1:30 a.m. - 2003-10-13
Thanksgiving
My guys went to their Dad's today for Thanksgiving. Nothing had been mentioned until my oldest son visited on Saturday to them or number two son, but all of them still want whatever time he will give them. I spent the day just putzing. Doing all the laundry that didn't get done yesterday, washing dishes (no machinery - it's done by hand), picking up the balance of the mess. I went shopping and finally got all the stuff assembled for dinner at my sister's home tomorrow - hams, fresh veggies with salsa and tzatziki for dip and the fixings to make the cheesecakes. I'll throw it all together in the morning. I prefer that everything be as fresh as possible - especially the dessert. Picked up some tiger lilies to brighten my table too. They just seem perfect for this time of year. I've got lots of extra spider plant cuttings I'm going to take to my sister's home. They are almost indestructible and I thought it might brighten people up to think of growing things instead of the winter blues that starts to settle in as the days grow shorter and the nights lengthen.
The kittens and their mom needed time and attention too. When Miss Kitty is mad at me she'll sometimes steal my underwear and try to hide it. Don't get it. Now the kittens think it is a good thing to pull out and play with too. Lucky I don't have visitors other than family who might witness such indelicacies here. It's not that I'm unsociable, it's just that after more than a decade as a single parent everything is falling apart, furniture and building. The boys and I do the best to keep up what's left, but it is not a pretty sight. I know people don't visit to look at my home, but I'd rather meet someone for coffee elsewhere where I can feel comfortable too. I am very grateful that I have a home of my own and what I have certainly does well enough for my guys and me, but this is a very wealthy city and most people here judge your value on what you own. I don't give many people that option.
One of my sisters called after lunch and we talked for a couple of hours. She's still in a marriage much like the one I was in. Neither of us had ever seen anyone with an addiction problem before we got married and we simply did not recognize the signs or understand the likely consequences. Eighteen is too young to get married. Her comments also reminded me how grateful I am to be out of that situation. My sister has less confidence in herself than I do and she hasn't quite reached the point where she believes things couldn't get worse than inside the marriage. I don't encourage her choices one way or another but I do listen to what she needs to say about her future plans. She wants to get some extra schooling. She just has a couple of courses left to finish college, and then finances won't be such an issue. It took me nearly a decade to get on my feet but looking back it's the best choice I could have made. I'm grateful that things have worked out so well. I look at myself then and now and I'm very thankful my life has become so much better.
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