I slept about 10 hours last night, and it's still only 6:30, thanks to the time change! The sky is starting to get light out my window and I'm very happy.

Yesterday morning, Ray didn't get up until I was heading to pilates and he decided to stay home and "clean." Pilates was great, as usual. Only 2 other people, including the young man, Abe, who is married to one of Trudy and Charlie Gard'ner's daughters. They have two children. I invited him to Annie and he was happy to hear about it. I left a poster with Amanda (the teacher) to put up.

Then I followed the usual Saturday routine--buy gas, head to the farmers market and then to Kroger. There was some beautiful stuff at the market, even though it was awfully cold. I got lettuce and spinach and bread and eggplant and a few small zucchini. There were even tomatoes, but we had some from the grocery store.

At Kroger, I was completely thrown off by the fact that they were playing Christmas music on the PA system--November 6th! I was so upset, I told several employees that I would never set foot in the store again. It distracted me from my shopping, but I did buy lots of chicken (at good prices, to freeze) and even a pork roast and some ground beef. Perhaps one of the reasons it bothered me so much is I was getting hungry. Only spent about $100.

When I got home, Ray and the Captain were cutting down a tree in the backyard. I went ahead and ate something and froze most of the meat I had bought. They came in for lunch. Apparently, Ray's chainsaw didn't work for a while, and then the top of the tree hung up in another tree. After lunch, they worked on it for a while, with a come-along and a shovel and finally got it down.

Meanwhile, I had finalized my menu and started working on it. Peel and cut up the winter squash and cook it in the microwave...then puree in the food processor and add brown sugar and cream and butter. Well, it just took more than twice as long in the microwave. I think maybe it was the glass bowl. I have done it before successfully in a plastic one. I kept taking it out and putting it in the food processor and deciding it wasn't done enough and putting it back and cooking it some more. It was fairly frustrating. I mixed up a marinade for the chicken we were serving for dinner.

At the same time, my parents were packing up things and heading over to Nancy's house to stay for a week while they are out of town. Any change in routine is pretty tiring for my Mom, so she had a nap while the guys were working on the tree.

Ray helped peel and cut up the squash and then he peeled and cut up apples for dessert. I made a topping for the apple crisp and got it in the oven.

We never got to the vacuuming, but Ray picked up some things and then I insisted that he shower and change before the first guests arrived--his friend John and wife Barbara. I dashed upstairs and changed my clothes, then finished up the squash. He started the gas grill for the chicken and put out some cheese and crackers. We had some beer and wine and put the plates and glasses and silver on the table.

The Turks arrived at almost 6--they had to drive through game day traffic after the football game was over, so it took a while. It was still light enough to show everyone the chickens and the garden, although very cold. The chicken was done, I reheated the squash, and Ray made a beautiful salad with spinach, red onion, and apricots. We had some dressing we had made another day. Nine of us sat at the table, including one 4-year-old girl, mostly entertained by John, when I went and got some cards and some bouncy balls and the other small toys I keep in a basket for visitors like her.

Everyone seemed to enjoy the food--especially the chicken. I had made enough for 12, in theory, but it all got eaten. They were big breasts, and I had thought there would be leftovers. The apple crisp was a big hit. The young Turkish mother brought some pumpkin dessert as well, that we can eat more of today. Small squares sprinkled with nuts.

They were gone by 8:30 and we cleaned up a bit before collapsing on the couch to watch TV. I fell asleep almost instantly, sleeping through a very funny episode of the Vicar of Dibley, and crawling up to bed before 9.

Now Ray is up and has made a fire in the stove (and reset the internet for me). Unfortunately, iPhoto still crashes any time I try to import pictures, so there are only a few here that you may not have seen.

suit for second interview

Apple Seller

Ray as Eddie, the out-of-work carpenter

Gladys, Shirley, and Mabel