Another year older, time for a new haircut!

I took this picture with my new Mac. Like the backdrop? 

A wonderful Thanksgiving/birthday

Whoa--it's been awhile since I've posted! But today ("black Friday") I have the day off and I'm not much of a shopper (I hate crowds), so I'll take time to blog.

Yesterday was my birthday, and Tim gave me a new Mac desktop--I think it's just like my sister Cheri's! Woo hoo! I'm lovin' it. I've applied for the Post Secondary teaching certificate program at Bethel, so if I'm accepted, I'll start classes in February, and having a reliable fast computer will help a lot, especially with my class "Teaching Online Courses." 

Tim's parents and his uncle joined us for dinner yesterday, and so did Christina's boyfriend Travis and Luke's girlfriend Amy. Mark is dating a girl we haven't met yet, Emily, so she was at her grandparents for Thanksgiving. My friend Pam had given me tips on making the turkey the day before (carve it, put it in a pan with a can of chicken broth and cover with lettuce leaves and foil to keep it moist overnight). This was a great help. She also gave me a recipe for mashed potato casserole (basically a 5 lb. bag of potatoes, sour cream and cream cheese) which I made the day before as well. I also prepared the dressing, jello, pies, and bread early. I made one loaf of bread in the bread maker in the late afternoon, and when it came out I put in a cranberry bread in the bread maker and set it to be ready in the morning. I love modern appliances/gadgets!

So, yesterday morning all I had to do was heat everything up, make the cranberries (could have done that early too) and the green bean casserole! We had coffee, hot apple cider, lemon lime soda (left over from the jello recipe) and cranberry/pomegranate juice.  

After cleaning up a bit I took a nice nap (I was up rather late the night before, since I worked till 1). Mark came back over with his dog Zeus, but Raven kept barking his head off at him and chasing him around the house. Mark and I took the dogs for a walk, but then Mark decided to put Zeus back in his truck and come in for a little bit longer dog-less. I'm hoping someday the dogs will become friends. They did better when Raven visited Zeus.

Today I'm relaxing, picking up Professor Ning Zhang from the airport, and hopefully having a belated birthday dinner out with Tim. Tim's parents gave me a gift certificate to the 50s grill, so that may be where we dine tonight. :)

Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!

Till next time,

Suzi

  

Mom is coming home from the hospital!

My mom had knee replacement surgery on Monday. Today is Thursday, and it looks like she's got the green light to come home today.

Please pray for my dad and sister (and Mom, of course) as she recuperates, getting around at first with the aid of a walker and loved ones. Pray that KimmeeSue (the family dog star) will adjust and not jump around Mom. Pray that she (KS) will be a comfort and help with healing.

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It's now two days post-election, and the dust may be settling a bit. No matter how you voted, you have to admit this was a historic election. An African American friend at work broke down and cried as she recounted memories of sitting in the back of the classroom (in the 60s), race riots in Minneapolis in 1968, and even her daughter (who is only about 20) being called the "N" word by a TEACHER in a suburban school when she was a kindergartner. It is wonderful that a person of color can now hold the highest position in our country. And McCain and Bush both gave class act speeches, congratulating Obama and recognizing this significant moment in history.

There are many things I disagree with Obama on. But I hope that he can work in the spirit of healing and reconciliation in our country, reaching across party, race and economic lines and help our country to a place of wholeness and strength.

And Mom, I hope you are soon whole and strong as well!

Till next time,

Suzi