Thanksgiving wasnt too bad, and now I am basking in the glow of having seen my niece and nephew for 2.5 hours. The food was good too!

We had the split Thanksgiving this year due to my brother and his family plus FIL and MIL coming down from 2.5 hours away.

I had been asking DH when would Powersulk SD17 be coming over from her mothers house and what was going on with Feral Forger SD24, for the week preceeding so I could plan accordingly. His family was going to have a really small gathering in the early afternoon and ours was scheduled for 4pm. But no pressure, right?

Hahah right. So we get down to the wire at 10 am and Im showered and calmly primping, and DH sets off to pick up Powersulk. They get to the house, shes showered and dressed and just wants to do a little make up. Sounds good. Then at about 12:00 DH is getting notification that Feral Forgers friend, erm RIDE (because at 24 still no license and therefore no car) bailed at the last minute and for some reaso its up to him to figure it out. Barnical Buddy who has asked to come to dinner because no one invited him anywhere and no Gf or family, has been requisitioned to do pick up on the way.

We get there and people are either watching tv or prepping food quickly. Feral Forger arrives soon after and shes dressed in her "Velma outfit" of black and white plaid dress with white turtle neck and her gum piercings glinting silver. She proceeds to greet everyone in this lound, nasally, totally irritating way. Except of course myself and her sister. FF works the room like a semi-pro, talking and chatting about, well, herself, because doesnt everyone want to KNOW ALL ABOUT HER. Except its all fake and for show.

When the meal is ready and we all drift in different directions, DH and I go to a nice large dining table in his sisters nice large beautiful dining room. The empty place by me is blocked. FF sits at the other end, next to cousins and PS is next to sister (ugh I do feel for her). The conversation drifts around, and while it is still the ALL ABOUT FERAL FORGER SHOW, the cousins act somewhat interested in powersulk.

cousins: so powersulk are you now a senior in high school and where do you go?

Feral Forger: I went to North BLahBlah High and there were SO many more kids. And luckily I was one of the first wasnt I dad (yeah, dad and I were on the freaking benches for 4 hours in the hot sun no water and I got docked in my pay half day, and no thank you at all). But there were SO many kids that day waiting ahead of me...blahblahblah.

Cousins: So powersulk youve been doing more art, what kind (she shows them a sweet painting of koi fish shes been working on)

Feral Forger: I want to go back to school and become an ART TEACHER. What kind of art? Oh just art for the kids. Its all about the kids.

Then, drumroll...cousins ask DH about fishing...

Feral Forger: Dad I want to go fishing with you, take me FISHING! HAHA remember when you used to take me fishing with you and so and so? (ended when she was about 11-12) I want to go on your boat (thats half my boat hahahah)

AFter that it was just myself and powersulk at a table overlooking their giant yard, the sun streaming in and just quietly hanging out, that was nice. Until (insert scary violins) Feral Forger saunters over. "hi Clove, you look nice" as her eyes are bugging out and her silver smile gleams. I smile in a spacey ethereal kind of way, "hi, likewise to you". And we are off to the next dinner, dropping PowerSulk off to her mothers where she will be joining with her friends later.

My family, well the kids were fun and sugared up and it was a buffet. After dinner, someone from another table came up to say how great the kids were behaving and we just had to laugh because they were so high off of the multiple packets of sugar piled on oranges and lemons that they couldnt see straight. But, yes, the kids are really sweet and funny. I had a really enjoyable time with them over the holiday weekend and memories were made and captured on iphones.

All in all I am really happy its over. Im relaxing over coffee into late morning, husband is off crabbing in the bay area, and no dramas occurred. But as they say..."Christmas is coming..."