Lazy Sunday Afternoon

Our Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving Weekend is coming to a close.

We enjoyed a quiet Thanksgiving - if quiet means running a 5k for charity, making a turkey dinner for five, and going to the movie theater to catch the latest Disney release.

I have had some free time to catch up on some projects that I have wanted to do for some time.  I painted the garage to make it look a little neater than drywall and spackling marks.  For $30 I got a couple of gallons of primer and sealer and made the walls a solid white.  I bought three state flags, one for each state we are from; Ohio for Lisa, New York for Sam, TJ, and me, and North Carolina for Grant. Plus, a US flag for all of us.  I also remounted some of the other posters, artwork, and family-centric things like the Key West Mile Marker 0 sign and Lisa's sunset oil painting. The finished look of the garage is nicer.

This holiday was funny in that Samantha played a great prank on me.  The college aged demographic have been texting their parents asking for advice on how long to microwave a 20-25lb turkey.  The joke works because parents think their kids are actually uninformed enough (read: dumb) to try it.  My responses to Sam consisted of, "No. No, no, no, no," and then "Call me."  Other responses - posted on the internet - were much funnier.  But I thought she was serious for a while there.

Thursday morning we went to the park to meet some friends for an annual - and informal - 5k run around the local Kohl's to raise food and funds for local animal shelters.  Everyone brings a bag of dog food or other charitable item.  It's a great way to do something good while having fellowship and little work out to make room for the dinner.  We all ran, even Lucie, and then celebrated with mimosas after the run with our friends Lisa, Rob, and Ian.  We wore our turkey hats and bundled up for the sub-40* weather.  

Samantha went to New York to be with hers mom's family. Betty traveled to Missouri to be with Linda and her daughter.  We couldn't find anyone else to invite for dinner!  However, Bobby joined us at the house for a "small" dinner of turkey breast, broccoli, rolls, and stuffing.  I taught TJ some of the finer points of carving the bird with an electric carver but he was sort of freaked out by the speed of the blades.  Yes, we failed to make gravy. Oops.  No, there were no mashed potatoes.  Not oops.  However, Lisa did a phenomenal job in the kitchen and made a chocolate pie with a homemade crust that was yummy.  No one went hungry!

We cleaned up, packed up, and headed to the movies for, "Ralph Breaks the Internet," the follow up to "Wreck It Ralph."  It was a fun movie that highlights the ubiquitous of the internet in our lives and the importance of friendships; growing up doesn't mean growing apart, even when you're apart.

On the topic of friendships we had a party on Saturday with our friends.  The first ever Brown's Friendsgiving.  Lisa - again in the kitchen - did a great job of getting everything ready for the party.  She baked cookies, prepped the hors d'evours, and replaced all of the batteries in the electric candles...and then forgot to turn them on for the party <snicker>.

The three hour party lasted four hours but only broke up once Rob had won the second round of Cards Against Humanity.  

Maybe we have started a new annual event.

This year, again, we have a lot to be thankful for.

  

Now it is Sunday - the party is cleaned up, Samantha is back from NY, the kids are playing outside.  It is a rare moment for me to sit and enjoy the quiet of a Sunday afternoon without creating chores for myself.  There is a fresh pot of coffee brewing - the aroma is filling the kitchen.  

There is a peacefulness to be thankful for in that too.