November 27, 2003 - 4:59 p.m.

Mmmm... Turkey!

This is likely to be the best Thanksgiving in years! I am writing this from the apartment of friends in the Philadelphia area. Sam is here, as are my former housemate and his new wife. I haven't spent Thanksgiving with a group composed entirely of friends of like age in a long time, and it is proving to be just what I need. We will be feasting in the traditional manner, but the day is much more relaxed than it often is with lots of family around. Don't get me wrong, I adore my family and would love to be seeing them today. On the other hand, it is nice to not have to be on best behavior, not have to listen to stories of emabarrassing childhood exploits, and instead spend the day trash talking over video and board games and catching up on one another's lives.

I am also just grateful to have gotten here. The lead-up to my trip was very stressful! I spent all of Tuesday evening cooking (homemade rolls and caramel apple cheesecake) stuff to bring down with me. Also on Tuesday the car I drive, which actually belongs to my employers, failed its inspection due to a quite worn front tire. None of us were quite comfortable with the idea of me drving six hours or so on a bald tire. So, I had to delay my departure Wednesday morning so that we could have new tires put on the car. I ended up leaving a bit before noon, which meant traffic was getting pretty heavy. Ugh. It wasn't a pleasant drive, but I got here in time for a yummy dinner and plenty of cocktails. :)

It is super nice to hang out with Sam when he is relaxed. He managed to get enough work done before the holiday that he isn't even considering trying to study while here. He's so much less stressed even than the last time I saw him just a couple weeks ago. I am sure he will go back to being a stress case pretty soon, but in the meantime it is great to see him laughing and smiling in earnest and truly enjoying himself.

Gotta go. Dinner is almost ready and I am starving! Tonight we have a one shot role-playing session planned. Tomorrow I get to hang out with a friend in the area who is getting married in a few months and who's mom is seriously ill. It will be great to see her, but there is so much on her plate right now, that I almost don't know what to say to her! After that I get to start the drive home, since I have to be at play rehearsal on Saturday afternoon. Busy, busy me!

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