Thanksgiving, Belated and Elated

How did Thanksgiving pass by so quickly? Is it too late to let you know what I'm thankful for? As Hannah's bat-mitzvah draws nearer, I'm so grateful to know that my family will be here with us! I know that you're each giving something up (especially money) to come across the United States and join us. We are immensely thankful.
Hannah and I started Thanksgiving Day with a walk at the dog park. Hannah's love for Snickerdoodle is unending. What I find most disturbing in places like this (and, by that, I mean places where dogs are treated as royalty) is how quickly our role as pet owners becomes absurd. This sign is a perfect example of what I mean. The dog park is a great place for people-watching and I really lucked out with this man who must be the happiest, and first, pipe-smoker I've seen in years. It's difficult to see from this photo, but the barrel of the pipe is quite oversized. It somehow seems perfect with the man's bald head, doesn't it? What a happy smoker!

Stopping at Peet's on the way home was supposed to be for getting hot tea. Somehow Hannah ended up with this concoction; you can tell by the look on her face that she's aware of her good fortune.

Do you think that our friend, Becky, regretted asking us to bring appetizers when she saw our experiment? We boiled red potatoes, cut them in half, and topped each one with a flavored sour cream. They actually tasted good, but they leave a bit to be desired in the presentation department. Becky and her husband, Jesse, are giving their two-year-old, Lily, a little sister next month. Whenever Lily sees me she immediately says, "Where's Hannah?!"

The day after Thanksgiving, Hannah and I drove up to Point Reyes Station, home to one of our favorite bakeries (the Bovine) and the Cowgirl Creamery. We stopped first at the Creamery to get freshly made cheese and salads. The Cowgirl cheeses are decadent and delicious. We ate everything remotely considered edible and then sprinted to the bakery where we ate foods that made our creamy cheese look like health food.

Also over Thanksgiving Weekend, Hannah chose the dress she'll wear for her Bat Mitzvah and now we just can't wait to see how it looks with the magical spider-web shawl Mom is knitting. She seems to be waffling now on whether or not completion is a sure thing, but we have all the faith in Gramma Em!

Shalom in your home or, as Hannah says: Peace out, home skillets!