Estoy Nueces

When I wrote last we hadn't even yet heard that we were going to have company on Monday. That was a change in the plans for the week. Mark's cousin from Georgia was at Tyler visiting his family there and wanted to come see us. I think we tried to discourage it, but she was doing all she could to avoid going home and seeing family and was considering skipping that visit altogether. So she and her "drivers," an older couple from Georgia that had a car, came to see us on Monday afternoon. I had LOTS of plans, but I had to pare them down. I still went by for a glass of wine with friends at Matt's (Frenchy's friends) and then by Costco for some pizza for our dinner. Got home and no one was here except Mark. They had taken her to a "meeting" and then they came back and we ate pizza and salad. She said she could get a ride (???!!!???) but then called and asked them to come get her. Crazy kid.

Last thing I needed to do that night was go to the east side, but I chauffeured and took them there and we enjoyed that. It was, of course, a great show. But we got back and I had to buckle down and type until about 3 a.m. That made Tuesday extra rough with an early meeting. She was up early on Tuesday, too, though I was trying to avoid her a bit. Glad they went on their way and glad Mark re-cleaned and re-sheeted the guest wing.

Tuesday I ran and got some groceries and lunch and brought them home. I went to Costco and got a turkey and gravy after work and did my voice-tracking and more typing.

Wednesday, Mark's mom arrived early afternoon and he entertained her. I got off work early (I love that part of non-radio work!) and went by and got a new phone for myself. Mine was being wacky and that was bugging me a lot. But it seems I lost my numbers. Sigh. I think I can get them back. I hope I can.

I came home and they were here and she and I visited while I did some more prep work for Thanksgiving and for Wednesday night dinner. My sister and mom and nephews showed up about 6. We ate soup and visited and just had a general good time. Still beautiful weather. We should have sat out on the porch, but we mostly stayed in the kitchen and living room.

I escorted the sister and mom to my friend Frenchy's house where they got to spend the night in luxury. The boys decided they wanted to stay with us, so they did, one on each couch.

Thanksgiving morning I was up early to start dressing and cranberry sauce. My brother-in-law drove down early and was here by 9 or so. Sister and mother came back over. Everyone up (Mark last) and we ate pumpkin bread and various snacks. Next time I might have a more substantial breakfast to hold us over for the late lunch.

We went downtown to see the Aggie parade on Congress and it was really amazing. The Corps has over 1700 members and they all marched up the street to the Capitol. We got in our places at 11th and Congress just before they got there about 1:30. They chanted their chants about "TU" and the "teasippers" with things like "don't be blue, Tinkerbell was a fairly too." Then the Aggie band came through with the boys' friend as drum major. He was very tall and impressive. Mark got some great pictures of them.

Just as the parade ended and we started back to the car, I saw a million yellow leaves swirling toward me from a huge tree on the Capitol grounds. I was enjoying that sight when a cool gust of wind hit. The front had arrived. Within 2 hours the temp went from 79 to 59. We got home and I got the potato casserole cooked and the turkey finished heating and cooked rolls and got the dinner on the table as fast as possible, thought the Cowboys were already playing. It all looked very nice on the two tables in the living room. We all ate together and then cleared it away as much as we could and then watched football. Saints won, which was fine with me, though I was rooting for the Cowboys out of habit and they came close. I think they lost by a point.

I had cooked a pumpkin pie in the morning and made a pecan that afternoon and we had an apple, too, that I froze in October. We ate samples of all during the late game and then had leftovers as needed during the UT/A&M game that A&M won pretty easily. Mark put his slide projector together and showed his mother and I some sweet pics from his early days. We'd never seen them before because they came from his grandparents' collection.

Before the night game, brother-in-law and older nephew decided they would return to Dallas to participate in Black Friday shopping. Everyone else stayed. But younger nephew wanted to drive to Dallas early Friday morning with his friend the drum major so my sister, bless her heart, came over and got him at 7 and drove him up to the hotel where that kid was. She went back home to Frency's house and conked out and almost didn't wake up again. My mom called about 1130, obviously ready to come over and drink coffee, etc., but sis was still asleep. I offered to come get her, but she declined, so I told her to wake her up. Sister was embarrassed for sleeping so late, but loved that comfortable bed.

We had more turkey sandwiches and snacks and visiting and then Mom and sis got on the road to Dallas. Mother-in-law decided to stay another night.

Mark spent a lot of his time today working on a merch case for Seth. He finished it and took it to him tonight and went to his show. Mother-in-law and I watched "Young at Heart," which I highly recommend.

I was dead tired last night and my feet were unbearable in their pain. Today I am recovering. I hope to be much better tomorrow. I know my m-i-l thinks I am falling apart way too young (and it's true!).