Black Friday

I got dragged into Black Friday and ended up enjoying myself. Even worse, Cassie and I are planning to go next year as well!

Brother Scott convinced Cassie she HAD to attend BF at "his" Target (56th & Hwy 2). She was all excited about it and asked me if we could participate. She thought we should go at 5am. Ha! We set out our clothes the night before so we could get out the door ASAP.

As I expected, we left the house at 8am. By the end of our adventure we'd hit both Targets (niece Paige was our cashier at the south store), McDonald's for breakfast (new one at 21st & K), and Gateway mall.

We had a blast! No one is more surprised than I. Parking was non-existent, the crowds were thick, and it was difficult to get our cart around at the Target stores (but we didn't have to wait for fitting rooms at any store). Lines to a cashier generally took 15 min. At Gateway, the restroom in the mall right outside of Penney's had a long line, no toilet paper, everyone fought with the electric-eye water faucet, and there were no paper towels. (Note for next year: pack hand sanitizer and a travel supply of toilet paper.) Then lunch at Subway. And don't forget 60-degree weather!

I think we enjoyed ourselves because we had no goal in mind. I'm mostly done with my shopping so anything we purchased was a bonus. I'm sure Cassie's enjoyment was partly due to her coming home with a bracelet-making kit, two henley's, a pair of jeans, and a top. I found a winter purse to replace the two I have that I don't like.

Amazingly, I can't wait until next year!

Ghosts of Thanksgiving Past

Well kids it's been ages since last we gathered. A lot of changes have happened.

As Queen Elizabeth commented about 1992, "annus horribilis" has been our 2009. I'm just trying to get through the rest of this year, and hope 2010 is better.

First of all, shortly after my last post, beloved auntie Betsy Mae entered hospice and passed away on April 5 - Palm Sunday morning. She was a major player in my life. She sparked my interest in old movies when I was in elementary school. When I returned home after two years of college back east, Betsy and I would attend movies (and Mom too) at Sheldon Art Gallery's "American Movie Classics Series." When that series ended we'd hit mainstream films as well. We'd have dinner at Alice's Restaurant (a familiar family restaurant for long-time Lincolnites), attend the film, then snack afterward at Lum's restaurant on "O" street. We'd also carve our pumpkins together. Her absence is just beginning to feel like reality. In early October I was browsing through Ben Franklin and Campbell's looking at decorations and planning my table centerpiece for Thanksgiving all the while thinking I'd run my ideas passed Betsy for her input.

Mark's mom entered hospice the beginning of summer. She stabilized until August, then passed away Aug 20. She just couldn't recover from the stroke and the multitude of infections and other medical issues that subsequently arose. The boys are orphans now as they lost their dad to brain cancer in 1987. I met Mark the following year, so I never knew his dad. Neita was the hub in that family.

So two empty seats at our Thanksgiving tables this year.

As it happened, I ended up canceling Thanksgiving for my side of the family. We always celebrate the Saturday-Before since Mark's family celebrates on Thanksgiving proper. But this year I'd caught a bad respiratory thing (NOT H1N1) and knew I couldn't recover fast enough to pull together a dinner. Mom and niece Paige agreed so I concentrated on getting myself healthy and am looking towards Christmas.

Thanksgiving morning Mark, Cassie, and I loaded the van (and I mean loaded. Read: Cassie packs practically her entire room when I say, "Pack a few things to entertain yourself for the drive up and back.") and met at brother-in-law Gordie's place; we ate at Divot's in Norfolk. First time in 20 years that we were up and back the same day.

The empty seats are not quite as obvious yet. A change in tradition was probably good for this first year.