Happy Thanksgiving!

Two sick kids back in Alabama with their mom. Got in about 1 am and getting ready to dive into the shower before the crush of company comes. Gorge today, drive home and copy edit preps tomorrow, Iron Bowl with dad (his first) Saturday.

 

Bless her heart, if Jesus announced the rapture was at midnight and for folks to start lining up around sunset, Aunt Wanda would still show up at 9 a.m. and spend the rest of the time speculating when everyone else was coming.

 

I get a kick out of the rash of "How to talk" articles. Everyone's family has its own strange dynamic, and if you didn't know how to traverse the related minefields, you're probably eating at a Chinese restaurant again this year.

 

Hanging out at home tonight, because tomorrow I'll be out rooting for my old high school, playing for its first district championship in history.

 

Winding down a lovely day. Ran 10k with a friend along the Bosporus, then went sightseeing. Have been a little leery to do so due to the situation, but in the middle of a work day seemed enough out of routine to throw off any threats. After six months here, I finally got to see the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, plus bought a friend some towels for Christmas.

Managed to successfully FaceTime most of my family, who were all dining together at Cracker Barrel.

Also have the duty phone again and am thankful there have been no true emergencies, though I did have to explain to one individual that her poor planning was not my emergency.

And I'm watching "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving."

Darn near perfect day. Happy Thanksgiving from Turkey!

 

Dinner at the home of the grandparents of my daughter's boyfriend. A group of 15 to 20, most of whom I've never met. But I have met grandpa and grandma, who are closer in age to my wife and I than the boy's mother, who lives out of state. Grandparents have had Ducks season tickets since the inaugural season. That is a good thing. They are originally from New York, but don't act like it. Another good thing. Chatted briefly with Grandpa at the Ducks game on Tuesday and he said it will be a relaxing day filled with football. More good things. Tomorrow, the annual Ducks-Blackhawks matinee. It's all good.

 

I always enjoy talking to my brother-in-law on Thanksgiving about his experiences as a middle school special education teacher in the Chicago Public Schools. Also known as: The worst fucking job I could possibly imagine.

 

Having a much happier Thanksgiving this time around. Some freelance work so I know I still got it (sent in a playoff volleyball story on Tuesday, written with a laptop on top of a recycling bin, with minutes to spare) and a crazy holidays temp job to make some money. But, hey, after a roof over my head and food to eat, everything is details, right?

Or as Hunter Pence would say, bring on that bird!

 

We bailed on turkey years ago. Lamb fresh off the grill was heavenly -- and now I have the leftovers to gnaw on for a few days.

 

I'm sure it's a daily challenge, but my guess is it's more fulfilling than teaching regular classes in that school system.