We’ve had a good family Thanksgiving this year. We flew to northern Virginia where my parents live on Monday, avoiding the craziness of traveling the day before Thanksgiving. Patrick is such a good traveler! Tuesday, we went to the brand new National Museum of the American Indian with two of my mother’s first cousins and her aunt (I think – hard to keep these family relations straight sometimes). It was great having that part of the family around – I hadn’t seen them since my grandfather passed away back in high school. They were also over for Thanksgiving today, which was fascinating listening to stories of my grandfather’s family as well as their world travels. For example, they recently visited the River Kwai and learned of its history – let’s just say it’s nothing like the movie.
I’ve also seen a bunch of old friends who still live here or flew in to be with family who live here. Last night, Jules made enchiladas en mas for the family and for our good friends John and Barbara and their daughter Elizabeth. John works for a defense contractor these days and Barbara is a stay at home mom. (I hate that term, but I don’t know how else to put it. Moms work hard – they don’t just “stay home”) Rich and Jess, who are in from San Francisco, also stopped by. Rich is a marketing expert and also covers the SF Giants for the newspaper. Today, we had breakfast with Rich and Jess plus Dave and Heather and their son Ethan. I didn’t really know Dave growing up – more of a friend of a friend who I got to know after high school. Dave has worked at the White House since sometime in Clinton’s first term. Rich wore his “Free Martha” t-shirt for the occasion. He also pointed out that Mary Cheney – yes, that Mary Cheney – graduated from my high school a year behind me. It’s a small world.
We’re here thru the middle of next week – I almost always get to the end of the year with vacation to use or lose. I can’t stand traveling the day before Thanksgiving or shopping the day after, so I’m probably going to hang out with my brother while Jules and my mother and my great aunt go shopping. Dad has to work – which seems ludicrous since how much is really going to get done the day after Thanksgiving? Maybe he’ll find time to blog. Next week is more hanging out, though I am taking the time to visit a customer before I head back to the grind.
Comments: