Black Friday non participant

Today while others are busily grabbing bargains and bumping shoulders with strangers, I am at home. Relaxing. Yesterday I was up at 5:30 a.m. in order to bake pies and make my pecan topped sweet potato dish which is so yummy. I never got a few minutes in for a nap and by the time we had helped my mother get her dinner on the table I was pooped. I had taken the twenty pound turkey over with the stuffing earlier. I begged my mother not to alter the stuffing from the bag recipe as I hate celery. I have post traumatic celery stress disorder which results from a night of illness as a child. My grandfather who was with me that night told me it took him months before he could eat celery again. If dressing has celery in it I won't eat it. Mom agreed but my sister was there and against Mom's request, added it anyway. To the stuffing I bought. I mashed the potatoes and allowed my sister to make the gravy. She never drained off any of the fat and I realize that I should have made the gravy. My mother is still recovering from a bad cold/flu like illness and now my Dad has it. Since he has already been hospitalized six times this year and had pneumoia at least four of them, I am concerned. Mom had put out china and I insisted that we change to the other dishes which could go in the dishwasher. After our dinner Mom cleared the table then napped on a sofa while Dad napped in his recliner in another room. My sister and I put all the leftovers into containers. I had carved the turkey and half of it was left. After that we had about an hour to chat while my husband ran home and took care of the pets. It was a rare opportunity for us to visit alone and in person. We had pie and coffee and were home by 6:30. I kind of collapsed into a chair. Earlier in the day while searching for a recipe I could not find in time to use, I decided my organization of recipes was sorely lacking. I took out all the loose recipes and organized them into folders or into the recipe album which holds cards and is one of my favorite gifts I have every received. Now when I want a recipe I know where to look. I also found some I had forgotten about which I plan to make soon. Short ribs in the crock pot. Great for winter.

Yesterday got me thinking. Not sure how many more Thanksgivings or holidays I will have with my parents. They are getting older and really failing. Dad is not permitted to drive anymore since he had three seizures that day in June. He still sees an oncologist but they are using a wait and see attitude about the cancer they found around Easter. I honestly do not think he could tolerate chemo at all. When his father was diagnosed with lung cancer my Dad opted not to tell him. He knew his father could not tolerate the treatments and his cancer was already stage 4. One day while alone with "Pops" as I called him, he told me that he knew he had lung cancer but because my Dad couldn't handle discussing it with him, he would pretend not to know. He told me not to say anything in response because he didn't want my father upset with me.

I took today off from work. I was supposed to work today but I am exhausted and have been. I put my name in a pool and was one of eight names drawn to take the day off without pay. I have the upcoming surgery and I want to be in decent condition for the healing process. So, for the first time since I don't know when, I will have 4 consecutive days off of work. It's like a mini vacation for me. I plan to do things that will help me relax. I have my holiday cards all ready written and stamped. Some will get mailed this weekend and others next week. I have most of the gifts purchased. I want to have this all done before December 10th. I do not want to be in the mall where seas of germs are when my back will be healing. I try to avoid them at holiday time anyway. My plan is to stay relatively healthy this winter. You know about the best laid plans...........guess who's coming to town soon???