Intellectually I've acknowledged that the family Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings aren't happening this year, but I'm repressing that knowledge on the emotional side, because I run the ragged edge of crying a couple days a week already, and I don't need to add to that.

I think even if my out-of-state parents and brother don't make the trip, I can host my 2 sisters (who live in NYC) so we won't be totally alone, but it won't be the same.

I am still doing all the cooking. I will be on zooms or FB lives or something.

The past several years we have done a 5K in the morning and heated up Whole Foods precooked stuff for the meal and that has been nice, but I imagine this year will be different. The race promoters are making noises like they will be doing non-virtual runs soonish, but the Thanksgiving races are enormous numbers of people, I don't see that happening. Or if they do happen, I probably shouldn't go. Not to mention I am ridiculously out of shape. I should really do something about that.

Yeah, we did decide that we would do all the cooking for Thanksgiving even though it's just the two of us, and my sister is going to set up a Zoom situation for those of us who are remote.

I am really hoping I am working on Thanksgiving so I don't have to deal with what to do.

And I have been feeling optimistic about my company but someone pointer out an article from last month by Forbes aboutt how they haven't paid multiple vendors for more than 90 days.

I am torn about doing a full dinner for just me, or possibly with my brother, or just buying, like, a small ham, and whatever fixins. I realized in the last few years, it's not the T-day feast I look forward to anywhere near as much as the leftovers (sammiches!) But a full turkey seems kind of ridiculous. My problem with turkey is I like the dark meat. So I could find just a breast for me or me & bro, but I don't know a way to get dark meat without doing a whole bird.

The friend who invited me last year to a Friendsgiving is one of the most vocal anti-maskers I know, unfortunately, so I'm not going anywhere near her anytime soon.

Not to mention I am ridiculously out of shape. I should really do something about that.

I haven't done a 5k since February (after a 23-month streak of doing at least one a month!), so I've lost a lot of the former fitness. I've started trying to build myself back up so when we can safely do them together again they won't kill me! I'm up to doing at least two miles at least once a week, but I need to go a little harder than that, I think. Wish you (all) were closer so we could go walk together!

Cornish hen will be my meat, I think. But the meat is the only thing I am not SUPER demanding about. I could do a pork loin or even pork chops or a Turkey breast.

The sides are what it is all about and I am going to be trying out homemade dressings - have never been happy with one.

I just did a pork loin last night... and ate the leftovers for lunch, yum. Garlic buttery w/ Italian seasoning type thing.

I'm not sure we'll do turkey either, but maybe. If so, not a whole bird. But I am going to research for some good GF stuffing recipes, because that will be key. And Matt likes cranberry sauce, so he's figuring out whether to make or buy. I'm not a fan, so I have no opinion. It'll be fun.