Because Ed wanted more turkey, because Ed likes turkey at home, because we couldn’t see our favorite couple on Thanksgiving, I made a turkey last Wednesday and Nadine and Mickey came over and we ate well and had a great time. It was a good effort and, for the first time ever, I made mashed potatoes and mashed sweet potatoes. The first time Ed and I were hosts to a Thanksgiving dinner, we ordered Publix market side dishes because the logistics of cooking everything were too new to me. (The dishes were awful.) Now I have learned a bit and managed everything quite well. I copped out and used store whole cranberry sauce and store gravy. I am working on doing the gravy for next time. I did make brownies from a package and the result was good. I read the directions before buying and it was very simple and I am thinking I can do this. If one uses a ready-mixed package there is nothing to it.

We also have a disappointment on our hands. We are giving a boat parade party on the 18th but learned yesterday that the boat parade is taking place tonight, gack, the 11th. We got this info only 2 days ago, no time to regroup, reorganize, reinvite. So we have made it a regular holiday party, no boats, and will put a sign on the door that says, “Welcome to the ‘Imagine a Boat’ party”. Nadine laughed about it and said not to worry that the draw was not the boats. I agree with her but Ed was really upset. He said he read that it was the 18th in the paper but a later paper then said the 11th and we called and the 11th was confirmed. Oh.

I am struggling with systemic fatigue and have a date on Monday to get checked by a nurse practitioner. My temp is running between 95 and 97 and I am always cold (and, of course, heartless). I sleep each night with an extra blanket and a heating pad. My blood has thinned in this sub tropical area and I am thinking we should have moved to Costa Rica or someplace more consistently warmer because I am too cold to function. We will have some slightly warmer weather this week and then another cold snap.

Segue: I have mentioned in past posts that Ed is a volunteer ombudsman for the State of Florida and responds to complaints and abuses concerning residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities (ALFs). He does good work and is very tough when he has to be because he doesn’t care who likes him. Every month the local volunteers meet and discuss their cases. At the last meeting, it was announced that Ed would speak at a meeting to a delegation from the Florida State Legislature to elicit their support to prevent ALFs from evicting residents for nonessential reasons. At this point, the factotum of the local office piped up and said, “Any who want to can attend the meeting and please feel free to wear your Ombudsman shirts!” Ed said, “Please, PLEASE don’t wear the shirts.” A chorus erupted, “Why, why? We like them.” “Because,” Ed snarled, “ I will look as if I’m representing members of the Geriatric Bowling League.” Need I add that Ed would not be caught dead wearing this shirt, even for mowing the lawn. Personally, I think the shirts look like the ones parking attendants at hotels use.

Last night, a lovely couple we know, who can’t make it to our party next week, decided to just come and have dinner with us instead. They had to drive over an hour to get here as they live in Punta Gorda. We went nearby to the “Sandy Hook” restaurant. The wife, Karen, is a colleague of Ed’s in the ombudsman program, and the husband, Dennis, is a retired business consultant. Both very sharp. Great conversation. I loved the whole evening.

Today was a lost day, due to pervasiveness sleepiness, unless you count piano practice ( I can play in my sleep) and playing Free Cell.

xx, Teal