Rave: I'm so thankful this thread continues!It's hard for some people to understand how we can all love each other on this crazy board, but I do!!

Good luck STW. I'm crossing my fingers and eyes for you!

To all with health problems (yours or your loved one): wishing you the best.

Joprr- a friend of mine video-taped an obnoxious, drunk relative at Christmas once. Sent him the tape later. He didn't show up for a while, but eventually quit drinking.

My biggest rave- I finally got at the hotels and transportation reservations locked up for my trip to India on Monday! Nothing like going at high season with only a couple of weeks to plan! But we got some awesome hotels in some great cities!

Rant: A white, cold, icy Thanksgiving day. A nightmare for me - my leg is still in a cast and crutches don't work well on ice!!!

Rave: A wonderful, delicious T-day with loved ones. Great food, too.

Rant: I can't get out of the house to shop.

Rave: I'm doing it all on line (and probably saving lots of $$$ doing so).

Rant: So many fodorites and their family/friends suffering from problems and illness! :-(

Rave: Long weekend!

Have a great weekend everyone!

PM, sorry about your sister. Hate to be a Mondy morning quarterback, but excruciating pain can justify a trip to the ER, where they probably would have treated first, then billed later. (Unless you are in some super small town with little oversight). Then when the bill comes, you can often negotiate the price down, hospitals will often do that for people w/no insurance.

THANKSGIVING RANT: Jesus H. Christ, I'm 37 years old, so Mom, stop with the unsolicited advice on how to live my life and raise my kid. Just because I don't do it the way you did it doesn't make it wrong.

Xmas shopping Rant: Why do people so much money on Xboxes? I just don't get it.

weather rant: Spring, spring, when do we get spring? It's not supposed to be 19 degrees in Tennessee.

Rave -- I'm lucky to live in this country, with a roof over my head, a healthy kid and people who care about me. I wish all of that for all of you.

Thanks to all who have wished my sister well. droolpatrol, I have been thinking about this all day, and if I had known what was going on sooner, I would have told her just to walk into a hospital and ask for treatment instead of making phone calls. I think it's a lot easier to turn someone away over the phone than to do it in person, especially when they can see the pain a person is in. Anyway, her procedure was scheduled for 1:00pm Fodors time, so I am anxiously awaiting the phone call that everything is OK.

Jorr, I'm sorry to hear that you brother is still being a jerk. If you haven't done so already, please join Ala-non. They really helped DH and me to deal with my BIL. As you may recall from a previous FFR&R thread, my BIL was causing a lot of trouble because he was a substance abuser. Ala-non cannot cure your brother, but they can help you and your family to deal with him. Good Luck.

Praying for all of you facing medical procedures and/or supporting those who do.

Rave: We had a great Thanksgiving feast on Wednesday. My oldest dd and her wonderful husband were here.

Rave: Slept in on Thursday and goofed around in general.

Rant: No money to shop at the moment.

Rave: It's a good thing we don't do Black Friday! :-) We did, actually, for the first time last year, but it's not necessarily something I'd want to repeat.

Lee Ann

Happy Thanksgiving weekend, all! Enjoy your new job, P_M, and good luck with your interview, STW! :-) P_M, so sorry for your sister's misery, and I do hope you have had good news by now!

RAVE: Wonderful Thanksgiving day with family in the North Carolina mountains. Two wonderful visits with my 91 year old Mom, who can remember very little anymore, but I can tell by the sweet sparkle in her eyes that she remembers me, her baby daughter! :-)

RAVE: Unlimited long distance when we have eight-year old granddaughters far away ... who want to talk to Granny on Thanksgiving and describe every Christmas ornament as they put it on the tree! :-d

RANT: Injuries to my beloved Carolina Hurricanes ...... losing about one guy a game! :-( Please, please, please, Hockey Gods!!! Let us beat Toronto tonight ...

Have a great weekend, all!

raves
72nd birthday Sunday.
Reached the two gallon mark as a blood donor this month.
The daily views of the Massanutten and Allegheny mountains east and west of us.

Rave: After Thanksgiving Day dinner (and dessert), our family finalized our itinerary for our trip to Italy in June! Ten of us - that's three generations folks.

Rant: Friday morning at 6:30, DH's new cell phone rang very, very loudly to the tune of "When the Saint's Coming Marching In" He's just got to change that tune.

Update: My sister called late yesterday afternoon. She was tired, emotional, and hadn't eaten all day but the procedure went well.

Happy birthday on Sunday to ronkala, and congrats on 2 gallons!!

PM, it sounds like your sister has been through a lot. I hope she recovers very quickly from her ordeal. Sisters are very special.

And yes, please braid your hair. And if you wouldn't mind, please yodel every hour on the hour, for added good luck. Best of luck to you on Monday -- I'm so happy for you!

I can see it now: It's my first day on the job. I show up with braided pigtails and I'm yodeling every hour. They will think they have hired the Swiss Miss girl!! But OK, I'll do it. Anything for my pal seetheworld. :-)

PM, I'm glad your sister's procedure went well. As for the Swiss Miss yodeling thing, humm, not so sure about that! Good luck to you and to your sister.

ronkala, Congratulations on your 72nd birthday. Yahoo and Happy Birthday.

Jorr

PM great news about your sister, but awful about what she went through to get to that good point. You're right--next time just walk into the ER . Where I work, there's a rule that if you show up at the ER they must see you. (That might be an medi-cal assoicated law).

CAPH--hope the last chemo went well for your husband, wihout too many nasty side effects. Working on an oncology unit, I'm amazed by advances in chemo in the last 20 years. Good wishes!
To BonnieB, SandyBrit, JJ5, and all who mentioned their parents--
how great that they are alive to share one more Thanksgiving with you. Bonnie,
loved that bit about your Mom remembering her baby girl!!
RAVE: To all, if you're saddened by end of this 4 day weekend , reminder that in few weeks, there'll two consecutive long weekends!!

Thanks, it was super.

And don't forget also that Dec. 10 is the GTG in Chicago. We have a large group coming.
Cafe Iberico 749 N. Lasalle 12:30pm
Reservations under Jeanette
Dec. 10 Saturday

RAVE: Having the privilege and honor of being the baby sister to my magnificent eldest brother for sixty-one years. He left us this morning, age 72, and I will so much miss the beautiful music he played for us, the incredible paintings that told all about his love for nature and his fellow creatures, and his joy in sharing the bounty of his incredible vegetable gardens every year. He was a treasure ... sweetness and kindness radiated from him, always. Thank you, Big Brother, you will always be in my heart ... @};-

Bonnie, what a sweet tribute. I know you must be feeling his loss terribly. May your faith support you and your family.

Bonnie, You are very fortunate that you had a big brother you have looked up to and admired. I only wish I could say the same.

I am sure he adored you as much as you adored him. Your post really shows your admiration of him. He sounds like he was a very nice person. I hope someone will be able to replant his vegetable garden next spring to keep his memory alive. I'm sure he would like that.

Jorr

Oh Bonnie, my condolences!

Hi Bonnie, your post brought tears to my eyes. My deepest sympathies.

Oh Bonnie, I'm so sorry about your brother. My big brother died 3 years ago and I feel his loss everyday. I'll add yours to my prayers.