Mom's Taxi Service

It's the evening before Thanksgiving Day in the USA, and so I'm running "Mom's Taxi Service"! Already made a run up to the Philadelphia Airport to pick up Michael who flew in from San Diego. The airport was a zoo, of course! The worst part of the trip was driving to the airport, as traffic just screeches to a halt when 95 and 495 merge near Chester. From there it was a slow crawl to the airport. Thank goodness for the cell phone waiting lot! Got there early and enjoyed reading a book on my new Kindle paperwhite (makes me feel like a Nook traitor!). I even enjoyed watching the sunset as flights rolled in, were somewhat delayed, and cars lined up to fetch their human cargo. Now I am waiting for Sophia to come in on the Chinatown bus, which is notoriously unreliable and late! On the plus side is that it does make a stop in Wilmington, so I only have to take Fawn along with me to pick up her Mamma on 4th Street. Hopefully, this bus should get in by 11:30 PM, so I have enough time to make the jello salads before making the "taxi" run! In the USA, Thanksgiving weekend is the most heavily travelled day of the year...even more so than Christmas. It's my favorite holiday. No gifts or shopping craziness-- just a good meal with turkey as the central focus of the meal, and family togetherness. What could be more satisfying?

Crisp Fall Days

It's amazing how one can live in a place for many years and yet not experience one of its finest spots-- yesterday we took the dog for a walk in a park near the reservoir. It was an oasis from suburban life-- rolling hills, a stream with small waterfalls, stone walls designed to create outdoor seating areas, and a meandering path dipping down into a valley among a canopy of trees. It used to be part of a wealthy estate, and was donated to the citizens to enjoy. Fawn loves it! Although- as a walking dog goes she doesn't do so well... walking with Fawn means letting her take the lead and stopping and sniffing when she sees fit. However, she loved it and so did we, and I can just imagine walking there when snow covers the ground.


I love Autumn and the crisp air, but this Autumn seemed to have gone abruptly from warm weather to very cool. Overnight leaves have fallen, and I guess it will be just one more brisk wind before all the leaves have fallen from the trees. While talking my brisk exercise walk this afternoon I noticed that it's time to do a final grasscutting before the mower is stored until Spring, and since we've had several frosts already, I could see that the hardy mums are starting to look dilapidated. This afternoon's grey skies and crisp air are reminders that Thanksgiving is right around the corner. One of the joys of living in the US is Thanksgiving, a very American holiday. It's a time for families to gather and feast together. It's my favorite holiday since it revolves around food and family rather than gifts.

So-- where am I going with these rambling thoughts? I'm on the verge of finishing "reading" A Farewell to Arms. I'm sorry to have it end-- this book has made my walking so much more pleasurable. The characters have become so real, and John Slattery's reading of this book has brought WW I into the present. I shall miss it!