I wasn't able to do the Zoom because of work but I was thinking about all of you.

I haven't had a lot of big family Thanksgiving in a long time. But except for when I was in Vermont I've been able to see my parents on Thanksgiving.

I have a dental appointment on Tuesday up in NC and I will see mom then.

M and his mom are still planning on going to his brother's tomorrow for Sunday dinner and Thursday for Thanksgiving. They don't know how many people will be there and I haven't been asking how many people have been at the Sunday dinners but I know it's going to be more than 10.

I've asked again for them not to go but they are. I won't go . M and his mom both know the risks , they read the news, but they don't want to stop going. I know M's brother and SiL don't believe covid is a big deal and I also know they have made M's mom feel so guilty for saying she wouldn't come that she is going

I've heard her on the phone saying "I'm 65 years old, I smoke, that's high risk. It could kill me" and then I guess they tell her she is over reacting.

They also go over to his sister's and she also doesn't believe it's a big deal "and if I die then I die but I'm not going to stop seeing my momma or living my life ".

I am honestly surprised we don't have an outbreak at work and I keep expecting it. Especially as we get busier.

It really was lovely to see so many of you yesterday, some for the first time ever, others for the first time in years. (After a think, I'm pretty sure the last time I saw some Buffistas in the flesh was when Mr. Fiona and I met up with Trudy and Tom in NYC in early October 2001, when I was pregnant with B., i.e. the "baby" who is now a full-grown adult person). Let's do it again soon!

Am I alone in wanting to know how Jesse's Rum Babas went...? Particularly as the current season of GBBO did Babas last week.

I had to miss the zoom but I want you all to know that I love you fiercely, and more so because after all this time we have this habit of finding and gathering the group. Buffistas are my buddy system.

Am I alone in wanting to know how Jesse's Rum Babas went...? Particularly as the current season of GBBO did Babas last week.

That is why I made them! And they look and smell delicious, but are on the menu for tonight's dinner, so I will report back. I made half of this recipe: [link]

Oh! I had no idea what a baba was. I thought you said babka. Those look yum.

Speaking of yum and recipes, this one looks good, but it's the story (short) that makes me totally want to try it - posted on Post Secret, apparently a secret family recipe of the poster, whose "petty, vindictive aunts" shouldn't be keeping it from the world. Love it. And then it got posted to reddit, ha. link

Much kitty ma, Volans. I keep reading you as Vortex, so my brain doesn’t compute the kitty at first.

I loved seeing the faces and the kitties and the one peeg. And meara’s very large chicken nugget. I think having done ALL the zoom since March it makes me less shy and able to put my face on camera. Nilly and Fiona were absolutely right about how much we in the education world are on Zoom. I have more variety than they do, because I am not always teaching (and I teach things like how to use the online tools to teach, and frankly I am preferring Zoom for that, because I have the faculty share their screen and drive while I talk them through it, rather than just presenting or trying to find a computer lab), but my Thursdays start on Zoom at 8:30 am and end on zoom at 8:30 pm. In some ways teaching and theatre are both about that same engagement between audience and performer, and I can’t imagine how exhausting it is to not have that feedback. My presentations are usually five to eight people that I already know in person and I like them much more than endless meetings!

Speaking of yum and recipes, this one looks good, but it's the story (short) that makes me totally want to try it

Oooh, I'm tempted to try that as well.

Sophia, you looked so prepped and ready to go with your background and headset and lighting! A Zoom pro.

Thanks David! I end up having all this stuff- work got me a GoPro to film my hands on the iPad and a more pro microphone than the headset (which I bought mostly for the quality of being pink). I have a Mac Desktop, a PC Laptop, and an iPad, although I don’t really want to lug this stuff back to work! I also don’t think I have the lighting quite down, but I am reluctant to buy more myself. One of the reasons for the virtual background is a have a janky set up of laps and overhead light and diffuser gels! And I try to do my stage makeup a little. I still haven’t figured out the eyebrow game at home!

I to thought it was babka. But baba sounds good too!