Happy Thanksgiving!

So, I'm sitting here blogging as I watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. I've been told that when I was around 3 or 4 years old, I actually went to the parade - I don't remember, but apparently I wasn't happy. To this day, I'm not a parade person. But, it's always on in the background for Thanksgiving. And I will actually stop what I'm doing to sit and watch Santa arrive - he always makes me cry - to me the Macy's Santa Claus is *the* real Santa Claus, the rest are merely his reasonable facsimiles.

Oh look Julie Andrews is singing...she is so lovely.

I will shortly begin preparing my dish for Thanksgiving tonight. We're going to a friend's house for dinner. My husband is making his grandmother's stuffing (old school Pennsylvania) and I'm making what I have dubbed "Autumn Vegetable Medley" - a.k.a roasted veggies: eggplant, turnips, parsnips, rutabaga, yukon gold potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, pearl onions, corn, garlic and brussel sprouts all drizzled with olive oil and seasoning. I got the recipe from purplepassion (www.gimmepatience.blogspot.com) - thanks Cris!

Since my father died we've been adrift when it comes to the holidays, so we "rely on the kindness of strangers" - of course they're not strangers they're dear, beloved friends, I just felt like a gratuitous Tennessee Williams reference is never out of place! Seriously though, my mom's condition doesn't really let her be away from her home for too long and too many people frazzle her, so a long evening with lots of people is just not a possibility. What we're doing this year is having a Thanksgiving brunch with her on Saturday. I feel unspeakably guilty about not spending Thanksgiving with her - but what else is new? Guilt about my mother is one of my best events.

Well, I've got vegetables to chop. I hope all who read this have a wonderful, blessed holiday with your friends and families. We really do have a lot for which to be thankful - not the least of which are friends!

Happy Thanksgiving!