Larry, I tried to find a picture online of the Point Betsie lighthouse but the first one I found was at the back and the second one was too large, so I gave up.  It is a popular tourist place on Lake Michigan at Frankfort.  I would not appreciate a 13-hour drive myself.

I think it is nice there are so many places where people can purchase complete meals, not only for Thanksgiving; it makes it so much more convenient for people, especially older people who do not want to cook an entire meal for a holiday.  I was considering it for our meal since there will be only Tom's family and me (five adults) but Tom thought Alicia might want to prepare her first turkey (I don't know if this will be her first or not).  I've prepared many T-Day dinners and I don't mind it, but I'm glad not to have to do it now.  We could also share the day with Jan and her parents.  I don't know if Geoff will fly in and I know Erin will be in Eaton Rapids with Paula, Tim's daughter.  We all will be taken care of in one place or another.

Dot and I exchanged views on using giblets and we both chop them up fine and put them in the dressing/stuffing.  We didn't exchange ideas on the dressing because everyone fixes theirs differently.  Dot said her mother used to put raisins in the dressing and Dot does not eat raisins.  I don't know how they resolved that problem because it is hard to pick raisins out of anything. 

Dot and I alternate our Sunday brunch at Mr Burger; one week she pays, the next week I pay.  We get either burgers (hers is an olive burger and mine a plain hamburger) or we get the tuna melt.  The tuna melt is good and I know I found a recipe for one previously and I think I posted it - or I sent it to Marilyne who made it and liked it.  I recall the picture was not exactly like what we get, but it did look good.  I haven't made one from the recipe since I can get the one at Mr Burger (aka The Cholesterol Pit).  We also get something sweet to eat while waiting for our main course, either a sweet roll or a cream pie.

Jean, I like the food at the Cracker Barrel, but I do not like the noise so it is a "last resort" place for me to eat when traveling.  Sometimes it was necessary to eat at one when Jim and I would drive to or from Florida. 

Larry, we get a lasagna at our store, not Costco, and I like it occasionally.  It is not large, just big enough for two people with some left over for Tom.

Mary Ann

Mary Ann - I haven't made the tuna melt since that one time a couple months ago.  It was a big hit, but every day it gets harder and harder for me to stand at the counter or stove and cook anything, so I've been depending on take out, Costco, and various deli's, for a while now.  We don't go to restaurants as much as we used to, because AJ likes to sit down in front of the TV and watch the news, or a hockey game, during the dinner hour.  He keeps busy doing stuff like yard work, car repair and other things during the day, so is tired out by dinnertime and wants to stay home.  I would like a tuna melt served at a restaurant like your Cholesterol Pit, but as I said before, I don't know of anyplace around here that has them on the menu?

Good morning from a snowy Interior! We did get nine inches and had a fifty to sixty percent snow possibility today, but only three inches or so stayed put. The highways and many of the summits are a mess with snow over the ice and about 60% humidity, but no accidents reported.

Farrah has been very playful with the feather fishing rod. She enjoys all that tristing in mid-air and other aerobics. Larry, you have to let the cat catch the toy or they would lose all interest and confidence in play hunting. I don't leave it out, it's supervised play so that nothing gets swallowed or caught in her throat.

I have a couple of toys due Wednesday, a multiball track and a blue skirt over a wire mechanism that is battery powered. The device has an attached toy furry mouse that circles the blue skirt and hopefully will have Farrah pouncing along. All three toys were just under thirty dollars and will keep her active, healthy and out of mischief as I slow down or aren't able to play with her as much.

Cat's use their sense of smell which is 40% stronger than a human's and not as high as a dog's, but cats hear better than dogs. The scent makes up a considerable part of a cat's world which is why they rub on you to sent mark you and their surroundings as theirs and your clothes and belongings give them a sense of home, family, and security.

For Thanksgiving, there is the dinner in the social room or several other invitations, but I will probably just stay home. I have a free turkey as the store was giving those out to folks who spent over one hundred dollars. I was doing my big monthly shopping, and so that was easy for me. I will probably have the turkey, vegetables and a salad plus a pumpkin and a lemon meringue pie if I feel energetic.

