Ohio, day 2

Wish the weather were better, but it is November 25 in northern Ohio. At least I got to take a run on the Kipton path today, through some light drizzle.

Dad's doing well. He's been patient with three wild girls tearing around his house. So has Linda, who, by the way, is incredible. Her positive attitude is tempered with just enough realism to make Dad and the rest of us feel comfortable and so thankful for her presence in our lives. It's been relaxing just to sit at the kitchen table, drinking tea with Dad and watching the girls draw pictures. We talked about Christmas plans, lighthouse lamps, food, jobs, Elsa the cat. And we just laughed.

Had fun playing Pictionary with Bill. Dad's never been a game player -- that was always mom's role. But he sure enjoyed playing with me, Heather and Anna and MJ. He jumped right in to guess and even drew some pictures, one pretty good one illustrating the word "toupee." Afterward he looked at his drawing and said, "Geez, that doesn't look at all like a man's head!" I took some good pictures but of course don't have the right technology to upload them to the blog.

Also have to share pictures from a trip to Uncle Jim's. Heather and I took our girls to the farm today. They're definitely city kids! Didn't like the smell of manure! And Mary Jane was freaked out by the hay barn with all the holes in the floor. Anna and I climbed to the top of the stacks and talked about how Heather and I and all our cousins spent so much time in this barn, horsing around, riding bales from top to bottom. Surprised we didn't have more broken bones among us. The girls also got up on the big tractors. Charlotte was ready to drive them through the fields!

Tomorrow's the big day. We'll have a simple Thanksgiving dinner at Dad's. Heather and I did grocery shopping at IGA in Oberlin today (and saw our lovely cousin Erica!), so we're all set.

Part of me feels like I should be sad or depressed. But I'm not. I'm not thinking too far ahead, just enjoying these days. Thankful.