Much-Needed Recharge

I took the whole week off last week. Woohoo!

I blew and bagged the leaves, cleaned and organized the shed, and helped cook Thanksgiving dinner. It was all fun.

Saturday night (the 17th) was Mr. Harper's 8th annual Thanksgiving dinner for friends. I look forward to that dinner almost as much as I do to our own tradition, and it did not disappoint. Mariah and Evelyn missed it this year, but Alastair did not. He joined us for the first part of the evening, playing with Chris's Teletubbies and pooping on his stairs ("I sit down I poopoo. Mama hold hand! Mama go away."). The incident was contained, and Ed & Leigh arrived to take him home and babysit for the evening. Matt brought the Kugal, Gregory brought the world's best banana pudding (yum! and then some), and there was every obligatory Turkey-day dish known to man.

Tuesday night was the 8th anniversary of my proposal to Amanda, and I surprised her with a date at the same restaurant where we first celebrated our engagement (and where we had our first real date in 1995).

Wednesday night, Alastair spent the night with Ed & Leigh so that we could get started on cooking Thanksgiving dinner. We dallied a bit, enjoying a wonderful Indian dinner at India k'Raja with Jeff & Evelyn (for 3 hours!), and eventually got to bed around 1:15am after wrestling the turkey into the brining bag.

Thursday was fabulous. Amanda's turkey was, by far, the best turkey I've ever had. Really. Very moist, very flavorful. I made shoe-leather-burnt stuffing patties, just like I remember from Greensboro. They were much easier than I'd thought. Amanda also made a cranberry sauce that Alastair and I really enjoyed (he's been clamoring for more), and her mom made sweet-potato casserole and creamed spinach.

We've been eating turkey and associated fixin's ever since.

Yesterday was the last autocross of the season, and I placed better than I have all season. It was probably because Daniel wasn't there, though (otherwise I would have tied my previous best).

It was a great week, with lots of fun time playing with Little Man, catching up on some Tivo'ed shows, and relaxing with friends and family.