Gosh, Patricia,  I think we all should come to your place for Thanksgiving.  LOL    Sounds delicious !  Especially the Lemon Meringue Pie  !  I like Pumpkin Pie, but the Lemon one sounds better right now.  I had bought a Pumpkin Pie a week or so ago, and I am a little bit tired of it right now.

Joy

Marilyn, another restaurant we go to, Russ', also has a tuna melt but I have never had their version.  There are seven Mr Burgers around town and, of course, at least seven different cooks.  I have had a tuna melt at another Mr Burger and it was not as tasty as the ones we get near us.  As its name implies, Mr Burger is a burger joint, very popular, especially Sunday mornings.  Russ' is a chain restaurant in the area with headquarters in Holland MI.  It is frequented mostly by older people.  The food is plain and I appreciate that I can order a sandwich that is not accompanied by chips or French fries and/or buried by whatever goes with the sandwich.  Tom isn't crazy about Russ' but if he wants something quick and quiet, we go there.  If you have a burger joint near you, you might see if tuna melt is on the menu, however, Russ' is not a burger joint.  It may be a regional thing; I haven't been in enough restaurants out of town.  Or out of state.

Patricia, maybe I should check Amazon to see what toys might be of interest to Kendrick because I am unable to get down and play with him.  I will say he has me well marked - he comes in to the computer room and goes back and forth several times, each time rubbing my shins which now are covered by my slacks.  I have plenty of cat hair on the pants to show for it. 

Joy, my favorite pie has long been Lemon Meringue, but Dot often buys us a cream pie which we split.  Yesterday we had coconut cream pie, but their chocolate pie is good, as is the pumpkin cream pie we've had recently.  I've been told I make a "mean" apple pie and I do OK with cherry pie, after all, how can you ruin a pie with purchased crusts filled with the contents of a can of pie cherries!  Tom isn't fond of cherry pie so we don't have it.  And I love it!!!

Incidentally, I understand we are to get some wind later this week, which should produce some whitecaps on Lake Michigan.  The lake is pretty right now because of the colored leaves in the foreground.

Mary Ann

Mary Ann,  you could buy some of those small aluminum pie plans and a package of the pie crust and the cherry pie filling and make yourself a couple small cherry pies,  I have done that before.  I like chocolate pie, and I try to keep some of the pie crust on hand  and I  will make up a couple small pies for myself.  Of course, you even could freeze the cherry pies, but if it were me,  they wouldn't last very long.  I have even eaten pie for breakfast.  Nothing wrong with that!!!  Getting your carbs  and your fruit. LOL

Joy

Lemon meringue pie has always been my favorite and a homemade filling, mincemeat pie as a close second. Of course, the majority of my Thanksgiving meal will end up as leftovers and after being frozen will last at least two months. Longer if I don't cook it for the holiday but merely freeze for a later date.

Stuffing has always been my favorite part of the holiday meal, but mine has never been as good as the ones we had growing up! I just no longer care for large get-togethers anymore as I'm more of an introvert and don't do that much socializing except in small groups.

MaryAnn, I would google for cat toys but f you want a good selection, and you have Amazon with Prime, you can order these toys without shipping costs. If I try to post photos, it ends up attaching my account information, so that doesn't work for me. You could try searching Amazon for interactive cat toys.

We are still said to get more snow and some wind which we haven't got.

Joy, I prefer the Pillsbury (or store brand) crusts and use a pie filling.  I've done that for years.  The only difference in our pies is the crusts, but neither of us has to do anything to make a delicious pie.  As I said before, Tom does not care for cherry pie so there is no point in my making one.  If I ever got a dessert when eating out (and I don't), I could always order a piece of cherry pie. 

Patricia, I will look at Amazon to see about toys for Kendrick.  He needs something more than to rub on my shins.  He really is a good boy and I'd like to reward him while he's  young enough to enjoy a toy.  James has Amazon Prime and we order through him.

