This was one of the nicest Thanksgiving weekends. I got up on Thursday morning, celebrated the day with 9:00 Mass at St. Thomas. Back home and I began the drive up to Pecatonica, the car radio singing from a playlist of upbeat songs. When I arrived, on the sun porch, great niece and nephew, Lily and Jarrett, were watching "The Great Pumpkin" on a laptop. In the living room were several noble heads staring quietly into space and underneath the mounted deer heads were several people staring at the TV and occasionally shouting or moaning depending on what was going on with the Packers/Lions game. In the kitchen was daughter, Angela and niece, Michelle, putting the finishing touches on dinner.
When the game was over - Packers won - grandson Joel came out into the kitchen to carve the turkey. Those two years he worked as a chef at Eagle Ridge showed as he sharpened his knife and then methodically stripped the meat from the carcass. So cool to watch. Then THE DINNER. First we gathered in prayer around the dining room table, holding hands and giving thanks. Grabbed a plate and walked along the kitchen counter for our wonderful meal. Great food, great conversation and dessert. Grandson Tim had made a cheesecake, so good and rich, a one inch piece was filling, pies and apple dumplings and granddaughter Ellen's Turkey cookies. Truly a bountiful meal.
Just before I headed into Rockford to the hotel, the daughters who were there presented me with my early Christmas gift from all five of them. An I Pad 2. Joel had been giving me some advice on what to look for in a Notebook - I planned on buying one for when I traveled - but I never expected something as nice as this. What a great gift. Last night after several hours with Ricky in India with ATT, I am on the internet and ready to enjoy my new toy.
Spent time Friday morning at the hotel pool with John Evers - nephew by marriage. He was on dad duty with Jarrett in the pool. Then we headed out - Evers family to the Rockford Discovery Museum and Angela and I to the Art Museum. (The other family members had all gone home) A good mix of art. Two amazing Loredo Taft sculptures and a series of handmade quilts, made from scraps, obviously well used, definitely not made on a frame but oh so charming. Nowadays when quilting is often done by skilled artisans, these misshapen , unmatched squares and patterned quilts had a beauty all their own.
We also went to the museum to see Jane and Homer. Some years back, when daughter Maureen was digging in Eastern Montana, Vern and I had gone to visit the site. The day we arrived, Homer's ruff - he is a tyrannasourus - was found. So the last time I saw it was there in the ground and now it's on display in Rockford. Jane is the first young dinosaur this group from the museum found and Homer was found in the same area.
Lunch at Beef a Roo, a Rockford landmark and back to the hotel to nap. Supper at Angela and Tom's and then John and the kids went back to the hotel, Tom relaxed in quiet and Mich, Angela and I attended "Christmas Belles", the play at the Pecatonica Playhouse. Darling play, well done by the cast. When I was doing my first Chemo treatment, Angela had brought the play for me to read, and so I really looked forward to seeing it. I wasn't disappointed.
Up early Saturday morning, to make the trip back to Peoria - I was here by 8:30. Misty rain all the way. So glad to be home but I am so thankful for my life and the people in it.
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