Thanksgiving Weekend

The neighbors on the corner have the best tree - a ginko - and the leaves in the fall turn a brilliant yellow each year. After our first really cold night, they all seem to fall in one day, signaling the end of warm fall days and the onset of more winter-like weather and short days. I noticed that they raked yesterday, so the golden carpet is gone for another year.
Thursday morning, I got up in time to make the traditional pumpkin pies and my mother's recipe of twice baked potatoes. I haven't cooked Thanksgiving dinner in three years, and I guess I may not for a long time. Our new tradition is to go to Greg and Ruth's for dinner along with Nathan and Shannon, his Aunt Dale and his cousin Len and cousin Ricky and his wife and baby girl. We had a lovely day (even though I was under the weather with a nagging virus).
I think the pies turned out perfectly this year. I think there is one piece left.
Louie has been celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday as well. He finds leaves we have dragged in on our shoes and carries them around. He doesn't try to eat them, I don't think, he just likes to have them. It has been gloomy and wet for a couple of days, so he has had a ready supply. What a goof.
And here is Louie, once again celebrating an Alabama win. 36-0. Sweet. Louie loves football days with a house full of people all watching TV with him. Actually, although he will watch a bit of the game, his favorite shows this weekend have been dog competitions. Seriously, he sees the dogs and gets very excited. The best place for him to watch is from our bed so that he doesn't jump at the screen when he focuses and sees the dog.

Allen and I have much to be thankful for. We are blessed with health, our careers, our friends, our family -- especially Meghan and Shannon and our sons-in-law and our wonderful grandchildren, and our home. Our hearts are full.