30 November

Today is 30 November, which means, in Australian terms, that tomorrow is the first day of summer. The holiday party season has already kicked off, with one today and another tomorrow. I spent the late afternoon/early evening drinking champagne and sitting in the sunshine which, in addition to sounding idyllic, has also rendered me incoherent and incapable of intelligent thought. All of which seems like a perfect way to round off #NaBloPoMo. Hope your Saturday is tilting towards the idyllic end of the scale.

Celebration afterglow

Happy Day After Thanksgiving! (I refuse to acknowledge that other name for it, since I will not besmirch one of my favorite days of the year with either such a foreboding name or the activity that provoked it.)

Having been transported by Thanksgiving euphoria into my own private USA, I proceeded to forget that I was, in fact, still in Australia, where today is not a holiday. I let Miss B stay up far too late, and then we both slept very late this morning. And then, to seal my nomination for mother of the year, I caved to our mutual exhaustion and kept her home from school. (I also ate apple pie for breakfast and didn't go running, to complete my trifecta of immature behavior.)

Every muscle in my body aches today, and I could have crawled back into bed at any point in the day and probably slept through until tomorrow. I'm writing up a menu recap, but I'm too tired to post it - it will come over the weekend, I promise. Regardless, I've been happily reviewing yesterday all day long. I'm so glad that I did it; that I took the leap to make Thanksgiving for the first time in Australia; and that we have so many good friends who joined in to help us make a celebration. I mentioned to someone last night that, as of yesterday, I've cooked Thanksgiving dinner on three continents. I feel very fortunate that not only have I had that opportunity, but that I've also been able to share it with so many great people. (I'll have to remember that for next year's Gratitude List!)

Hope you're having a day of post-Thanksgiving relaxing and euphoria - or at least a very nice Friday.

Australian Thanksgiving

Still cleaning up the carnage from an immensely enjoyable Thanksgiving dinner with 16 of Canberra's best guests, but wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving to all who are celebrating, wherever you are. And to revisit, once again, my Thanksgiving Gratitude List from my first blogging Thanksgiving. I am grateful to have DP with us this year, but otherwise the list remains unchanged. Buon appetito!