I can never remember when the foot surgeries were. I just make up dates. I figure if it's that important to know exactly when it happened, they can call the insurance company.

My health shit is scattered across four countries and multiple head injuries, so there's just no way I can put all that together without a concerted effort.

The debit/credit card thing is to prevent fraud. They want to make sure you answer to the name on the card. Doesn't help if they mispronounce it, of course.

Heh. I always punch in my best friends number for those supermarket rewards (because I know he gives them her real number) and then they get tripped up by her French last name.

There are four different last names at my house but we all use the same rewards card so the grocery cashiers call us all Ms or Mr Land. I think I prefer that to people who read my credit card and call me Elizabeth. Dude, only my mom calls me that.

So I guess I'm just going to the movies by myself again.

Oh, we are such lousy localistas. Sorry we've been so crazy since you've moved here, Spidra. We have urban family Thanksgiving at our house (which involves epic rock band sessions--we can always use a good singer!), so if you want to escape your own, please let me know. We usually have about 10-15 friends come and go any time between 2pm and 2am, and you'd be more than welcome.

Caveat: We, and our friends are wrong (but in all the right ways).

I wish I wish I didn't have to be with my own family on Thanksgiving.

You love your family! Silly girl.

Pix, you and ND have had your hands full!

My dad did the best out of his siblings and my mom the best out of hers so our house has long been the go-to house for T-day. It's not quite the mob scene it was when more of my siblings lived down here (and more of my parents' and grandparents' generation were alive), but I still expect there will be 30 to 40 people here. It's a delicate thing to try to get out of.

I heard a rumor that one of my younger brothers who lives in Altadena is trying to host his own this year. Hasn't reached out to me but apparently asked my eldest brother & his family over. So said oldest brother will come *here* to crash, make a mess which I'll have to clean up, and spend his actual T-day at little brother's. But if I try to go somewhere else, I have a feeling I'll catch a ration of shit for it.

I really appreciate the invite and will see if I can wangle my way out of here.

Shit at dinner and a mess to clean up v. a fun, uplifting time and shit later? I'd ditch if I could.

I got the nicest invitation to Tday today from folks I like very much...but who have some issues. I had been planning on a really peaceful, introspective day on my own...given I've spent Tday with the bff for the last few years...but I think I'll go anyway. 6 kids. The biggest Irish Wolfhound in HISTORY. Seriously, that dog is taller than me (5'0")on all four feet. Plus a troubled granddad and completely untrained Lab puppy.

Fun!

Time to make my famous cranberry sauces.

ION, Bartleby is crunched up behind me in a swivel office chair. He has 7/8 of the seat and I'm perched on the edge. And he's snoring like a buzzsaw. Do I indulge him? Uh. Yeah. (He has to ask permission first, so we've got that going for us.)

In something good happened today news. After finishing up the core integrity in relationships conversation here, I got a surprise call from my oldest friend in the world. He was on my doorstep, having dropped his wife off at book club. N and I were in high school together in Union City CA 32 years ago. We co-won our school's highest award and had great respect for each other. He lives about 15 miles from me now. We don't get together often, but when we do, it is totally natural, easy and enjoyable.

I feel so fortunate to know him and it was a treat to be able to sit with him for a while.