Thanksgiving Eve

Awake at 5:30 this morning, instead of the usual 3 a.m., I’d planned a walk around the complex, then out-the-gate and to the market. Not to purchase items, but to return.

The granddaughter, who’d moved into the adult complex next door, had requested a ride to/from a job location she could not get to via bus yesterday so, I’d dropped her off in the morning and, at the end of her work day, picked her up. Since I was out and about, I made a quick stop at the market.

After unloading groceries at home, I’d found items I’d not put in my cart, nor which showed up on the receipt as having been paid for.

Since there was a bar separating my items from those of the customer in line ahead of me, and since the guy took an inordinately long time to pay for his items -- time enough for ALL his groceries to be off the table and into his cart before the checker removed the bar and began scanning my items, I don’t get how the mix-up happened.

I can almost see his annoyance at having braved the crowds at the grocery story, only to get home and find he’d have to go back because items are missing.

At any rate, it’s nothing I can use AND, since I didn’t get charged, my conscious requires the items be returned.

So, when I’d planned this morning’s walk, the route was to take me around the complex a few times, out the gate and then around the neighborhood in a manner which would take me past the market.

Problem was, when I took a look out the window to see how inviting outside looked, saw that everything was wet from a late night/early morning rain, plus it was a chilly 52 degrees, I decided to hold off until outside got a little warmer, a little dryer, a little more inviting.

Since the carpet has been looking somewhat spotty since those inspectors walked all over the place in their boots and heels, I'd also planned to shampoo the carpets today, and there’s laundry to be done, so quite a bit to do dependent on what today's weather will allow.

Inasmuch as I’m not doing anything special tomorrow, Thanksgiving Day, I may push laundry off to tomorrow when everyone in the complex should be involved in the Holiday, or at least watching the Macy’s Parade on TV, giving me the laundry room all to myself.

I actually came thisclose to signing up for a local Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot but, feeling reflective and meditative, instead of wanting to be around a lot of people, noise, chatter, I decided otherwise.

Looking back on Thanksgivings past, after years of hurt and disappointment, I’ve been less and less involved in family gatherings since 2001.  It was in 2004 when Thanksgiving became just another day for me and I was so fed up with family nonsense to where I began opting to spend time alone.

Then there was that year in Long Beach when I stepped back in to help a family member.

THAT year was so terrible for me financially and emotionally that I’d blogged Thanksgiving 2011, “I am so done with this family — lock, stock, and barrel — every single member, without exception. Dealing with this family has severely damaged the quality of what was my life and is now affecting my health.”

Since then, I’ve been happily on my own and though the Tempter is once again tempting me to give family a try, I’m not biting …. literally and figuratively. No thanks to bringing me a Thanksgiving Care Package, a plate of whatever is served. I’d rather do laundry, shampoo the carpet, enjoy my hard earned quiet and peace of mind.

It is now 9:00 and outside still looks uninviting. Rain is not in the forecast, but it sure looks like rain will be happening, so I’m off to drive the items back to the market, instead of walking, then run by Starbucks.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving Holiday.