This was Thanksgiving Week. We filled it nicely.
Monday morning, November 21st, we got up and I went to work cleaning bathrooms, changing bed linens and setting some things in order in our home in preparation for Thanksgiving. Claude went to Kroger to pick up the last of the fresh things we would need for Thanksgiving. When he got home, we packed our suitcase and loaded our car.
You see, our son, Jake, moved into an apartment on Saturday, November 19th. He had taken a job at the Chelsea Hospital and was rooming with a friend. His former landlord, Parker, contacted Jake and let him know he had an apartment coming available. It was the first apartment Jake ever rented from him. He knew Jake was back in Chelsea and wondered if he was interested in that apartment. Jake asked to think about it overnight. He called Parker the next morning and said he would take the apartment. Since Jake's things are stored in our shed and home, we needed to get the first carload of things he would need up to him. Monday and Tuesday were our days to do that.
The drive to Chelsea went really well for the most part. We left our home about 11:30am. All was fine until we hit the Toledo area. There was a warning sign that traffic was missing a lane and to expect delays. I quickly check Google maps and the delay was only 8 minutes. The alternate route offered was WAY out of the way. We opted to drive in heavy traffic. It seems they were adding lanes to this busy freeway section. It ended up being a one hour delay for us. We had no time commitments to keep that evening as Jake was working. So, it was not an issue.
We got to Chelsea and opted to have dinner at Coney Island before checking into our hotel room. We checked in and I had a room with an enormous hot tub. Claude has a very sore shoulder and I hoped this treat would help him to feel better after a long drive that afternoon. It was a good treat for him.
Tuesday, November 22nd, we agreed to have breakfast on our own and meet Jake at his apartment at 10am. We did that and unloaded our car full of treasures for him. Then we all got into my car and drove to Meijer's. We were in search of a television. Our television in our guest bedroom had given out. We had Jake's television in the shed. We borrowed Jake's to use in our guest bedroom. We felt Jake should get a new television and us keep his television in our guest bedroom. Jake was agreeable to that idea. I had researched and found that Meijer had a pre-Black Friday sale on Visio televisions. They were normally almost $400 and were now on sale for $200. It took some doing to find a manager who could get one out of stock in the back but eventually we got one.
Next we went to an upscale used furniture store to see about a nice chair for Jake. We found one but the leather on it was a bit worn for the price they were asking. Jake is a big guy and really needs one good chair for him to sit in, in this apartment. We'll keep looking.
We went back to Chelsea and ate lunch at the Mexican restaurant. Then we went to the grocery store and got a good grocery run to stock Jake up a bit. He had a list on his phone and it went very well. Claude really liked Jake's grocery store and found three items he wanted for our home.
We had Jake back to his apartment by about 2:30pm and then we headed back home. Jake would have to work that night. It was a very quick visit but a really good visit. Loved seeing our son with a new job and his own apartment, renewing old friendships and making some new ones.
On the way home, I saw a truck that looked like it was full of enormous ping pong balls. As I was amused with this image, Claude wondered how big the ping pong paddle was. I posted the picture and this dialogue on our family Facebook page. Quickly got a response from our daughter, Andie. Turns out the world's largest ping pong paddle is in Dayton, Ohio. It is 11.5 feet long!! So, there you have it.
When we got home, Claude made tuna salad and deviled eggs in preparation for Wednesday. I unpacked. Whew!
Wednesday, November 23rd, would be our Thanksgiving Day this year. Hayden has taken a job at a movie theater. They had him scheduled to work on Thanksgiving Day. All of us are adults and we just moved our Thanksgiving to Wednesday instead of Thursday. Claude smoked a turkey and all kinds of lovely side dishes. I baked a chocolate pudding cake and lemon Cool Whip cookies. We had a pumpkin pie. It was delicious. The Marx family would spend the night and leave in time to get them home so Hayden could drive himself to work by 10am.
