AT LEAST I CAN STILL COOK!!!!

Okay, the kitchen is finally clean again (and that is a miracle, because, like my mother before me, once the dinner is ready, it looks like the army as been through the kitchen and practiced maneuvers!!!), the guests have returned home and I have the whole house to myself for another day since the kids decided to stay in Peoria an extra day!  !  They are like little tiny shadows who manage to trip me about every ten steps because they are afraid I am leaving  them.

Dinner was very, very good.  The turkey was moist, the stuffing good, the gravy not a disaster, and all the usual side dishes were good.  I don't know how everyone else liked it, but I found a new recipe for brussel sprouts that I thought was excellent.  (It only took me 1 1/2 hours to slice all of those little sprouts into thin pieces!)  My younger sister baked pumpkin pies, and, of course, they were excellent.  The older one just  brought bad wine!  You wouldn't think there would be bad wine in this day and age, but she managed to find it.

There should be a rule, however, that guests should take at least half as long to eat the meal as it does to prepare it!!

Even the weather was reasonable for Cleveland.  Sunny and pretty warm.  However, I know what is coming and hopefully, I will be back in Florida before the worst of it hits!!

I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  Life is good!  Thanks for checking.  Ricci

MAN OH MAN - IS IT COLD!!!

Wow, and the winter hasn't even begun!!  It is a good thing the kids are cute!  So, here I am in cold Bay Village, Ohio.  At least the Y here lets me in.  The kids are cute - as I said before - and that is probably because they are in school all day!  This family will be going to Peoria for Thanksgiving, so I will be cooking here for my sisters.  Hopefully, I will remember how to accomplish an entire meal.  (I am certain wine will be involved to help me along!!).  It is a good thing I have some things to do while this far north, because I am actually anxious to find a job, a place to live, and unpack all of the things that will remind me of a happy life together.  It has taken a while, but it finally happened.  It will really be nice to see sunshine 90% of the time instead of 10%.  Now, I have to make an actual grocery list, after first planning a menu. (Well, this might be harder than I thought!!)  I will let you know!  Meanwhile, thanks for checking in and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!  Ricci

She's ba..a..ck!!

Yes, my dear readers, I think I am actually back!!  After a great visit to my younger sister's, I have moved on to Bay Village to see my older son, older sister, oldest granddaughter and some friends.  Painting at Gail's was great therapy and I will be doing some at my other sister's and in Chicago.  After Christmas and some stops along the way back, I will be returning to Florida, where I will find a job.  Then, I will find somewhere for Gina and I to unpack all the stuff that is in storage in New Port Richey.  For the first time in almost a year and a half, I am actually anxious to set up housekeeping in a place of my own.  It will be strange and difficult to do this without Mike, but it is really home to me as it was to him, and I have so many happy memories of life there with him, that I am finally certain that it is the place for me to be. (To say nothing of the fact that it is not nearly as cold there as it has been EVERYWHERE ELSE I have been.  So stay tuned, because while we are trying to neutralize Gail's house for sale, while Meigan is trying to make her home look like her!  So, happily, life is truly looking up.  It was a great thing, though, to take the trip across the country and I am very happy to have done it.  However, it is time to light somewhere.  Will check with you later.  Thanks for checking.  Ricci



SENSE OF HUMOR 101

Painting walls always serves as great therapy - so that is exactly what I have been doing.  I will finish this job by the end of next week, then probably will move on to my older son's house.  (He has promised to give me two weeks notice before he throws me out, so I feel quite comfortable!!) All in all, life is still good - my sense of humor remains in tact - as does my health, so I will enjoy Christmas (except for the cold, of course) in Ohio, then got back to Florida, hopefully to find gainful employment and a place of my own to live.  I think it will finally be nice to look at all of the stuff I put into storage.  It should be like Christmas to unpack it all.  And, you know, it is said that everything happens for a reason, so perhaps I just needed to be reminded of what great family and friends I have for support.  Hopefully, I will be able to return the support in kind someday.  Thanks for checking.  Ricci