A Long Weekend

Yes, definitely something I needed. So far here is what I did:

I went to Gridley on Thursday to spend Thanksgiving with my adopted family. There were 15 of us there. Dinner, as always, was wonderful with turkey and ham and homemade pies, coffee, movies, friendships, noise - everything a holiday is supposed to be.

Yesterday was Black Friday. I got it into my head that I had to have one of the Hamilton Beach one-cup coffee machines that were on sale for $19. And something else I won't talk about because it's a Christmas present. So stupid me, I get up at 3am and at 4:10am I am standing in line with all the other bargain seekers. I got the coffee maker but did not want to wait in the huge line for the something else. I was disappointed because I had finally made up my mind that that was what I was giving for a gift and yet figured I'd go with my alternate plan.

At 5:25 I am in my car headed for Oroville and on the phone with Susan. The plan was to meet at her house at 6am and off we would all go to Yuba City to shop. We had spent a good portion of the afternoon looking over all the flyers and forming an attack plan.

At about 6:15am 7 of us took off for Yuba City with Susan driving Yvonne's van. Yvonne is too ill to go shopping but loaned us the van. We took her 3 daughters (a college student and two who aren't out of high school yet but soon), Isabelle, and Lisa, Susan and I were off. We hit a bunch of stores and at a Radio Shack I found what I had not gotten at WalMart. I bought 1. Then later after breakfast (free!) at Sam's Club, we went to WalMart in Yuba City where I was able to get what I had wanted in Chico but couldn't Including one of those items for me. And I have to tell you, when we got back to Oroville I just wanted to go home and rest. So while the rest went inside Susan's for pizza (which I want today!), I went home, unloaded the goodies and rested.

This morning I made coffee in my new coffee machine and I am soooooo happy with it! It made waiting in line worth it. Well, kinda. If I hadn't gone to WalMart in Chico at 4am then I probably wouldn't have gone shopping with the girls. I would have missed out on a wonderful time with family because Yvonne and her husband Jerry and their 4 kids are probably more family than I am but they've included me as family and I'm glad to be part of them.

Today is post office day (mom sent me a package!) and Costco and pizza. Then more crochet to finish the second of the washcloths I am making to send Brooke for the "Socks for Soldiers" packages. I need to finish a Christmas present I am making. And then if the weather holds out, I may get ambitious and make fudge. And go to the shed and get the few Christmas decorations I will put up. Not doing hardly any decorating because I'll be at Ally's for Christmas but I have to do some.

Now I just have to figure out what to get Amy for Christmas. I have pretty much everything else. And I need to get some gift cards and send a package to mom. She will probably be mad at me because I already gave her something (a homemade scarf and hat set) but I am sending her something else.

OK, one more cup of that good Dunkin' Donuts coffee (now sold in WalMart! I *am* lucky!) from my new coffee maker and I'm going to have my shower and get off and running.

And I still have another day to sleep in! Yes, I am blessed.

Oh yes, how heartwarming it was at Thanksgiving dinner when, at her turn, Isabelle said that what she was most thankful for was all of her family sitting at the table and little Sammy nodded his head in agreement. Talk about squeezing your heart. No wonder I love them so!