Met DJ and her DH, as well as their two adorable dogs. All were delightful. It was a very nice time.

My brother is bringing a case of Alchemist beer

t dies of envy

Mom asks, "Is it irresponsible if we start a fire when we're going to be leaving soon?"

Um...

Apparently I inherited my lack of common sense with fire. Good to know.

Wow, I leave town without my laptop and I sure do miss a lot.

I love you all. I'm so grateful for you all, and this seems like the Buffista version of a family political discussion: but, like us, more civil, smarter, no one stumbling drunkenly away from the table (as far as we know).

Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving. I'm so glad to have you all in my life.

I got dark meat, which is more strongly flavored than I like.

Oooh, we could eat a turkey together peaceably, because *I* got a whole turkey leg as leftovers! No one wanted it, so I grabbed it up.

I am quite full. I had the best blue cheese I have ever had in my life, along with a TON of other good food and a lot of good wine.

My brother is bringing a case of Alchemist beer

t dies of envy

It's the Heady Topper IPA. I had a sip of it, and...I still dislike IPAs. I just have an excess of bitter-sensing taste buds or something. I can tell the Heady Topper is an excellent beer, but the bitterness of the hops is too much for me. It makes me sad that I don't like my brother's beer, but on the other hand, I really can't drink beer anyway (except for the handful of GF beers), so it works out for the best that I don't like it. If I loved if but knew I couldn't drink it without damaging my innards, that would suck.

I went late to my neighbor-family meal so as not to leave Bartleby in his straight jacket for too long.

When I arrived, I was introduced to a guest who appeared severely developmentally disabled. Nope. Just so drunk she could not speak. Both she and her husband apparently arrived drunk and went to town from there.

I did not enjoy myself half as much as I might have...which is what made having to get home to the little guy even more of a good excuse.

It's too bad. It was otherwise a very nice crowd with great food.

My annual contribution of fresh cranberry sauce was appreciated. I love the orange/ginger version I make every year and then add something new. This year was cranberry/apple. Have to say it was not awesome.

One participant waxed nostalgic about a cranberry-vanilla version I made about 8 years ago. It really _was_ good. Just wish I could remember how I made it!

I concur with Nora's assessment of DJ, her husband, and her dogs. I'm still here and we're out in the courtyard watching the Back to the Future marathon. New tradition!!

It's the Heady Topper IPA.

t still ded from envy

I had a sip of it, and...I still dislike IPAs.

Send it to meeeeeeee!

I'm still here and we're out in the courtyard watching the Back to the Future marathon.

Nice! We are pretty dead to the world right now. Tom did so awesome today with the socializing, and I wanted to leave before he ran out of steam (I could tell he was starting to). He's still having a hard time, post-funeral. But I'm psyched he did so well for so long! He's decompressing now.

...I still dislike IPAs. I just have an excess of bitter-sensing taste buds or something.

I am with you on IPAs Steph. And I usually like bitter flavors, like coffee, dark chocolate, spinach, kale, etc. But I draw the line at IPAs. I just tell myself it's my gift to the beer lovers out there -- more IPA for them.

I am with you on IPAs Steph. And I usually like bitter flavors, like coffee, dark chocolate, spinach, kale, etc. But I draw the line at IPAs.

Oddly, I don't find spinach to be bitter. Other greens, though, I do, and I avoid them. I also have to put cream in my coffee. And dark chocolate is SO bitter to me. I have too many bitter taste buds, I swear!

ION, Tim is REALLY sick, poor noodle. He got a bad cold last week, and it hasn't been getting better (today is day 9). He woke up yesterday with what is probably pink eye, and he said that today his throat is worse than it has been since it all started last week. And every day that he hasn't been at work, he's slept 12 hours or more.

I think he's going to call the doctor tomorrow. I would normally say less than 2 weeks is too soon to see the doctor with a cold, but the fact that it's spread to his eyes and his throat is getting worse seems to point to the need for drugs.

So far I seem to have not gotten it, but my throat has been a little sore the past couple of days. Nothing has really developed, though, which is fine. I have been using the neti pot and taking extra vitamin C in an attempt to ward it off.

Poor Tim. He never gets sick, and when he does it's usually gone in 3-4 days. This is a total role reversal.