Thanksgiving Report

Lots of change of plans. We had a slush storm on Wednesday and I did not want to risk falling, slipping on the slush with some young EMT trying to haul my big wet butt up so I didn't go to Long Island, but the whole family came here on Friday.

Back up to tell a sad story of losing my digital camera. I looked for days; Ana moved furnitiure; Marilyn said she would start looking in "stupid places" like the refrigerator. No camera. So on Wednesday, she went to Best Buy and bought me a new one.

Mary, Scott and the three children came in on Friday and we had a dim sum banquet. It really was fun with chopsticks and lots of picking and trying and guessing. Oh, they also brought Charlie the dog who is the first dog in my apartment. He wasn't too sure about city life, but he did give everyone a laugh when he jumped on the big overstuffed chair and lay there like he owned the place.

Mary wants the kids to be more city-savvy so we sent them out to buy their own drinks -- these days, there are way too many choices -- and they went to a nearby 711 with the dog.

Mary gave me my birthday present which is a beautiful wooden frame with their enlarged school photos -- Charlotte in 10th grade and Clark and Louisa in 8th.

Despite six people and a dozen dim sum containers, we all crowded around the tiny table and had a good time.

But, back to the camera. I took really wonderful photos and then, since the camera is new to me, I accidentally deleted ALL of them, not just the one. I even looked at the instruction manual for anything resembling "restore" and there was nothing. Oh well, there were some nice ones.

I saw Charlie's trick which is that he says "I love you" in order to get his dog treat. He has the number of consonants down right, and it sorta, kinda sounds like I love you.

I gave Charlotte her Sweet Sixteen birthday present which I labored over. Finally went for the plainest piece of jewelry and it is a gold chain and one pearl and I have to say it looks beautiful on her. She put it on right away, maybe out of politeness, maybe because she really liked it.

So now I know how to delete all photos, and I will never do that again.