Thursday, we went over to my Aunt Donna's and had breakfast over there, since my cousins had to work swing shift and weren't going to be able to be at Thanksgiving dinner (we thought.) Way too much food was consumed (French toast, eggs, bagels & cream cheese, scapple, bacon, and sausage), conversation was had, the pumpkin roll recipe was obtained, and parades were watched. We went back to grandma's and played Phase 10 and Settlers, helped cook dinner, and eventually ate Thanksgiving dinner: turkey, rolls, mashed potatoes, broccoli, carrots, cranberry sauce, and stuffing. It was tasty. I ate too much. Dessert was Boston creme pie and pumpkin pie, also tasty (the theme for this weekend: tasty, and I ate too much.) We all hung out, and there was some more Phase 10. Bedtime was early.
Yesterday, we all piled into the car and headed to the Pennsylvania farmer's market that Grandma and mom love, and everyone picked up their goodies that they can't get down here (well, I didn't. This year, lacking storage space for a whole lot, it being the end of the month, and not feeling like pestering vendors about where their meat came from and how it was raised while the market had 234234235 people in it, I mostly passed. I did, however, have my ritual apple cider and soft pretzel.) After the market, dad took the motherships back to Grandma's, and my aunt and uncle and sisters and I wandered around some tourist trap but nice shops, and uncle Richard bought us lunch (real food, which we were all in need of, having snacked our way through the market.) We eventually headed south, and spent Too Damn Long stuck in traffic (also a theme for the weekend) and got in in time to help finish cooking dinner. Friday night of Thanksgiving weekend is traditionally seafood night. This year, we did crab cakes, baked scallops, steamed shrimp and crab legs, twice baked potatoes, and salad. There was more Phase 10 and more hanging out and more sleep.
This morning, we got up early, got the van packed, and headed out. Faith and I rode back with mom and dad today, instead of Hope, since she was staying in the area to see friends. We hit a grocery for birch beer and Tasty Kakes and got on the road. I finished two books and started a third and got a nice hour long nap. Dad drove me home, and here I am (with my books, and my kittens, and my Jeff, and clean clothes, and my house, and and and...)
I had a great week, and things went really, really well; we all got along much better than expected. I didn't get any homework done, because I was too busy enjoying being around my family (I'm going to have to haul ass this week, but it was totally worth it.) However, my not-so-inner introvert is screaming for some love, after being around a large group of people for the last 3 and a half days. Tonight, I'm not doing anything but talking to Jeff, playing with the kitties, staring at the internets, and going to bed early. Homework and laundry will keep until tomorrow. (And we get a
redzils tomorrow, at least briefly. Yay!)