Thanksgiving went well.  It was nice with just my Mom and me, to be honest.  I usually feel really tense there because she and her husband bicker a lot and he just hollers at her to bring him stuff.  So she's constantly running back and forth fetching and carrying (not enough ice! food's not hot enough!) It really bothers me.  And every little thing has to go in the precise same space or it's "the napkins are upside down in the napkin holder!" and "the green sponge is for the stove!" like all this should have been ingrained in me since birth.  Consequently, it's easier to do nothing.  I will even bring my own food sometimes so I don't have to cook anything on the "wrong burner" or something. 

And I think it bothers my mom.  She seems really tense when he's around.  She comes in after me and makes sure I made the bed right or cringes if I use the dishwasher (um, that's what it's there for, right?) or do something that goes against the way he thinks it should be done.

So, like I said, it was nice to not have to witness that behavior.  Makes me crazy.  Mom and I watched movies, went shopping and cooked a turkey together.  Thanksgiving with the relatives was also good.  I met some new relatives from my grandfather's side that I didn't know about. 

They're building a beautiful custom home in the country.  The son has a pregnant girlfriend that the mom doesn't particularly like.  He tells his mom he doesn't want to marry her, but I think he will.  Plus, he's like 38 or something - since he hasn't knocked up a woman in all this time, it's kind of strange that he got hoodwinked into this one, if it wasn't what he really wanted.

Still, I don't think they'll be too happy a couple.  She's kind of a mouse.  He's social and friendly and cultured.  She barely said five words in the whole five hours we were in her company.  Considering most of us had never met before I can't just chalk it up to awkwardness.  I think she just had nothing to say. 

I always find that sad when someone has nothing to contribute. We talked about sports, politics, religion, books, art, home decor, cooking, real estate, California, Minnesota, weather, dieting, child-rearing....nothing.  I can't wait to see where she stands next Thanksgiving!