askye, the light changes are probably more dramatic in your new location, too. So that may be triggering the hind-brain with "eat all the things for winter" messages.

We're pretty traditional and low-key for Thanksgiving. And I'm having it again this year for Dan's immediate family and mine, so 9 people? Do-able. Dan's stepdad makes a huge, kick-ass turkey and they bring whatever sides they feel like playing with.

I make my kick-ass ham, tons of mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole and rolls. Mom and my sister bring homemmade mac and cheese, baked beans and a vat of cherry junk (crushed pineapple, cherry pie filling, Cool Whip and sweetened condensed milk).

My sister makes a pumpkin custard pie; last year, I made a fancy apple crisp, but I think I'm going to try a dark chocolate torte with hazelnuts and sea salt, if I can find a springform pan that's not too pricy.

Two weeks away -- I've got to start the pre-holiday cleaning! We're having a NYE party, too.

Erin - congratulations!

My family was very much a Turkey dinner Thanksgiving family - in fact, we also had turkey for Christmas: basically, my Dad LOVED turkey and so we had it for both holidays. My brothers have turkey at Thanksgiving and then something else for Christmas.

My sister doesn't like ham, so before I got married, we had a big ham, and just a turkey breast. I think turkey's ok (and my FiL does a bang-up job) but I really like it for the, um, rivers of gravy...

And poor Dan -- the night before Thanksgiving is always a torment to him, because that's when I bake the ham and make the glaze. Of course, we have to cut off a wee bit from the bottom to "taste" it and make sure the flavor is good.

My in-law's make prime rib, crab legs and a vat of frozen margaritas for Xmas, of which I heartily approve.

I just called my doctor's office to ask why he hasn't responded to the message I sent him on Wednesday. The receptionist said she didn't know why he hadn't responded, and he's not in today, so she forwarded my message to another doctor in the practice.

askye,

are you thirsty as well?

You should get blood work done, as someone who was just diagnosed with diabetes end of July, I did not really have any of the standard symptoms (that I could tell) and it came up on me when I had vision problems.

I'm not really thirsty, but I'll get blood work done.

the light changes are probably more dramatic in your new location, too

With the really late DST change this year, I have really noticed the light. I grew up in MN, right on the 45th parallel, so I know what it is like to live without much light. (Not Alaska, but still, significant.) But even this far south, I have really noticed it this year.

I have no idea why, but I've always been fascinated with the coming and going of the light.

We did Thanksgiving at home the first couple of years we were married, but for just the two of us, the amount of work was not worth the reward. So now we find a restaurant that will be open and have people bring us food. I'm always amused by the numbers of blissful Moms I see in the restaurant on Thanksgiving. I always overhear someone saying "Oh, this is so nice--and I don't have to do any dishes!" Though there's often someone else saying, "Yeah, but I can't watch the game!"

We'll probably have Cornish hens. Festive, yet we don't get stuck with tons. And I still get mashed potatoes and stuffing, which are my faves. Erin, Jim Caviezel makes me think of that scene in some Hollywood comedy(Tootsie?) where the actor pesters the casting director so much, he says "Frankly, we don't believe you as a human being."