Voting is in progress...
for the outstanding Thanksgiving moment of 2005. The meal was fabulous (I’m not immodest - I just had very little to do with the cooking) and the table was exquisitely set. Everyone - family and guests - abided by the banned subjects guidelines (as delineated earlier this week): the wedding cake, the rings, entertainment, speeches, food, the venue and other guests. As for the dress, nothing about the train, cut, colour, designer or material can be revealed.” Also...the shower, the gifts, Ellyn’s shoes, what anyone wants for Christmas, family members not present at the table, the people to your immediate right or left and any veins and tendons in the turkey(real or perceived.) I did loosen the restriction of ‘family members not present at the table’ to allow for reminiscences about the faithful departed. That is, if you are deceased and we remember you warmly you will be talked about. If you are partying in another state and people have mixed feelings about you, you are off limits. Today.

So the memories specific to this year are:
A The IKEA Forby stool that collapses under Eddie. No permanent injury to the boy, but there is a 4 inch hole in the dining room wall. That will teach us not to use wire to make up for a missing screw.

B Good bottle of wine. (Chateau Gruaud Larose 1988) “Good if just a bit underwhelming.  Very drinkable at this time.  It will hold but not improve.” I thought it was a treat. Those who like sweet drinks and domestic sparkling wines were unimpressed. After making sure that Eddie didn’t have a concussion, I let him have a few sips. So he knows what good wine tastes like. It may be a long while before we receive another gift bottle of that caliber.


C The shorted out solenoid in the starter of the Amigo. Wouldn’t stop cranking...Dad has to disconnect battery to stop it. (Counting my blessings: This happened in front of the house at 4:00 Wednesday afternoon. It could have happened in the parking lot at church at 3:00. Then we’d really be up a creek.)

D The dead battery in the van. Rendering us transportation-less until Monday. Except for hitching rides with the girls - which still makes me nervous despite their experience and (relatively) pristine driving records.

E The Forby stool that collapses under our pater. No serious injuries. (With God as my witness, we will have real chairs next year.) Consumer warning: I wouldn’t seat anyone heavier than 60 pounds on a Forby stool if I were you. I have one in my office at work which I keep as a spare seat/table. I think I’m restricting it to holding loose file folders from now on. Except during December, when it is the base for my Charlie Brown Christmas tree.

F The distinct lack of squabbling, burning cheesecloth, ill health or doggy misbehavior.