The Morning After

Our Thanksgiving gathering went exactly how we feared it would. The uncle was drunk before the turkey was ready, and to the mortified embarrassment of his 18-year old daughter, went around talking about sex and how everyone does it. Naturally he had to pick a fight with the aunt and set off a big time bomb. She started hollering, insulting, cussing so badly that we had to herd the kids upstairs into a closed room. She accused her sister and brother of killing their father (he died of heart disease over 40 years ago), their mother (she died of surgery complications about 10 years ago), and their sister (alcoholism, 2 years ago). She would have laid JFK's death on them, too, except she ran out of time.

Nevertheless, it was great seeing the cousins and friends. As is typical during any family gathering, we regressed a few years and sat in the "children's section." Then we played checkers, board games, and watched TV.

A couple of days later, we went to my mom's house for another Thanksgiving gathering. It was boring - no fighting or hollering. Except by the kids, of course.

Now, it's Monday morning. Not just any Monday morning but December 1st Monday morning, where my brain has to switch from idling to hyperdrive mode. I'm still working on it.