Finally got back to exercise (the two-mile) at the clubhouse and felt good after. Changed the bed, did wash, and showered, then drove over to interview Amy and Conrad Z. They're a typical couple for this area: married since time began, dozens of kids, and Roman Catholics of the old-fashioned stripe. I am completely familiar with
PAUSE...PAUSE...ONE HOUR PAUSE...

I was interrupted by a welcome Skype call from P. and N. P. walked me through the steps to transferring pictures from Kodak to Picasa. We were on until 7:00 when I had to stop at Susan's for our walk. Am back now and will resume:

...such couples, salt of the earth types who seem to hearken* back to my girlhood in 1899: she a daily communicant, he in the Knights of Columbus, and both of them active in the diocesan "Respect For Life" organization. (With some difficulty, I restrained myself from asking if the tenets of that group include condemnation of U.S. military aggression--I already know the answer.)
Got home, had lunch, and drove to Manahawkin to pick up a few things. Today, will go with Mary Ann Van O. to Produce Junction, then lunch, my favorite activity, I'm afraid.
*Now, damn it, why should it be spelled that way? I had written "harken" first--a form of "hark," right?--and was corrected by SpellCheck. Stupid, it seems to me; whaddya do, pronounce it "hear-ken?" (Mumble, mumble, mumble...)
Note: I'm pleased to be back in touch with J., a young woman for whom I care. Something was brought to my attention, I made amends, and we're now back on friendly terms; I'm very glad about that.

Completed a bunch of errands in the big city (Manahawkin). The stores were fairly crowded, but seemed less so than other years (that's a really scientific observation). Too bad for the blood sucking corporations, but fine by me. More or less just hung out otherwise. Am re-reading Columbine, a spell-binding account of the high school massacres, now more than eleven years ago.
Was surprised to get a web cam call from sister Betty. I thought she was already in California, but plans may have changed; she may be coming back to Jersey soon after all. It was fun to see my nephew and little great-nieces, too.
I want to get back to the straight and narrow*, so will attend exercise today. Later, will interview Amy and Conrad Z. for The Breeze; we have an early deadline.
As ever, enjoyed seeing Ellen on her Sunday "call Mom" Skype call. I'm thrilled she'll be here on the twentieth, the day before my birthday.
Mary Ann called to accept my invitation to accompany me to Atlantic County tomorrow. We'll go to Produce Junction and a few other places, then--the real reason for the trip, I'm afraid--have lunch! Yahoo!
*Wonder from whence that expression came. Must look it up.
WIDER: This from my pro-peace cyber-friend, Jonathan Versen, after I asked desparingly if there wasn't a great outcry and outrage about the pushing back of war's end:
"I'm convinced there's plenty of outrage out there, but one of the primary functions of the media is to convince you that it's just you, that you're unreasonable to be upset. Look around you: don't you see how not-upset everybody else is? There! Now don't you feel like an idiot to be so fussy?
It's. Just. You.
So shut up and buy stuff."
Jon added this link:
http://leninology.blogspot.com/2010/11/how-american-class-struggle-works.html
An inspired observation, as I informed him. And now I'll look into that "class struggle" place.

Headed over to Atlantic County to my new fav, Produce Junction. They had large, beautiful poinsettias for three dollars and I bought two, which now grace the foyer. Picked up veggies, also. Went to Babies 'R' Us (whatever marketing genius came up with that name and the other ones should be drawn and quartered.) Got funny little soft figures for V. and V. for Christmas; they sing and their mouths move. Stopped at Shop-Rite, then at the cemetery.
Rest of the afternoon was poky. I made a big salad and cut up red potatoes; added onions and garlic and put in the small slow cooker. Made the momentous decision to add some meat to my diet, at least twice a week or so. Thawed and fried a hamburger and had that for dinner with the potatoes and, oh boy, were they good.
High point of the day was a call from Mike and the precious little girls. Violet told me she goes to school (some kind of play school, I guess) and showed me her "baby" a very peculiar looking stuffed something--looked like a negative panda to me. Vivian, that live wire, was bouncy as ever. Mike assured me she aced her spelling test and she complied when I asked her to spell "cat." (What else do first-graders spell? Dunno.) Can't wait to see them next month.

