Thursday, November 26, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope you and yours are able to celebrate today with friends, family and a good meal. We have 12 guests coming over today, so with M and I, that will be 14 around the table - a tight squeeze. Everyone is bringing their favorite Thanksgiving dish they remember from when they were younger, so we'll all get to try things that we might not have grown up with, and everyone will be able to have that one special dish that you just have to have to make it feel like Thanksgiving.


I pulled out this picture from our 2007 gathering at Thanksgiving. Back then, we lined up 3 kitchen tables end-to-end to seat everyone. The tables were so narrow, I'm surprised our guests put up with it and kept coming back year after year.




Here's the start of decorating our table for this year. As you might notice, there's a lot more room down the middle of the table so our guests won't be knocking heads. We got this table about a year ago and it extends to seat 10 comfortably, 12 in a pinch, and we're really pushing it putting 14 around it, but it's still better than the tables from 2007.


Also this morning, I did my first 5K in years!! Woo-hoo!! M and I have been jogging on the trails in the park for a few weeks, because I have bum knees and can't jog on pavement. When I saw this 5K advertised and saw that it was going to be on dirt trails through the woods, I just had to try it. So it's wet and chilly, the trails have roots all over them, it's a little slippery and everyone knows it's going to take longer to run it. I haven't run more than 11 minutes at a stretch with M during our park jogs, so I know I'm not going to be able to run the whole thing, so I start at the back with an little old lady, setting an 11-12 minute mile pace, figuring I'll stay with her as long as I can until I have to walk. Well, we made it past the 2 mile mark and after jogging 25 minutes, my legs couldn't take it any longer, so I walked fast for 2 minutes and then jogged the rest of the way to the finish. I cross the finish line and they tell me my time was 32:37. I knew that wasn't right, I should have finished in 40-41 minutes at my pace and with walking 2 minutes. So I remember at one point on the course, where I thought I was supposed to go around a loop again and one of the race officials told me and about 4 other runners, to go right if we'd already done the loop. We were supposed to do the loop twice. So I figure the loop was about a 1/4 mile and I likely would have finished around 40. So, I'm glad I finished, I was in pain and glad of the mistake by the time I got to the finish. So maybe I'll find more of these soft course 5Ks and be able to get back into running. We'll see. At least now I can justify that extra helping of potatoes and gravy. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

10 comments:

PENolan said...

Congrats on finishing 5K and setting a lovely table. Enjoy the left overs!

VV said...

I'm paying for my foolishness today. The muscles in the fronts of my thighs are soooo sore! The worst is trying to come down a flight of stairs.

tshsmom said...

I miss the days when we had tons of people around our Thanksgiving table. Sounds like you had lots of fun and fellowship.

I hate to pee in your oatmeal, but running is bad for your knees PERIOD! Biking, swimming, and walking are all great exercises that won't give you problems down the road. I know. My knees are shot. :(

VV said...

Tshsmom, alas, running is the only way I've ever been able to lose weight and get in good shape. Plus it's the only exercise I actually enjoy. *sigh* The knees will have to go! I can get bionic knees eventually. ;-)

tweetey30 said...

Congrats.. We did good her until my MIL fell off our front porch because her dog tugged on her and she wasnt expecting it..

tshsmom said...

Yeah, the only way I've ever been able to keep my waist slim is sit-ups. My back won't allow that anymore, so I'm filling out nicely. :(

VV said...

Tshsmom, it gives people something to hold onto when they hug you. It's all good! :-)

OldLady Of The Hills said...

I hope your Thanksgiving was a WONDERFUL one! I love the idea that each person brings a favorite dish from their childhood. I am guessing that the food was FABULOUS!

VV said...

OL, yes the food was amazing! There wasn't a bad dish on the table. Everyone had such a good time and we were surrounded by our closest friends, so that made the gathering very relaxed and fun. Also, friends brought family members who were visiting from out of town. We got to catch up with one friend's mom in from New Zeland. She last came to our gathering in 2007. We also got to meet the brother of another friend and he just fit right in, so friendly, so easy to talk to, such a nice guy. We are so lucky to have such a great group of friends.

Larena said...

I had a very quiet one this year just Johnnie and i but it was good. glad you are surounded with love. and great job on the 5-k !! I am impressed !

CK, here’s the tattoo

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