Potatoes need mashing, stuffing needs baking, beets/rutabaga/brussel sprouts need roasting, and the feast needs eating. The dishes need washing, pies need warming/baking, cream needs whipping, and dessert needs to be consumed. Then napping needs to commence.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

In putting together the list, it seemed like the bulk of what we needed to buy was in the vegetable family, so off to Russo’s we went. Amy and I once made the mistake of going shopping there the day before Easter; today wasn’t quite as nutty, but I’m sure tomorrow will be.

If you’re in the Boston area and you’ve never shopped at Russo’s before, I encourage you to check out the calendar, make sure no major holidays are happening around the time you want to go, and then hit the place up. It’s truly an amazing operation. They stock vegetables I wasn’t sure even existed, despite the fact that I was looking at them. The number of varieties of mushrooms they stock? Requires at least two hands and one foot to count. They make their own bread. They make fresh pasta (try the spinach cheese ravioli – YUM!). They make pickles. They have a deli. And they keep everything stocked despite the massive number of people shopping there.

Here’s Dad as we waited in the line that was about 20 people deep. We were in one of 5 lines feeding into at least 10 cash registers. Our wait wasn’t too bad though, maybe only 10 minutes.

Here we are almost at the registers – Mom had to go on a mad dash through the store to find heavy cream – but fortunately she made it through the crush of people before we had to check out. All told, we spent about an hour there.

I can’t even imagine what this place is going to be like tomorrow on the REAL Thanksgiving Eve. Imagine 20 people around my mom in that final photo… it’s probably going to be something like that. CAH-RAY-ZEEEEE!

Then I came home, realized that the vague feeling of nausea wasn’t related to working out, but rather to the tiny, late lunch I ate today thanks to my gloom-and-doom sort of day at work. Amy rushed out to grill our dinner (YUM) and I got a little food in me and started thinking more about my day.

And then I realized:

• I have a job.
• That interests me.
• That allows me to work with smart people.
• Where I get to work on interesting problems and projects.
• In a beautiful environment.
• That is close to my home.
• For which I get a salary.
• Which allows me to live in a house with my wife and our dogs.
• And play hockey.
• And Crossfit.
• And travel.
• And give money to causes and organizations which mean a great deal to me.

So while I know I’m not the only one who’s feeling awfully overwhelmed about work these days, those are all things for which I am eternally grateful, and I don’t want to forget it. Not everyone is in such a situation, especially not these days, and I never want to take these blessings for granted.

a. think about karaoke the same way again
b. think about flossing the same way again
c. hear the name “Brunhilde” without hearing/seeing it as “Broomhilde” in my head

It was a pretty funny Thankgiving weekend, to say the least.

Amy and I made it home safe and sound after a great 60 hours in Minnesota. We got to see my godparents and their family, as well as my grandmother. We ate a boatload of sushi with my folks last night. We watched some hockey with my dad. We spent time talking with my folks and just generally having a good time. Happy Thanksgiving weekend to us.

The dogs were happy to see us come home, but again, weren’t too happy so we know they had a good time with the woman who took care of them. The house is happy. And Sarah managed to muck around with the t.v. enough so that the HD is now full-screen, instead of with the black bands at the top and bottom. I’ve been trying to figure that one out for almost a year now – very happy to have the answer.

Tomorrow is the last day of this NaBloPoMo. I suspect I’ll blog about hockey, as per usual on Sundays. Hope we do well, since I think we’re playing one of the B-level teams tomorrow. Wish us luck!

Tonight we’re off to have dinner out with my folks, and perhaps we’ll catch the Holidazzle parade. Depending on how much we all feel like being outside at night… And tomorrow we go back to Boston. It’s been a quick trip, but a good one.

We’re here in Minnesota, per tradition, and are getting ready to drive up to Wisconsin for our annual Thanksgiving gathering with my godparents and their family. The weather is grey out, but it’s neither snowing nor sleeting, so the drive should be pretty reasonable. And then we get to see everyone and eat yummy food and play games and play with my god-cousin’s kids! I can’t wait.

With that, have a great day.

Photo courtesy of Jennifer13. Used under a Creative Commons license.