Home about ten, I did a coupla this 'n' that around the house. Stopped at the Little Egg Library and found it closed, so drove to the Manahawkin branch. My interest in Tom Hanks is waning, but I picked up a DVD called Nothing In Common, one of his early ones. Watched a bit, but it isn't terrific, so I may just skip the rest. Replenished my supply of veggies while I was in town.
Later, I worked on a (second in a week) Dead Horse post with this background: After reading my "Hired Killers" entry of November 22, my Indiana* friend, Jim Wetzel, commented about it on his own blog, The Chestnut Tree Cafe. I wrote out a response to him on Dead Horse on Word and, after I was finally finished, pressed "Select All," then tried to copy to Dead Horse. To my horror, I somehow erased the whole thing--all my carefully structured points and finely crafted words down the drain! I'm not sure how this happened--maybe it was a malfunction or maybe I had accidentally pressed "enter." I was horrified--until it occurred to me it wasn't deathless prose, for heaven's sake, and it wasn't as if Jim and I disagreed, anyway. So I just re-wrote it as well as I could remember and posted.
Watched the rest of Our Town, then cut the half apple pie I had brought home from Thanksgiving and took two pieces over to Susan and Walter. Did the same at Ray and Barb's. (Barb gave me a brochure from Ocean County Parks and asked me to see if I'm interested in any.) Stopped at Frank and Barbara's last to give them pie. Chatted for a bit, then they invited me to dinner. Considered this for a nanosecond and accepted. We had leftovers, some White Zin, and a drop of Bailey's to top it off--so good and the talk and laughs were even better.
*Indiana! That seems to me as exotic and mysterious as Addis Ababa.

Early in the day, I called daughter Ellen, sister Betty, my three brothers, and Leslie R. to say Happy Thanksgiving and tell they they're the sources of my thanks to the powers that be for such a family and such friends. Packed up the goodies I had made and my overnight bag and drove up north in a light drizzle.
'Twas a lovely Thanksgiving, notwithstanding the lousy weather. I arrived at 3:30 and stepped into the house to be enveloped by that wonderful turkey aroma. It was already out of the oven and "resting" on the stove. J. and the kids came in soon after, then cousin John, and brother Brent. We chatted until dinnertime and partook of the appetizers--sweet pepper strips with dip, trail mix, and banana and orange slices with honey, in preparation for the main feast.
And what a feast! The turkey was so tender and flavorful--I had dark meat--and it was accompanied by two kinds of stuffing--the cranberry/walnut was sublime--smashed taters, creamed spinach, string bean casserole, corn pudding which Brent had made, and whole berry cranberry sauce, plus white rolls and my banana bread. We all ate our fill--more than our fill--then made room for coffee and the apple and/or pumpkin pies with sweetened whipped cream I had made. They were excellent, if I modestly say so myself.
After more good talk--and I hardly stirred from the table to help (I should be ashamed of myself, but I'm not), the other company said goodnight. The hostess and I sat reading for just a short time, then turned in. Slept like a log, got up at my usual 5:15, poured my coffee and starting re-reading Bill Bryson's A Walk In The Woods, a terrific book for anybody, but especially if you hike.
As the two household hikers prepared to leave for the first of their two hikes of the day (in the rain!), I said my thanks and left for home. As all the best days are, the time with family was the best part of a fine day.

The pies turned out great, if I say it myself and I do. Pies are trickier than cakes, especially the crusts, so although my recipe is for a two-crust pie, I made a recipe and a half. There's nothing worse than coming up short on crust. (Well, maybe hanging by your thumbs for three days is worse, but just barely.) By the time I had pared, sliced, and spiced the apples, dumped them in, and baked it, it was past noon and I started on the pumpkin. This is much easier to assemble and both were finished and cooling on the counter by 2:00. Drove to Manahawkin to pick up a gift for Robert, who will be four years old on Tuesday. After, I watched part of Our Town, the T.V. version starring Paul Newman, of all people. I've never been a fan of his, but he isn't half bad in this. I want to get an idea of the flavor of the play, as I intend to audition for one or more part.
Happy Thanksgiving to all, especially E.M. in Ventura, P. and N. in Tokyo, and M, P., V., and V. in Singapore! I'm thankful for you and your sister and her family every day of my life.