Tuesday, Nov. 20

Up around 7:30, and after breakfast, I started Thanksgiving preparations...put a dozen eggs on to boil, and put the ham in the oven. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30, and I gathered onions and celery and bell pepper for her to dice for various dishes. I sauteed the celery and some of the onions to use in dressing.

Then I did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises, and after cooling down, got ready for the day. Before we proceeded in the kitchen, we went to the medical clinic to get vaccinated against whooping cough. I'd called my doctor a few days ago to inquire if we needed the vaccine, since there has been an outbreak of the disease in at least one county of our state. I was told it would be advisable for us to get the shots.

I had a tetanus shot about a year ago, but since the DTP (diptheria/tetanus/pertussis) combination was no longer recommended in the United States, I got only the tetanus vaccine. Now, the pertussis vaccine also includes tetanus, which, according to the nurse, means I'll have a double dose of tetanus vaccine in my body, so that my arm might be more sore than Mother's and Hubbie's, and I might experience a rash at the injection sight. Hooray for me.

I had both whooping cough, and diptheria, as a child, but after all these years, I was no longer immune, so it was time for a booster.

It was like a family reunion at the doctor's office waiting room, since we visited with three people we worked with before we all retired.

Back home, after lunch, Mother and I continued our kitchen work. We made cranberry sauce, two pumpkin pies, and a recipe of corn and green beans, cooked with onions and bell peppers, all sauteed in margarine. I also sliced the ham for the refrigerator.

But before I could get the pies in the oven, Hubbie had to go to the WDCS for fresh pie crusts, because a package from the freezer had gone south. He also picked up other groceries on the list, so he didn't get back until 2 p.m.

Mother retired to the couch for nap after she'd mixed the pumpkin pie ingredients, and peeled and diced apples for the cranberry sauce. After I finished my kitchen duties, I was ready to relax with a cup of coffee and play on my laptop.

Later, we had a supper of leftover pork roast and veggies. Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house afterward, and then he and I watched TV, including our favorite college basketball team as they played to a wide-margin win.

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Notes:

Gem from the art gallery director: In an e-mail press release regarding the upcoming cookie Christmas house workshop that I'll be conducting on Dec. 1: "To assure ample supplies, please preregister in advance." Is there any other way?

Interesting wildlife: on a rainy day last week, as we were on our way home from running errands, we noticed a flock of twelve to fourteen wild turkeys sheltering under a tree. And a few days ago, we saw a road runner skitter across the highway.