Thanksgiving Week 2011

Monday began another wonderful week of on call. However, this is a holiday week, so it's not really one that I approached with dread like the if it were the first week of the August. While at work, did my duties for the day, and I grabbed the on call phone and laptop. On the way home, I did some grocery shopping on the way home. Tuesday was a quiet day too, both personally and being on call. The only think I did was stop by Frank's house to borrow a pipe cutting tool.

Well Tuesday wasn't completely dull, during work the news came down that the long awaited arrival of Matt & Vivian's baby, Toobee Hannah Marie. You can read Matt's blog about it here.

Welcome to the world, Hannah Marie! Photo credit: Matt

Wednesday evening, after work, I went over to Jenny's house for a soup, supper, and game night. Jenny made some tasty creamy chicken rice soup, I made a salad, and other people brought rolls and desserts. We had plenty of discussion surrounding the new baby, all of it happy! We also played a game of Telestrations, which was new to some people there, it's hard to believe people haven't played it.

I only took one picture, but I thought I'd include it.
Jenny, if you're going to hit Ben, make sure he notices.

Thanksgiving Day I woke up early, well, early for a holiday day off, and after immediately checking to see if I had any work to do, I went back to sleep. I got up and started to getting ready for meeting VK out at her brother's house for dinner. While I was getting ready, I happened to notice, via Facebook, that Matt & Vivian were accepting visitors at the hospital. Change in plans, I finished getting ready in a hurry and went to the hospital to meet my "niece".

Proud "Uncle" Eric.

I eventually had to go, and I went out west to VK's brother's house. On my way I saw someone having a really bad day. We watched a football game, or was it a Ndamukong Suh dance routine? There was a spread featuring the world's largest cheese ball. There was dinner, snacking, more football, throwing around a football with her dad and brothers, and then playing a game of Telestrations. Fortunately, the on call phone stayed quiet.

Shadow looks like a certain other dog.


Our hostess smiles about the good job she did.


There was some cool sunlight through the front door window.

You can see all the rest of my Thanksgiving Day pictures here. VK and I left the gathering and went back up to the hospital to see the baby again.

(Photo credit: Matt)

Eventually I took VK home then got myself into bed before midnight. If you'd like to see all of my pictures on my first visit(s) to meet baby Hannah Marie here.

Friday was a work day, and I'm not sorry I missed all the shopping ridiculousness. Support sanity, don't get up in the middle of the night to shop. Also, all you geniuses who waited in line for questionable deals, please learn math. 40 hours in a line to 'save' $200 gets you about $5/hour for your 'work' and the derision of people like me. Wait until the first week in February and the electronics you had to have will be cheaper. Oh, yeah, and I went dancing and then out to donuts afterwards. When I got home I ended up staying up until 0300 working.

Sure enough, when I got up Saturday morning I had some on call work to do, but it wasn't any big deal. I did plan my day around possibly getting called, so I did nothing. All. Day. Long. It felt good to not be busy again.

Sunday started at 0345 with an work phone call. I ended up having to drive in to work at 0400, and didn't get back until 0615. The problem kind lingered until almost 2200, so it was an all day thing.

I did manage to get to church and the new Mass Chaos mini-tour. It was a very joyous church visit with an unexpected surprise, a new crucifix necklace. I had been wanting one for a couple of years, and decided that I would get one with Christmas money this year. It was one of those surprise moments that makes it impossible to wipe the smile off of your face. After this the group went to Culver's. Beth only got ice cream and gave the best explanation ever: "if you're going to have food at Culver's why waste the calories on something else?"

I did not watch the Bears play this week. I didn't figure it would be a good game, and I was right. I'm disappointed with the injury to Jay Cutler, it seems like our season is probably effectively over.

The final event of the weekend was Jess' birthday party and Rockabilly Night at Gator O'Malley's. I liked the music, The Willards Band, but Jess cracked me up when she said "I'd like the band to have a little more rock and a little less billy." I'm guessing she wouldn't like Jason and the Scorchers.

Next Week: More Bad News Bears, but not all the football news is bad.