A Rib Roast At Aunt Jean's Yesterday, A Cold But Sunny Day Today

Marlena in the Morning, Before School

At School, with Ms. Danner

Up at 6:30, to a clear sky, quiet house and cold, 16º at at the moment, though it will get up to 28º later in the day, a chilly introduction to Thanksgiving vacation for Nick and Marlena who are off from school for a few days.  Tom also has taken the day off, so the whole family except for Nick who has basketball practice this morning is sleeping in.  Evie's up, however, getting the brine ready for the turkey.

We started yesterday with a visit to Marlena's school at 8:00, as they had Grandparent's Day before school began, a good idea.  They had a pancake breakfast for grandparents, which we skipped as well, a nice touch.  We spent a few minutes talking with Marlena's teacher, who raved about our granddaughter especially her writing ability, then Marlena took us on a tour of the classroom, showing us all her folders, books, desk, and she explained the kinds of things they do during the day.  We were both impressed with Marlena's explanations, the teacher's organization of class, the various subjects, with an emphasis on thinking, asking questions, understanding, not recitation.  We were only there for about twenty minutes, just right.

Having a Latte After A Walk

When we returned home, Mary was off at the gym and was meeting Tom at his office, so we had the morning free.  We decided to get a good walk in despite the chilly morning and walked through their neighborhood, partly on a trail through the woods, down to the main road, and from there, to the new mini mall, just at the entrance to Longwood College.  It has a few stores, a CVS, and a coffee shop called Gusto.  We picked up a few things at CVS, then went to Gusto for a couple of latte's straight, no fancy sweeteners.  We struck up a conversation with an interesting women.  She bakes various kinds of gluten free products and was at Gusto to deliver an order.  She was one of those outgoing people, wanted to know all about us, thought we were full of 'energy and health', which made her so happy that she gave us some of her bourbon hemp brownies, with her card of course.  A nice lady. Our grandchildren wanted to know later in the day why we end up meeting all these interesting people at coffee shops and bars.  I suggested that Evie just smiled and said hello and that was enough.  We walked home, braving the increasingly heavy wind.  The walk took us two hours including the shopping and coffee, a total of four miles, a good way to start the day.

Enjoying A Family Dinner of Prime Rib

Our Favorite Niece Jennifer, with Husband Robert and Son James

Evie and her Sister Jean, Prepping Dinner

We relaxed a good part of the afternoon, reading and watching some TV till 4:30 when both Nick and Marlena got home.  We then drove to Evie's sister Jean's house, on Lake Tapawingo, in Independence  MO, for dinner, along with her daughter Jennifer's family.  Jean has a lovely home on this small lake, a perfect house for her, with floor length windows on the lake side, with an extraordinary view mornings and evenings, as the sun rises and sets.  We relaxed for an hour before dinner, with a glass of Jean's favorite wine until Tom came from work.  Then everyone helped out, as the prime rib dinner was put together, Robert carving the roast, Evie making the salad, Jennifer the green beans, Jean orchestrating it all.  The dinner was great, a family favorite of course, as we devoured the prime rib as well as a couple of ribs, salad, sweet potatoes, and beans.  The boys were great through out the night, happy to have company and everyone loves to lay on the floor with Henry, make him laugh, or chase after James.  For dessert we had a gluten free apple crisp with ice cream (not Blue Bell, an inside joke), which was an apt ending for a great meal.  After dinner, Evie, Jean and Nick and Marlena played Bananagrams while the rest of us, the young adults and me, sat around reminiscing about the old days in Lee Summit, when Tom first arrived in the fall of 1992, and Robert and Jennifer were still in grade  school.  They have a long history.

This morning, Evie and Marlena and Mary are making a special cheese cake, a Peanut Butter Chocolate cheese cake, to go along with our turkey dinner.  Then, later in the afternoon, we go to the Apple store mid afternoon, then to Bonefish for dinner, then to the Maverick's hockey game,  to see Marlena's choir sing the National Anthem.  It sounds like a good day ahead.