I like mince and/or mincemeat pie but no one else does.  Norm's former MIL liked it so we would share one at T-Day.   I guess I could or would eat most any pie but there could be a kind I would not eat. 

One thing with our making our own foods for T-Day is that there will be leftovers.  Tom has suggested we take our own containers to bring stuff back in.  I'm looking forward to turkey sandwiches. 

Mary Ann

Mary Ann, I like the little Mince Meat pies my wife makes in the muffin tin.
She usually makes a "bunch" of them and puts them up and when it gets close to Christmas she pulls them out (a few at a time) for a breakfast snack.  On Christmas morning they all come out and the whole family digs in.  Mince Meat is getting very, very expensive and hard to find.  Some years back we found some at Albertsons and when we were checking out the young checker ask the wife what she made with it.  She didn't have a clue.

For all you cat folks I found an  article in the local paper about two cats at the Sutherland Springs church shooting.  I will have to check my recycle bin and get title of the article, I couldn't find it on the papers website.  When I find it I will post the link. (if I find it)

Good Night, God Bless and sweet dreams

Hal, are those little Mincemeat pies the same as Chess pies?  They're small, made in muffin tins too.  I doubt I've ever made any.  I think my "mincemeat" pies were probably really "mince" pies.  I used to buy a small box with compressed mince or mincemeat and add water, then I'd add a chopped apple and some raisins to expand it.  I always liked it.  I'll bet I'd like your wife's mincemeat pies too.  I'll have to see if Tom can find a frozen one at the store and I'd end up eating it all by myself!

Mary Ann

You know Mary Ann I didn't know till a few years ago that there are two different kinds of mince meat.  One actually does contain meat and the other is all fruit.  I like both and both have the same basic flavor.  How did I find this out, well I have two granddaughters who are vegetarian and they refused to eat any till they saw the jar and what the mince meat contained.

So now the wife makes sure she buys all fruit mince meat.

Here is a picture of the tarts she makes.
https://www.amazon.com/Walkers-Mincemeat-Tarts-13-1-Ounce/dp/B000YF4PZW/ref=pd_sim_325_4?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B000YF4PZW&pd_rd_r=P1V17E8FQQX80JYX7RS3&pd_rd_w=1vXgK&pd_rd_wg=gjGZn&refRID=P1V17E8FQQX80JYX7RS3&th=1

Hi Everyone.  It is a beautiful sunny day that is starting out at 41 degrees but is suppose to get to 63 this afternoon.  The Podiatrist released me yesterday but requested I continue treating my toes as I have been the last 5 week until this weekend.  I did get the ink cartridges refilled at Costco yesterday.  It couldn't have been handier as the counter is right inside the store as you enter.  I put in the first one and it worked fine.  These are original HP cartridges so contain the chip to identify them as such.  They told me these can be refilled for up to 10 or more. It saves a few dollars that will add up over time.  Today my calendar is clear so will just take care of some small errands here at home and take it easy.  Since I started using the oxygen at night I seem to be feeling much better, at least I haven't gotten up tired as I often did in the past.  Of course it is still to soon to conclude that as a definite fact but am hopeful.

Jean, when I looked at the Cracker Barrel site it appears they have changed there approach to the Thanksgiving meal as sit shows it is a meal for 10.  We have decided to not go that route this year but Pat has ordered things that my granddaughter and son and easily prepare such as a turkey breast, Bob Evans mashed potatoes (which we have had before and they are good) and other items.  My contribution will be to fix the 5 cup salad which requires no actual cooking just opening cans and packages. 

Mary Ann, we were able to walk up to and touch the lighthouse but not climb the steps or see inside it.  Thanks for checking.  Our granddaughter was willing to tackle a turkey but the majority voted for the turkey breast as it is easy to carve and no bones to deal with.  It sounds like you have nice plans for next week.  I agree with you about the noise level at Cracker Barrel.  I sometimes wonder how the wait staff and hear the customers.  We had the Costco stuffed peppers again last evening.  There are six in a package and we only ate two so can have two more meals of them.  We went ahead an cooked all six so will be able to microwave them for a quick meal. 

