I ended up going to my author friend's house for Thanksgiving dinner. It was a nice time, but I was glad to get home. I've been seeing too much of those people, so time for a break.

By going there I passed up an invitation to 'bottom feed' (the hostess's words) with my friend Crazy Karen over in Greeley, and another to dine with Mr. Troutbend's family 90 miles away. The cousin emailed photos after it was over, and I was just so glad I wasn't there to be in those pictures. The food looked good, but this particular group is a bunch of picky eaters on various diets - gluten free, low cholesterol, and junk-food vegetarian/gluten free.

Never heard of the last type of diet? It's the choice of Mr. Tbend's bossy cousin who claims she doesn't eat meat or wheat products as an excuse to exist on chili fries and potato chips. Some of the problem is that she doesn't eat vegetables such as salads or cooked.

I'm all about live and let live when it comes to peoples' food choices until it becomes the only topic of conversation, especially on a holiday, then I can do without it.

Meanwhile up here at the ranch, a small gray squirrel is chasing the bigger tufted ear gray squirrel around the tree and the sun is shining. We were supposed to get snowy weather yesterday, today and tomorrow, but it didn't work out. Today is sunny and bright, not a cloud in the sky, and yet all the online forecasts are about clouds. I would have enjoyed some snow or at least some rain.

A really good thing happened the other day: a small part that fell into the works in the bottom of the dishwasher was spewed out and captured by the silverware basket, so no more worries about it getting caught in the pump and breaking it.