megan walker, I'm so sorry to hear about Peter. I remember you mentioning him on here.

brenda, what a terrible year. My word.

I forget sometimes how much I live in my own head...like there are a few of you that I think, "I could have so-and-so call them, we're friends," but then go "Wait, are we really friends, or do I just think we're friends because I think of them so fondly...but then neglect to actually follow up with calls or messages or whatever and they think of me as just some rando that they barely know that they maybe shared a meal with that one time..." So just some Sunday afternoon overthinking things. Whatever, I love you guys.

Oh man oh man I am so glad I'm not the only one who feels this way.

I've been feeling socially paralyzed for, oh, since the beginning of June? I can barely summon the energy to post and respond here, nevermind actual email/text/phone conversations. (My job involves a lot of video conference calls, so after-hours Zoom hangouts are unfortunately really unappealing. too much phone.) I know my mood and energy levels would be better if I were less isolated but I don't know how to get out of this rut.

I am in a pit, too. I'm aways in something of a trench, but this here is a pit.

I think I've been here for a year or more. When my son was really sick, I didn't have the wherewithal to deal with anything else. He's been doing pretty well since his surgery last year, but I don't know that I ever recovered or thought about trying to climb out of the pit. I haven't decorated yet though, which might seem like a good sign, but I suspect it's because I don't even have the spoons for pit decorating.

Oh Megan, I’m so sorry. And to others who have posted, I tend not to see your posts until several days later, and then I feel weird and awkward about making a list. Please know I have seen and sent virtual hugs for everyone one of your losses and sorrows.

I'm sorry for the loss of your friend, megan walker.

Yeah, Thanksgiving is just so different this year, it's hard to even get my brain around it, much less plan for it. But we did talk turkey this morning (heh). I'm going to look for the smallest whole, frozen one I can find today after a routine lab work appointment. With even a smallish turkey in the freezer, it will be hard to ignore impending stuffing, mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole day.

I just noticed "Phoenix Board Reborn 1.0.2" in the bottom bar of my screen. It gives me a happy. Even in a gloomy pit of despair, this is a place of light.

We were planning to go up to have Thanksgiving lunch with my parents on their porch but my Hopkins emergency room doc friend is advising against that now. Given what she's seen in the last few days in the ER.

Yeah, I have reservations for a restaurant with a patio, but... should we? Probably not.

And Megan Walker, I'm so sorry.

lisah, that's alarming.

I think our patio dining is done. Not just because the weather is turning, I mean.

Our Costco hasn't had TP or paper towels for a month or more.

We were planning to go up to have Thanksgiving lunch with my parents on their porch but my Hopkins emergency room doc friend is advising against that now. Given what she's seen in the last few days in the ER.

Man. Thanks for sharing that. I sure hope we can go up to my sister's for Christmas, but I'm starting to prepare myself for even that being a no-go. Seven of us, all careful, the kids (three grown-ups, living in Atlanta) are getting tested before they go up, and the rest of us might all, too, but... I dunno.

Thanks to re-entering Tier 1, my work has cancelled our Thanksgiving Potluck. Which I both understand and 100% support. Still stinks though. And makes it that much harder to get myself geared up for the actual day. I haven't even spoken to my brother about whether he wants to try to get together. The problem is if I offer to host, I'll do all the cooking, tidying up, plus pay for the food - and he won't appreciate it anyway. So I'm pretty strongly leaning toward getting a ham and some sides (a reasonable-sized portion of dark meat turkey if I can find it) and just eating when I feel like it. I'm really more into leftover turkey & ham sandwiches than I am the actual T-day meal anyway. Maybe doing the restaurant thing with the brother. Possibly with Dad & his wife too - they "don't really bother to celebrate". But they gotta eat something that day, whether it happens to be turkey-based or not.

Boy JenP, that's a lot of households coming together.