The Finale

Poaching the pears smelled so good. Nothing like real vanilla bean boiling in a sugar syrup. I fell sound asleep on the couch while they cooled and the kids played blocks with Goo (who had napped earlier while the kids played parade). It was a short but fully restorative nap.

Desserts were a hit (though much later than I had planned, but we weren't hungry or energetic enough to start them): Bud has his container of strawberry jello salad (though he kept spitting out all the bananas. Note to self: no bananas in jello), all the adults devoured and enjoyed the poached pears in chocolate sauce (which I thought was a little watery for my taste), and Sis ate chocolate sauce with a little whipped cream. A few of us had tiny slivers of pumpkin pie, just to tell the kids we liked it, and coffee (some with whipped cream, some with chocolate sauce, mine with both).

Soon after, it was bathtime. Mama and the gang got them washed while I cleaned the kitchen; this is our usual ritual now anyway because it gives me a break before bedtime and I don't then come downstairs to a messy kitchen. Stories and tuck-ins went just fine, with Sis naming the horses in the parade as one of her happy thoughts.

And that was it. The guests left with little containers of leftovers, the kitchen was done, we ate a few leftovers just because we could. And now with movie channels on demand all weekend, we're going to catch up on "The 'L' Word." We actually checked STARZ, HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, and TMC and that's all we wanted to watch. But, since the tv is downstairs until after football tomorrow, we thought we'd sit and enjoy a little girl time.

Which reminds me, to sum up with a few last thoughts: Did anyone else notice the Little Porno Mermaid, Disney's new Broadway show, on the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade? I was appalled. Coral g-strings, starfish pasties, Vegas showgirls and Chippendale dancers. grinding and jiggling their various obvious bits. There is just no need for any of it in a children's musical. I can't fathom taking kids to this. It looked so trashy. Have I become a prude? Or do I just have taste?

Was it a good Thanksgiving? I think so. The kids had fun, the food was good, we celebrated the occasion. There were no fights, no tense parts. There were some things left unsaid, unresolved, not understood, but such is life. And we're working on it.

I am thankful.