Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for so much today. A job. Health--mine and others'. Friends and family who love me and take care of me and each other. My nice safe home. And even my government, although it is hard not to add "but" or "except". The technology that allows me to be in touch with my far-flung children. Food...and much much more.

We had a little Thanksgiving miracle yesterday. On Tuesday night, when our 6th family had just moved in and the weather was turning cooler, we realized we didn't have enough blankets to keep everyone warm. And it was going to be even colder last night. As you can imagine, I am not one to advocate just turning up the heat. We were going to go out and buy lots of blankets, but instead we sent out an email and asked if people had blankets (or wanted to buy blankets) to bring them by. and they did...a big pile of them in my office, brought by workers and families, a steady parade all afternoon. Sniff! it just made me tear up. Some believe in the power of prayer...I will believe in the power of email. I better be careful how I use it.

Also, we have started getting unsolicited end-of-the-year checks in the mail. Awesome! Sam at HED responded positively to my grant proposals. Now I have to write 3 major grant proposals by Dec. 11, without much help. And the fundraiser is next Thursday--I'll have to miss Arabic again. No interns this week; it was kind of nice. A good thing since they will be gone most of December. Although we need to find out how to update the website, because Taylor did not do it before he left, even though I thought he said he would. It looks like none of the Night Staff is willing to work Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve. I might have to put in some time myself. Sigh. I wouldn't mind much if Molli wasn't going to be home. I don't suppose anyone from the Board will step up!

Ray took me in and kept the car and went to his office (even though he was not supposed to, since he is furloughed). He got a lot done, but looked awful when he came to get me. He went to bed when we got home and I haven't talked to him since. It is the same old stuffy head and exhaustion, I think. He could be getting another cold, but I think it's just his allergies. I wish there were something to do about it. Time to build a new house and sell this one??

We had shrimp for supper. We often have it with pasta or rice, but we had rice the night before and pasta before that. So I was looking for some way to cook and eat it with potatoes. I finally found a recipe for Low Country Boil, which uses shrimp and potatoes and sausage, which we had in the freezer from my parents' trip to Massachusetts--linguica. My Mom and I put it together in about half an hour. We ended up being ready to eat before 6. I tried to wake Ray, but he grunted a no when I asked him. My Dad came out and sat down, took one bite and said he couldn't eat it. He had apparently had indigestion all day and chicken soup for lunch. I didn't know or I would have gone with the pasta and shrimp with cream sauce. I was annoyed, he felt bad. Mom and I ate shrimp and sausage and potatoes. Sigh.

We watched some TV and I fell asleep--before my Mom! I was in bed by 9, so not surprisingly I was awake before 5. I am looking forward to my day off--baking rolls and bread for dinner at Janna's. Watching the parade on TV. Maybe working some outside when it warms up this afternoon. Maybe cleaning some inside. Maybe playing cards. Trying to be upbeat and not miss my kids too much. You see, Casey, the trouble with having kids...is then you miss them when they're gone.