Marilyne, we have tried the Stromboli, stuffed peppers and lasagna and some of the pot pies from Costco as well as various frozen foods.  What other meals do you use from there? It sounds like you and my wife would make a good team as she is not able to stay in the kitchen very long.  We did get a desk type adjustable chair with arms that she can use while waiting for something on the stove that needs periodic attention.  It is getting hard for Pat to get in and out of the car so going out to eat is becoming harder for her also. 

Patricia, get the sled out!  That is a significant amount of snow.  With that humidity is that snow heavy and wet?  We had one of the multiball tracks for our cat and he enjoyed making the ball go around the circle.  It sounds like you will be doing some good cooking for the holiday.  Your menu sounds look. 

Joy, I am with you on the Lemon Meringue Pie as it is probably my favorite pie, although there are several in that category.  Pat bought a Chocolate Cookie frozen Mrs. Edwards pie that we had a couple of pieces from last night.  It was very good but very sweet.

Mary Ann, we have been giving most of the leftover from any big meal we have with Scott and Jennifer to them so will likely never have more than one leftover meal from any large meal that is prepared. 

Hal, I just don't care for mincemeat but my wife does.  However, it has been a long time since she had a piece of it.   

Speaking of real mince meat . . . my aunt used to make it during the summer, put it up in jars, and would always give us a couple of jars for Christmas.  The meat she used was venison.  My uncle had a Chevron gas station and auto repair, in a small mountain town, way up North in California, near the Oregon border.  We used to go up in the summer, and spend our vacation with them, when I was a girl.  Their house was located between the Klamath and Trinity Rivers, so was great fishing.  My dad and brother were avid fishermen, so it was paradise for them! 

It wasn't until I was older that I realized it was real meat, in her mincemeat!  Then I wasn't as fond of it as I had been as a youngster, although it tasted similar to what you get now.  My aunt was a fabulous cook, and the meals she prepared were legendary in our family.  My uncle and friends went hunting every Fall, so they often served venison, and BEAR meat!   I did eat the venison, but never the bear.  Remember . . . this was back in the 1930's, 40's and early 50's . . . nobody thought anything negative about killing a bear, or a deer, in those days.  In the early years, before freezers, they even had an ice house in the back yard, that would keep the meat cold all summer.

Larry - last night we had the Costco chicken soup, for dinner.  it is really delicious . . . they make it fresh every morning, with the leftover rotisserie chicken from the day before.  Huge chunks of tender white meat.  it's just right for Fall and Winter weather.  The ravioli lasagne is still my favorite, however. 

Hal, the tarts look delicious.  As far as I know, the Chess tarts are open-face.  If it is mincemeat, either variety, I’d eat it.

Larry, I’ll bet you wish the doctor had suggested oxygen at night sooner.  It’s good that it makes you feel better.

Larry, I’m not sure you can go inside the Point Betsie lighthouse, but people can walk on the grounds and it is a much photographed place. 

Larry, I feel bad for Pat that her back gives her so much trouble, especially getting in and out of the car.  Dot’s car is considered a station wagon, but I would call it a modified SUV.  I have trouble getting in the car, but I do manage, and for getting out, I just slide out!  I may have told about the time Tom was out of town and I had an appointment so Annie came to pick me up.  She drives a big pickup and I could not get in the car.  Finally, she got a kid’s chair from my garage and I got in the car with the help of the chair.  We had a big laugh about it, but if she has to take me somewhere, I’m glad we have the chair for help.  “It ain’t easy being old” nor is it easy being short!!!

