weekend update.

Thanksgiving was pretty much a non-event around here; I went out for dinner with my son and my dad. My dad sat down at the table and said he’d pay, and I think he was a little shocked at how much it cost. I had chosen that restaurant because (1) they were open, (2) the food is good, and (3) I have a gift card that I got from my tennis team.

My gift card would have covered the meal, but since he volunteered, I let him pay. That place has a good happy hour, and it’s the usual spot where Gwen and I have lunch, so I’ll have plenty of opportunity to use it. By the way, it’s not that the restaurant is all that expensive, but by my dad’s standards…for my college graduation, he took maybe 6 people out to dinner, and we went to a restaurant my uncle liked, but my dad saw the menu and realized it might cost $12 a person (and its not like he couldn’t afford it), and he loaded us all back in our cars and took us to Denny’s. True story.

This week has been weird, and sad, without Gizmo. After the first day, I think Cosmo has adjusted to the new normal and really kind of likes being the only dog. I’m adjusting OK, too. It’s sad, but as I’ve had time to think, he never had a bad day until his last one. He had a fun, pampered life and got to play a lot and he was well-loved. So I think, you know, I can be happy about the life he had, even though it was short.

I hit tennis balls with a friend today for two hours. It had been a week since I’d picked up a racquet. It was fun, but I didn’t hit great. I’m working on an adjustment to my forehand and it’s definitely not consistent yet. I guess it’s not so much an adjustment as an addition–I’m trying to add a big, powerful forehand to my toolbox. I hit with a lot of spin and am deceptive that way, but I’m trying to add a shot that isn’t subtle at all–take a step in and rip it. I think it’s going well. The footwork is there, and I know what kind of ball I’m looking for in order to hit that shot. It’s really just a matter of practice, now.

I have a headache tonight. Probably from the tennis.

Anyway. This is a long weekend, and it feels like it. I don’t do the Black Friday thing, and am pretty much trying to avoid stores, other than grocery, until the end of the year. I’m not a shopper. I’m just not built that way.

Also, it seems like every year the Black Friday stuff gets more extreme. Since I don’t watch TV anymore, really, I’ve missed most of the advertising. I think there’s something more than a little gross about a nation that takes a long weekend for gluttony and consumerism.

A writer I like sent a Twitter message the other day about her intention for the Christmas season. It sounded like something from a greeting card, and I mean that in the best way. Anyway, the thing she said in those 140 characters or less that really grabbed me was meaning over mania. That’s going to be my mantra for this Christmas.

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