catching up with family - the usual thanksgiving

Pup trying to let his friend in to have some bird and pie. "Please, sir"

Best thanksgiving ever- relaxed, delicious and the kids were all happy. Everyone going off into their adult lives well grounded. Interesting choices. Keeka is off to Australia , freelancing her art business.  Maddy piloting the big ones through the sky as well as teaching in a  Montessori school in her free time. Also planning trip to Ireland.  Austin applying   to eco -architectural program , three options, U of Dub, L.A. or the Netherlands. Of course consensus was Netherlands. Max , having quit his job in DC is now at Columbia in Medical school,  a 3.7% acceptance rate,  difficult to get into but you know Max! genius child.   He is loving it so far, cutting up cadavers...He did not carve the turkey. Dennis did , with a hack saw. Non surgical.

Wayne and Carol getting everything sorted and could leave tomorrow , but Carole has drum lessons planned  in February. They will leave in March. Portugal sounds very appealing hearing their enthusiastic  stories. A mellow country, friendly and lively , and best, affordable.

Kim will teach for two more years. This year she has an easier group of children than she has had in the past. Because she is "Teacher of the Century", classes assigned to her are generally the children who need more "teaching"  from a highly skilled person. It is exhausting, so this year she caught a break !   She only has two children who present challenges, one who has childhood gratification syndrome and one autistic child . It is like a vacation for Kim. 

Dave is still piloting and will be until he is given the boot for being old, a long time from now. He loves his job and is paid very well. Gravity or failed engines have not had their way with him.

Erik, still in Portland , rides his bike to work  on the path in between ICE headquarters and Tesla  dealership, both of which  have well attended protests daily, biking through clouds of tear gas. Used to it, old hat. In the evening he  bikes around to donate food to homeless and to stock the  outdoor refrigerators in his area ,maintained by the owners of the properties- A food bank. of sorts. 

Dennis's brother could not come, last minute heart issues. 

(Wayne's large head and everyone else's tiny heads) 

Dave helping out the granny.

How many blogs and posts will look just like these today ?

Anyway, looks like we are on to Christmas-clomping along through Fairhaven. Gourds replaced by cedar boughs and glitter. 

The next get together may not be until summer. It will be a modest Christmas. I asked Erik what I should get from the Northpole for him this year. He said..."nothing, perhaps a smile, a nod, a wink and a bottle of Baileys.".OK, can. do! Simple.

PS- Erik. tells of young man murdered at Burning man- the murdered guy was Russian , the killer will never be found...when Erik returned to work , his coworker (from Ukraine) said " thank you, Erik, I knew that you would kill for me...."  and everyone had a good laugh, except for the dead guy.