Going home...

We headed down to New Jersey on Wednesday afternoon to start celebrating Thanksgiving on the eve. First we stopped at the Sussex County Library to say hello to my mom an the other library ladies. It was nice to be welcomed by some smiling faces, and Neil enjoyed looking at the books. One woman was knitting a baby blanket for her first grandchild. The yarn was made from alpaca wool and oh so soft. It made me want to knit again. Someday I will relearn. Another woman gave me a guilt trip when I told her I planned on returning to work soon. I didn't even know her, but she made me feel like shit anyway. I wish people's opinions of me didn't color the way I feel about myself and my decisions so starkly. I need to work on this aspect of my life.

We were soon sent on our way to Highland Ave and a huge lasagna. My dad poured wine and we enjoyed appetizers with Neil until my mother returned home from work. Neil slept a fitful first night in his travel swing, but he did alright. In the morning we awoke to a beautiful sunrise filtering through the winter trees. Thanksgiving!

 

After we got Neil's needs met, we watched the Thanksgiving parade and the dog show and snacked on breakfast goodies until it was time to move the party to the Schweizer's house up the hill. It was wonderful and quite amazing to introduce Neil to his great grandparents the Abers. You could really feel the love and light in the room. Our Thanksgiving meal was so special this year, and Neil never uttered a crank. He was content to be passed and hoisted and bopped and cuddled until he fell asleep in a heap on his Uncle.

After the pie and the Irish coffee, the Corbetts and Abers left for home and warm beds. We sacked out on the green couch to watch the Jets but couldn't even get through our holiday Beers as the performance was so pitiful.

The next morning we ate waffles with the Schweizers before heading back down the mountain to hang out with the Corbetts for the day. We played with Neil until he couldn't take it anymore and took catnaps on the couches. Finally in late afternoon we drove down to Tillman's Ravine and tried to hike the trail along the creek. The trail had been closed by the department of parks, but we hiked part way until our path was blocked in all directions by downed trees. Sandy didn't hold back much in northern New Jersey. All over we saw trees snapped in half, trees down like matchsticks on the forest floor, patched roofs and close calls in driveways. Later in the evening we tried to venture to Third Base Pub, but it was closed. Instead we enjoyed a wonderful dinner at the Boathouse. My mother and I had pumpkin raviolis with shrimp and scallops, and the guys had filet. Neil was great in the restaurant. He really like snuggling with the waitresses and staring at strangers while they conversed. We saw lots of Christmas lights on the way home. Everyone thought it was strange but I welcome them always after Thanksgiving.

On our final full day in Jersey we hauled back up the hill to hang at the Schweizer house. Anita, Neil and I went to the Balesville church craft fair and N scored a sweet, red hand knit Christmas hat with ear flaps. it looks like it was made for him. We spent the afternoon lounging around the woodstove playing baby games and watching college football. We tried to concoct some home cough remedies for a&g, but I'm not sure they worked. One involved honey, turmeric, black pepper, ginger, lemon and garlic. Sounds gross to me!

Today we traveled up to the Abers house so Neil could spend a little more time with his great grandparents. We talked about past relatives over a veggie pizza and N talked to a placemat. George and Jane showed us a picture of George's grandmother Mary who died when she was 37. They also had her ring, which had an engraved M on it that she used to stamp into the wax on her envelopes. Stories from the past are so interesting...I think George's mother Lela Watkins is part of the original Watkins Glen family...I will have to ask more about this the next time we get together.

After one last cuddle with Big N, the great grands gave us a plant (of course!) and bade us farewell. We enjoyed spending so much time with our family, and we are thrilled that Christmas is just around the corner. This next month will be such a blur of beauty, nostalgia and new hope. (after we get this crying baby home and in bed of course!) It's snowing!