Thursday, November 24th, the Marx's left for LaGrange without Bailey. Claude had suggested on Monday that, since we were having Thanksgiving early, we might have a Harry Potter Marathon on Thanksgiving Day. I love that he enjoys these movies as much as me. I responded that was an excellent idea. I also told Claude that Bailey really loved these movies. Maybe we should see if she would like to watch with us. A text was sent to Bailey. Here is the girl's response: OH MY GOSH HECK YES ID LOVE TO!!!!!! I sent Andie a text and told her we were keeping Bailey on Thursday. I sent Bailey another text asking what she wanted for snack foods. She requested some chocolate, Starburst, popcorn and beef Ramen. Claude picked all these up when he did grocery shopping on Monday. I hid the bag of Bailey treats in my closet until everyone left on Thursday. Then I pulled them out and gave the bag to Bailey. She was very happy and thought we were clever to hide them till then.
Bailey set up the sofa and the coffee table as her little nest for the next two days. We watched the first five movies on Thursday. Claude and Bailey would have steaks for dinner that night. Bailey is a careful eater but she is a carnivore at heart. I'm not a steak eater and Claude is always happy to enjoy a steak with someone else who relishes them as much as him.
Friday, November 25th, we were up and watching movies by 10:30am. We watched the last three movies and it was about 5pm. We asked Bailey if she wanted to go home then. She said she didn't want us driving home in the dark so she would stay the night and we would return her home Saturday morning. She quickly picked out two Tom Hanks movies for us to watch that evening. We watched A League of Their Own and The Da Vinci Code. Bailey picked out a frozen pizza (Supreme) and we had that for dinner. Off to bed at 10pm again. However, I could not sleep. I got up and sat on the sofa in the study to read a bit. I could hear Bailey talking on her phone in the guest bedroom till about 1am. I'm sure she and Jake were catching up with each other. Jake is her boyfriend.
Saturday, November 26th, we took Bailey back to LaGrange with a stop in Shelbyville at Taco Bell for some lunch. While at the Marx home, Claude got a text from a friend alerting us that other friends were in town and would like to visit with us. We let them know we were in LaGrange and headed to Georgetown.
Dave and Kerry Rennick got to our home right after we got home. What fun to see these sweet friends. The Rennick's lived in Mallard Point just outside of Georgetown about 10 years ago. We were their Home Teachers with church. We enjoyed many a meal at BD Mongolian Grill. In fact, the Rennick's are the ones who introduced us to BD's. They have one son. He married a Louisiana girl whose father actually knew my parents from when I was a kid. Tiny world. When Dave retired, he and Kerry moved to Louisiana. It was so nice to visit and catch up on our families and lives. They were off to visit other friends from their days in Kentucky.
Claude and I quickly did the dusting, sweeping and vacuuming. Then we went to the grocery store to buy refreshments for Sunday evening.
Sunday, November 27th, we awoke to wet streets. We had rain overnight and would have a bit more during the day. The wind was really strong. I looked out in our back yard and our little windmill was turning big time. I grabbed a quick video clip of it. It was great fun to watch it throughout the day.
We had a good Sacrament Meeting. Primary went well. Jenny Squires, our chorister, worked with the kids learning all three verses to Away in a Manger. It was such a delightful way to do this. She drew on the chalkboard the baby in a manger, a star overhead and a shepherd. As they kids learned a line, they drew the piece of the picture Jenny drew on the chalkboard with their finger in the air. When they finished all the verses, Jenny erased the chalkboard and gave each of the children a piece of paper and a color. Then they all sang the lines and drew the picture on their paper as Jenny redrew it on the chalkboard. The kids were so attentive. It was a great way to learn this song.
At 4pm, our guests started to arrive. This was the 10th and final lesson in our Self-reliance course on Emotional Resilience. We had veggies and dip, a fruit salad, and rolls for our guests when they arrived. We got the Barney's three little kids settled in Sandiland. Then we had our final lesson. Such a good group of people. I had Archer, the Barney's oldest, take this picture of our group.
Front Row: Janick Stephenson, Brianna Stephenson, Heidi Barney and Sandi Christensen.
I posted on the Elkhorn Creek Facebook page and the Lexington Kentucky North Stake Facebook page the above picture with this comment: "Tonight our Self-reliance Group finished our Emotional Resilience class. Such a good group of friends we now have. Self-reliance is the Lord's way. Emotional Resilience is His hand to support us in the day in which we live. I testify that this class is important for each of us. When offered the opportunity to attend, please say yes. It will bless your life and the lives of the friendships you make in your group. Thank you to each participant. You helped me be a better disciple of Christ."
What a good week with family and friends. Now, on to get our home ready for Christmas!
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