Thanksgiving Weekend 2007

"Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse."

-Henry Van Dyke

It was a good weekend. I am happy, which is a good thing. Alan and I had a nice, easy going holiday, then spent the next day together enjoying the crowds and the sun, and just being together. :) But let's start with the holiday, before I tell you about the rest. Sound good?

Alan had to work on Thanksgiving, so it was just Elvis and I most of the day. He and I laid in bed until time for the Macy's Parade to come on the TV. He always curls up in my lap when I watch the parade, and this year was no exception. That makes for a good day, but this year I was a little busier then usual. See, I decided to take on making an 18lb. turkey for dinner. LOL. Now most folks make ones much bigger then that, but see, I have been fighting this overwhelming fear of turkey. What if I didn't spice it just right? What if I didn't cook it long enough? What if I cooked it too long? LOL. Well, come to find out, as with all my fears, it was simply a matter of researching the fear, until it wasn't so scary anymore.

Thank GOD for the Butterball hot line. LOL. I made the turkey, and if I do say so myself, it came out fabulous. LOL. Juicy, tender, and oh so succulent. Yikes, now I am just bragging. LOL. But seriously, it just felt good to have the whole meal come out right... you know? In past years we either went with a ham, or ordered in a catered dinner, but this year it just felt good to make dinner. We had all the usual side dishes, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean bake, cranberry sauce, and dinner rolls. For dessert, we had sugar-free pumpkin pie. It was a good meal.

Friday, it was off to Union Square, in San Francisco. It was so much fun over there, we had a lot of fun just walking the square and window shopping. We also took a walk down Maiden Lane, which is just off the square, to see the Xanadu Gallery. The building was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, and was a prototype for the Guggenheim museum. It's a beautiful, fascinating design, square shaped on the outside, but inside it contains a long, wide circular stairway. It's amazing. The design of the building is a work of art in itself, but once inside there is all the stunning International art to appreciate. A true feast for the eyes.

After we took a few photographs of the building, we continued down the lane. As we walked we could hear a street performer singing Ava Maria. He had a wonderful, forceful operatic voice that set just the right mood. Maiden Lane is one of the prettiest streets in the city anytime of year, but when you are already in a good mood, and you are seeing inspiration everywhere, it is especially enjoyable. The music, the smell of the food from the gourmet shops, the fabulous weather, architecture of the city, and the company I was in, made it all a little bit magical, but then I tend to find the magic in the most simple of places sometimes. I can be kind of silly that way sometimes.

After we got home on Friday, we took a short nap, then it was off to the Holiday Festival in the Woods. I will show off some additional photos of that next week sometime. It was as gorgeous as it was last year, with the Merry-Go-Round all decorated for the Christmas season, and the decorated trees from around the world. :) It was lovely.The rest of the weekend has been very quiet, I have been in the mood to do some baking, so I am made some cupcakes and muffins for the neighbors, and this afternoon I am making some Chocolate Mint Brownies for Alan. I might have one if my blood glucose numbers are ok. I am still living as a if I am a diabetic, at least for the next year or so. Heck, I may just live this way forever, because I feel great and I know I owe it all to being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes.

2007 has been a strange year. It was filled with friends who moved away, and medical concerns, but it has also been filled with friends who have comeback into my life, and wonderful surprises such as my being able to reverse my diabetes condition, which just might mean that it will never return. I have gone through some things this year that I had no idea how to face, and yet somehow, I did. I guess when sad or chaotic things are happening in our lives, we find that inner strength to get back up and keep going, I am not sure where it is in me, but if nothing else, 2007 has shown me it's there. I will just have to take it on faith, that I can also depend on me. I have faith in me. :)

So, here it is... the weekend in pictures. Enjoy.

-OndineMonet
Thanksgiving Weekend
Berkeley, San Francisco, California
November 22, through November 25th, 2007