'Drop Back and Punt' - I think this title is a football term -

Not many outside of our family knew that Ken and I were getting ready to go to Newark and Boston for the Thanksgiving weekend. It would have been so great to see Ken's folks again and especially my dutch cousin, her family and her parents! However, it wasn't 'meant to be'. Ken just wasn't well enough to put him through the riggors of flying and socializing. We didn't want pneumonia to set in, after all. And so we stayed home for an unexpected time alone.
First we ate our turkey dinner at a local English Tea Room with a wonderful older couple from church, Earl and Marge Eckerson, and her sister, Jane. Next we went to their home for some fabulous blueberry pie - how relaxing can you get! (Obviously we hadn't planned to cook so didn't have groceries in the house. Ask me if I was sad!! NOT.)



The next day we started thinking about unpacking some of the new boxes that were brought over from the warehouse. And then we even considered planting some more pansies around the front of the house.




On Day Three of our weekend, I started asking myself if one can actually get TOO relaxed? I mean, I know Ken had doctor's orders to rest but I found myself taking some pretty lame pictures: of other people's Thanksgiving company leaving, low clouds and sunsets over outhouses! And still there were boxes and flowers to tend to.





But finally, after inspiration from a neighbor's pretty Christmas wreath, we actually did something! Thomas helped us set up our push-button tree! It may not be real and therefore lacks a lot of smell and character but, let me tell you, it's been a big hit for Olice. He spent the night over here last night and I thought I had lost him in the house one time. Then I saw his socks sticking out from underneath the tree. (His little light-struck body was completely hidden behind this new addition to the house. As a matter of fact, he could have easily knocked the whole thing down like so many other male toddlers his age might have been tempted to do.)

Since we hadn't found any ornaments yet to put on the tree, we left this little sign on it - it's the 'made in china' tag. It hung there until Olice took it off and ate it. Maybe it's a good thing that we left the tree so sparsely decorated, eh?

Anyway, since all we have is a picture of that 'ornament' now, it reminds me that Ken is very close to being A-OK again! Not that we'll be taking any trips anytime soon - he will be covered up with work for the next month or so. But at least we might motivate each other to open some boxes. Who knows - we might even find some unbreakable ornaments with which to decorate for the holidays...

So, to Mom & Dad and all our very sweet Dutch relatives who we didn't get to see, we say:
May it not be too long 'til we see you again!

Happy Holidays to one and all from K&M and all the Greenville Baker's (like Thomas and Georgia).


P.S. There was a very big football game on TV yesterday that HAD to be watched - two rival teams were doing their annual battle down here in South Carolina. It's hard for Thomas to know who to cheer for now - he'd been a USC Gamecock fan all his life, like his Colorado family but now he's going to school at Clemson (Nancy, Reid and Olice all root for the Tigers!) Yes, we're a family divided but it's not as bad as you'd think! I guess I just said all that to explain the title...
Thanks for putting up with my ramblings - and someone please tell me to stop relaxing please! - Marijke