The turkey was roasted.

Yes, it was. Ahhhhh.

By the way, yesterday's rant wasn't directed at Thanksgiving specifically, or this Thanksgiving, or my family's get-togethers (lest anyone take this too personally). It was aimed at any assumed-to-be-obligatory type gathering that's fraught with stress and run through with passive aggressiveness: weddings, showers, winter holidays, summer vacations, etc.

I was just using Thanksgiving as an example since it was, uh, yesterday.

So how was my experience? Well, the food was pretty good (it usually is at my FIL's house); the house wasn't too crowded (with adults, it was packed with kids - which doesn't bother me); folks were quietly drinking as opposed to obnoxiously drunk; Dr sister-in-law was there with her affable husband and their bright and handsome little sprog (cousin "I") who is so adorable it hurts (I'd love for her to have four more - this baby is Adorable, I'm tellin' ya - even though I know she won't, but she makes beautiful kids); and my babies were terribly well behaved. I was so proud. They were not too wild, sat at table like four little angels, shared toys (even Bulk!), and were generally excellent.

So was there a downside? I thought this was some wretched trial, Blue, to which you dragged your unwilling self simply to please others!

Well, yeah!

Heh. Seriously, most is unmentionable (I'd love to say that I follow the "if you can't say anything good ..." rule, but you all know that's bull. But this is a public blog.) I'm only ever at these things in the capacity of childcare provider for my kids. I don't mind this - it's my job and one of which I am proud - but it makes for a dull evening. The one or two people with whom I have anything even remotely in common (or wish to converse with) are off talking with other people. So I follow the babies around, drifting from room to room like a dark fat ghost, murmuring "Now let Bitty see that, too" and "Bulk. Bulk, don't touch that!" and "Do you have to wee?" and watching the clock.

I will say that we had one person cross the centerline into our lane on the way there, forcing me to edge the van onto the shoulder, and that there was a big crash right in the entrance to FIL's subdivision. I'm not making this up. Just as we were cresting the hill and I was letting out a sigh of relief at having made it in one piece I spotted the tell-tale flickering blue and red lights.

It was as if the Architects of Happenstance were saying: "See what we can do? Anytime, anywhere, when you least expect it! Don't forget. Don't ever let your guard down. We're watching you!"

Yeah, OK, so maybe I read a little too much Stephen King.

Anyway.

How was your holiday? What are you thankful for? (a big thank you to Vega Vixen for getting the jump and posting hers yesterday. I actually meant to append mine to that post but forgot.)

Five things I'm thankful for:

1) My Evil Genius Husband.

2) My wonderful children and their health and happiness.

3) My home and my farm and my animals and the opportunity to have them.

4) My stores that give me the chance to be creative and productive.

5) My blog so that I can write it all down and get it out of my head.