I bought a package of cheese broccoli soup recently and it made, I think, 8 cups.  I was planning to make it bit by bit but Tom decided to fix the whole thing yesterday.  He had bought a broccoli spear, as suggested on the package, so cut that up and fixed the soup.  We managed to find enough containers to hold the extra for freezing, but that is what I had for supper last night.  I may thaw one of the containers for my lunch today.  We’ve been able to buy a single serving container of Panera’s cheese broccoli soup and I have that occasionally.  You can tell I like cheese broccoli soup, but I also like to “gussy” up tomato soup with small pieces of onion, some paprika and basil then toast a slice of bread and butter it for croutons. 

I think I heard the mail truck go by so I should pick that up.  On the other hand, Tom often eats out with a friend on Tuesday so I may let him get it.

Mary Ann

Good afternoon, still raining and cold. I guess it could be snow now, and I would be complaining much more.

MaryAnn, I like pies better then cake  On of my favorite is strawberry/rubob.  I can buy a half one at STop and Shop. Thats funny I also just heard my mailman. I have my mailbox on the end of my walk, we are very lucky in this park to have mail, delivered to the house. If there is a package she brings it to the door. She told me if I fill out and application and have a doctor sign it, I can have my mail delivered right to the door. When my friend with the big car comes she has a step stool for me to get in.

Larry, I am sorry Pat is having such a hard time getting around.  By the way my nurse told me not to wear my wool socks when I was using the oxygen.  they may cause sparks, I had never heard of that, as my foot doctor told me to use wool, because of my bad circulation.

Good morning from a humid and lightly snowing Interior. It is plus 17 right now, however, later on in the week, it is expected to get more into the minuses.

Farrah had a busy morning playing with her feather pole, and I hope she enjoys what UPS will be delivering for her sometime today.

Not much to add as it's only 9:56 AM here and I've just done the dishes and some handwashing. Yesterday I did several loads of wash as I cleaned and packed up my summer clothes.

I think after looking at the signup list for Thanksgiving, that I will stay home. So far, one hundred and two people have signed on, and it is to be a potluck with the turkey, ham, and coffee or soda provided.

I was almost twenty when I discovered that some people made or purchased mincemeat with no meat. I like it either way but do not understand the hesitation to eat it as it has been traditionally prepared?

Is it alright to admit that I had black bear meat last weekend at dinner with friends? It was cut up chunks that had been marinated with red wine and then skewered with pearl onions, sweet peppers, and mushrooms and then roasted. I can highly recommend it. Of course, I have eaten game and fish all my life, and with my chemical food allergies, I need to stay that way to remain healthy.

Hunting and fishing is a way of life here not only in the villages or rural homesteads but the cities as well.

I saw this in one of my emails and was surprised. "To record language is to shoot at a moving target. Language evolves. Words change meanings, sometimes unrecognizable from their origins. Back then (c. 1300), the word “girl” meant a young child of either sex. A “boy” was a male servant."

Just checking in.  No news from here as yet.  Warmer today at 55 degrees.

Gloria, I think I prefer pies too, but I used to make good cakes.  I have a recipe folder from Good Housekeeping and it had a lot of cake recipes and I made several of them.  One favorite was a prune cake and another was an orange cake.  But now if I bake a cake at all, it is from a box.  However, there is no end to what you can do with box mixes.  Since Tom is on Weight Watchers, we don’t have desserts as such, however, I have him get cookies each time he shops.  I like a cookie with my coffee early in the morning and sometimes after supper.  I notice the cookies are eaten by Tom too.  My pies usually were apple, cherry or pumpkin, but I’ve made lemon pies too â€" both from scratch and from the lemon pudding mix.

Patricia, I just noticed our temperature at 4:20 is 47 degrees; I was surprised.  I haven’t taken the time to look at cat toys yet.  It would be several days before Tom would place an order, but when I want something, I send him an e-mail with the information and he includes it when he orders.  One of the scratch pads for Kendrick turned out to be for a much smaller cat than he is.  It is two pieces of pad, put together in the center so he could scratch or sit on the thing.  Putting it together forms an X.  I may have missed reading the size and the picture is misleading because you can’t tell the size of the cat.  If I lived closer, I’d see that Jinx, the Indps cat, got it.  She is about 15 years old, but tiny.

