Grandma

I am going to miss her. We were able to see her this weekend to say goodbye and tell her how much she's meant to us, and I'm very very grateful for that.

She was elegant and athletic. She skated and acted and golfed and bowled. She had a terrific rear end. She had a whole-body laugh and she almost always beat me at cribbage.

She scared the hell out of us with cackling witchy renditions of Fee-fi-fo-fum when we were kids, and let us drink whole milk from shot glasses. She let people be, but never seemed uninterested. She had a grace that made you want to slow down a little.

You could say two or three words that reminded her of a song and off she'd go. The woman's brain housed hundreds of songs and rhymes that only needed a tiny kickstart.

She was a remarkable woman who is going to be thoroughly missed.

Bring it

The Thanksgiving menu is magneted to the fridge and I think we're good to go.

The turkey is cooling its heels, the china is washed, serving spoons at the ready. It's been a long time since we hosted a holiday dinner (Christmas 2003 for Matt's side of the family) and I think I'm finally ready to do it again.

I'm kind of giddy about it, really. I picked up tablecloths a few weekends ago. My mom is bringing extra silverware. I borrowed a roaster to keep the oven free for yams and stuffing and whatnot. I sketched out a plan of attack, timing-wise, but I still don't think shit will hit the table piping hot in perfect order and I might mess up the giblets and that's totally okay.

There will be family. There will be snacks to fill the cracks and crevices while the potatoes are mashed and gravy made. There's Wii bowling. There's a movie on reserve. There's good bread and great friends and three cans of olives.

I think we're good.

Happy pre-Thanksgiving.