of the blooms it is sporting, and she was happy.

Finally, when Queen B decided to relocate to Texas, I was worried about her for many reasons. I was mostly concerned that she would be lonely. I am so happy that she has found a circle of friends there who lift her up and support her. This past weekend, they attended a wedding for one of their friends, and Queen B looked happy, healthy, and gorgeous. Can't ask for better than that!

It goes without saying that she is my favorite girl 💞

Things I Never Mentioned

 Last month, a bird flew into a window at Not So New Job. I've never seen an impression like the one it left. Clearly, our windows needed a good cleaning. Also, when I looked outside for the bird's body, there wasn't so much as a feather on the ground. So, either the bird wasn't injured (unlikely, I mean, you can see the impression of his EYEBALL for fuck's sake) or a predator dragged the carcass off for dinner.

The world will never know.

My new victim services coordinator ran the picture I took through an AI generator, and the resulting cartoon is hilarious to me.

Also hilarious to me, although not to her, is the picture I took of Queen B at the dental clinic while she was home last month. The crown we installed on her front tooth many years ago had shifted, and she wanted it checked while she was home. As it turns out, the tooth shifted because the prior dentist failed to replace her permanent retainer as he should have. The dentist who has taken over the practice was appalled and has agreed to replace the retainer for free, but we also had to get a new crown. Queen B was fitted for the new crown at that appointment and will have the temporary tooth replaced by the new crown when she is home for Thanksgiving.

Happier moments happened during Queen B's visit, of course. She, Shanti, and I visited the local paint-your-own-pottery place, where we each chose a Halloween-themed item to paint. 

Queen B's mummy was good enough to earn her a chance to win a gift certificate for painting the Piece of the Month at the store. She didn't end up winning, but the nomination was a nice surprise.

Lastly, Hugh and his fellow firefighters were honored for saving the Visitor's Center at the local National Park when a wildfire ravaged it this summer. The event was held at The Association, which is where Mom, Kristi, and I have attended the Boozy Book Fair.  Mom and I attended the ceremony, and we indulged in craft coffees while we were there. It was a good day for all of us.