Thanksgiving, 2012 Style
What a difference a day or two can make weather-wise here in Minnesota. I took off from work early Wednesday to take advantage of some unseasonably warm temps to go walking.
The weather was so nice that I was able to get by in shorts and two T-shirts. It's likely the last time the sun will see the skin of my legs until next spring. I did my west loop (14 miles) through Murphy Hanrahan and enjoyed every bit of it, listening to tunes and feeling the sun on my face. It was so nice.
A cold-front came rushing in Thanksgiving day trailing winter behind it.
Tammy and I finally made it out to see Keith and Tracee's new home. They invited us over (or maybe we invited ourselves over) for Thanksgiving. They made their move nearly two months ago but we've been slow in making a point of going to see it because I wanted to have some blown glass done for them as a housewarming gift.
We were so impressed with their home. It's going to take some time to do all of the changes they have planned for it but I think they've got a real gem on their hands. With Keith's ability to take on pretty much any of the challenges the house presents and Tracee's eye for decor, it's going to be quite the place once they've had a chance to apply their fixes.
I can foresee many family holidays being hosted there. Video from our Thanksgiving get-together is at the end of this post.
One of my favorite things to do this time of year is to spend a night walking around Mall of America. I know...I'm a guy and I'm not supposed to enjoy that sort of thing but I do.
In fact, I love it! We even went there on Black Friday. Not so much to make any purchases but just to kick around together, coffees in hand, window shopping. 
I'll often have my camera with me just in case something catches my eye that I don't think my Droid will do justice to. We were walking past one of the Starbucks when we noticed several nuns inside gathered around a table. I mentioned to Tammy what a nice photo that would make but that I didn't want to bother them. We walked away but then she urged me to go back and get it. I turned on my heels and didn't give backing out a second thought. They all smiled when I asked if they'd mind if I took their photo. They were so gracious.
Rachel has been working quite a few hours lately and couldn't be with us for Thanksgiving so we went down to be together with her yesterday. I'm not sure that any of us are James Bond fans but we went to see Skyfall anyway. I had heard some raving reviews about it. I think we all thought it was just okay: 3 out of 5 stars okay. There was a great chase scene early on which was fun but I found myself yawning quite a bit from that point on.
We left the theater on the outskirts of town and drove back into the city for some sushi and a chance for us to catch up on what's happening in Rachel's life. I made a quick glance for messages on my phone and found one that said "Kevin ~ I hope I have the right person! It's John @ Ernie's Pub and Grille...Tamara Left her "wallet" here. Please call and advise at 952-435-XXXX." We'd been there the night before and it must have slipped out when her purse fell to the floor as we were taking our seats. Ernie's Pub and Grille is a good place! John was able to find me through Facebook and my not so strict privacy settings. Sometimes that can be a good thing. We retrieved her wallet on the way home.
It was so nice to spend some time with Rachel again. It always is. Before saying goodbye we made plans to go down and pick her up so she can be with us for a couple days around Christmas. I wish it were more but this will work. Our outdoor Christmas lights will be burning brightly to welcome her home.
The weather was so nice that I was able to get by in shorts and two T-shirts. It's likely the last time the sun will see the skin of my legs until next spring. I did my west loop (14 miles) through Murphy Hanrahan and enjoyed every bit of it, listening to tunes and feeling the sun on my face. It was so nice.A cold-front came rushing in Thanksgiving day trailing winter behind it.
Tammy and I finally made it out to see Keith and Tracee's new home. They invited us over (or maybe we invited ourselves over) for Thanksgiving. They made their move nearly two months ago but we've been slow in making a point of going to see it because I wanted to have some blown glass done for them as a housewarming gift.
We were so impressed with their home. It's going to take some time to do all of the changes they have planned for it but I think they've got a real gem on their hands. With Keith's ability to take on pretty much any of the challenges the house presents and Tracee's eye for decor, it's going to be quite the place once they've had a chance to apply their fixes.
I can foresee many family holidays being hosted there. Video from our Thanksgiving get-together is at the end of this post.
One of my favorite things to do this time of year is to spend a night walking around Mall of America. I know...I'm a guy and I'm not supposed to enjoy that sort of thing but I do.
In fact, I love it! We even went there on Black Friday. Not so much to make any purchases but just to kick around together, coffees in hand, window shopping. 
I'll often have my camera with me just in case something catches my eye that I don't think my Droid will do justice to. We were walking past one of the Starbucks when we noticed several nuns inside gathered around a table. I mentioned to Tammy what a nice photo that would make but that I didn't want to bother them. We walked away but then she urged me to go back and get it. I turned on my heels and didn't give backing out a second thought. They all smiled when I asked if they'd mind if I took their photo. They were so gracious.Rachel has been working quite a few hours lately and couldn't be with us for Thanksgiving so we went down to be together with her yesterday. I'm not sure that any of us are James Bond fans but we went to see Skyfall anyway. I had heard some raving reviews about it. I think we all thought it was just okay: 3 out of 5 stars okay. There was a great chase scene early on which was fun but I found myself yawning quite a bit from that point on.
We left the theater on the outskirts of town and drove back into the city for some sushi and a chance for us to catch up on what's happening in Rachel's life. I made a quick glance for messages on my phone and found one that said "Kevin ~ I hope I have the right person! It's John @ Ernie's Pub and Grille...Tamara Left her "wallet" here. Please call and advise at 952-435-XXXX." We'd been there the night before and it must have slipped out when her purse fell to the floor as we were taking our seats. Ernie's Pub and Grille is a good place! John was able to find me through Facebook and my not so strict privacy settings. Sometimes that can be a good thing. We retrieved her wallet on the way home.
It was so nice to spend some time with Rachel again. It always is. Before saying goodbye we made plans to go down and pick her up so she can be with us for a couple days around Christmas. I wish it were more but this will work. Our outdoor Christmas lights will be burning brightly to welcome her home.
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