A Few Thanks, A Little Giving; Not At All a Bad Time.

"Turkey lurky doo and turkey lurky dap. I eat that turkey and I take a nap."
- Adam Sandler, "The Thanksgiving Song"

Yesterday, the day of giving thanks, would be a day that firmly broke years of tradition. Instead of spending the day in Madison, Wisconsin surrounded by family, a slight dusting of snow, and food that I didn't have to cook, I spent it in California, where the company was small, the sun was shining, and hours of food preparation needed to happen. And you know something? It was pretty great. The three of us recent Californians crafted our own Thanksgiving meal from scratch. This was the menu:

• Turkey (of course)
• Garlic mashed potatoes
• Sweet potatoes with brown sugar and marshmallows
• Green bean casserole
• Pumpkin pie

And yes, all of it was homemade and all of it was delicious. Even more surprising than the fact that no limbs were burned or bruised during the course of preparing the meal was the lack of homesickness that I felt while eating it. Sure, I still wished that I could have been back in Wisconsin, celebrating with the family (and a rousing pool tournament to boot), but it never detracted from the overall feeling of joy I got from having Turkey Day with two of my best friends.

So what do I have to be thankful for the day after Thanksgiving? Well, I'm thankful that I could still enjoy some sweet potatoes in 70 degree weather.


Be Back Soon,
Shaky Jake