As far as your e-mail about evolving language, look at how words of changed in past years â€" cool, gay, pot â€" to name only three.  When I changed departments in 1973, I worked in Marketing, the department that had to do with construction of subdivisions and apartments.  An apartment building was being built at the intersection of Washington and Gay streets.  Gay was an old Grand Rapids name (Berkey and Gay Furniture Company, for instance) and the apartments were the Washington and Gay apartments.  Before they were finished with the project, it was renamed the Washington Street apartments.  I do think we’re being too PC these days.

I wrote elsewhere that Tom had brought me a sandwich from Jimmy Johns for lunch and for supper I am going to have more of the cheese broccoli soup Tom made last night.

Hi Joan, no news is good news.

Mary Ann

Mary Ann,  funny that you should mention "Gay St. "

Down in Baltimore City,   there is a "Gay St." and it is the Burlesque area of the city.  Years ago, many of the well-known Burlesque stars performed there.  Now, it is not a very safe part of the city.   Years and years ago, a bunch of friends went one time to see Blaze Starr. Don't remember anything about it, and never went again.   LOL

Joy

Well, the toys are in, and two were a complete success. The tall orange multiball rack with three tracking balls barely got a sniff. The green toy with the black scratch top and revolving mouse below was enjoyed for some time.

However, the furry mouse under the blue round skirt was a huge hit. It takes three double AA batteries, and you attach the toy mouse to a handle protruding from the circular mechanism beneath. It does different erratic turns just under and then out of the skirt. After two or three whole or half rotations, there is a series of four white lights circling the center.

Farrah observed it for five or more minutes but then began to try and jump on top of the skirt over the mouse. Soon she was peaking underneath as the toy revolved and attempted to smash the toy from above. She does this with or without it turned on and enjoys that toy. I'm just glad there is a battery saver on and off switch. Right now she is doggedly attempting to remove the small furry mouse from the green track. That toy is also connected to the path, but she has dragged it all over the living room attempting to get her mouse!

Thanks for the toy review, Angel. I was thinking of getting the tier with the balls, but will rethink it now. I think Shan would really go for the mouse under the cover toy. I had forgotten about that one.

Oscar just got over some kind of stomach upset after four days of throwing up and not eating. I had him into the vets on Saturday but he didn't have a fever, or anything other obvious. He began eating a little Sat. just before I took him in and held it down. After stop and go eating for another day without throwing up. he all of a sudden perked up and started playing with Shan. It gave me a scare because years ago we (my X and I) had a wonderful little black cat who had a complete blockage. By the time we got him to the vet he was too weak to take the anesthetic. With a three other cats at the time and a family upheaval to deal with we missed the signs.

It is staying in the mid 40s for a couple of days with nights in the mid 30s. The day before it was nice and sunny, yesterday was cloudy, this morning looks like we will have sun again. I have so much more energy on sun days.

Hi Everyone.  We have a beautiful, sunny but cool morning here in South Carolina.  It will not get much above 60 degrees here today.  I have a light schedule for today.  The main thing will be having the Thanksgiving dinner at Church this evening and then for Scott and Jennifer to visit with us for awhile.  Pat isn't up to attending the dinner tonight and this one time they are not allowing take outs so she will have a chicken pot pie or something else in the refrigerator.  I also have to refill my medicine boxes a little later this morning.

On Monday Pat's sister, who was just here to visit, suffered a stroke, her second.  She is still hospitalized and they are running more tests this morning.

Mary Ann, I am hopeful the oxygen will continue to help.  That was probably the lighthouse we visited and had some pictures taken as well, although I have no idea where they might be.  Your experience getting into Annie's truck is an example of "where there is a will there is a way".  I agree with you on believing our country has become too "PC" now. 

deAngel, you can all of my pieces of rhubarb/strawberry pie.  I have never liked rhubarb. My folks did have their mail delivered to their door after Pat found out about that service the Post Office will do when the doctor approves the form. That form is probably online that could be printed out.  Nothing like having conflicting medical advice.  I don't wear woolen socks so don't think I am in any danger.  I am glad that Farrah liked at least one of the new toys you bought her.

Patricia, our Church has an annual fundraising wild meat dinner that is quite popular in the community.  They usually sell out all of the tickets.  Glad you like game and fish and that it fits with your eating needs so well.  Interesting information on how words change. 

Joan, glad you could enjoy a warmer day.  Is Candy getting rested up and is she preparing you some good meals? 

Marilyne, I had forgotten to mention we also like the soups that Costco has, especially the Enchilada chicken soup.  It is a bit spicy but full of chicken.  We have also had the broccoli and cheese and it was good. It sounds like you have some great memories of times in your childhood on those vacations.

MarGal, sure hope Oscar is over whatever was causing the stomach upset. Glad the vet found nothing wrong with him.

Larry, she is rested up.  Mom does most of the cooking.   Some nights we just fix our own.  Depends.  I don't eat much any more so rarely cook for myself.

This is a cute and action-filled video of Shelby and her kitten, Lizzie's dashes, bouncing up and off fences, and acrobatic leaps and chases. It is the evening before their spays and adoption requests have opened.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhAjJCGz8LA&feature=em-uploademail

This is profound by Willam James and very true;

“A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.”

Patricia, I watched part of Shelby and Lizzie and they surely are active.  I didn't want to watch the whole thing, so went to some other cat videos, some of which were funny and others not.  But it goes to prove that watching cat videos is very entertaining!

Mary Ann

Hi Everyone. It is a beautiful, sunny and chilly Thursday morning.  This is the day we have been waiting for that Pat will get the shot at the pain clinic to try to help her back pains.  After I get her home I plan on going over to Walmart to pick up a prescription for her and to get a few other things.  That will likely pretty much be it for the day.

We had big crowd and a nice program in honor of our veterans from the spinal center and the veterans in attendance at the special Thanksgiving Dinner last evening at Church.  There were 7 disabled veterans and a nurse or aid for each one in at the dinner.  The ladies with the special comfort dogs were also in attendance and the dogs were a big hit with the kids and the adults alike.  The cooks had prepared a beautiful and delicious Thanksgiving meal of turkey and dressing with gravy, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, cheese and broccoli and dinner rolls.  Finally the meal was ended with a little slice of pumpkin pie.

Joan, you and Candy sound a bit like Pat and I.  I always make my own lunch and get my own breakfast.  Due to Pat's back problems I have been most often fixing her breakfast and often fix the sandwich for her at lunch time.  Our dinner meals are usually pretty simple anymore.

Patricia, Lizzie sure likes to aggravate her mother.  I got the impression the mother cat wasn't impressed and would rather have been left alone.  Those cats looked almost exactly like the cat we had with the same size as an adult cat and the same coloring.  Interesting quote form William James. 

I just looked at Grand Haven (11 am) and there were five surfers in the water, all wearing body suits.  The air temp is 38 degrees, water 46 degrees.  Whitecaps out to the outer lighthouse.

Mary Ann

Mary Ann - I looked at Grand Haven just now, but the surfers were out of the water.  I saw one on the sand, in his wet suit and dragging his surfboard.  Surfers love the big waves that come with rain. The beach at Santa Cruz is busy whenever there is a storm here.  The bigger and wilder, the better they like it.  My son used to surf a lot when he was in high school, but it was my brother who was a world class surfer.  He was in a lot of the Warren Miller surfing movies/documentaries, that were produced in the 1960's and 70's.

I haven't had breakfast yet - only 8:15 here.  Yesterday our electrical power was out all morning, so I got behind in my daily routine.  I have to catch up today.

Marilyn, while I know nothing about surfing, I think here the surfers don't care if it is a storm or wind that creates the waves, if there are waves, they'll surf.  I wonder if the wet suits protect them from lightning strikes as well as cold because we're always told to stay away from water when there is lightning in the area.

Mary Ann