On Monday, we started out with ten people coming to Thanksgiving dinner. On Tuesday, Rick's sister, Susie called and said they weren't going to venture over the pass. She lives in Bellingham above Seattle. So now we are six.

Tuesday we all go into Yakima to finish up the shopping, or most of it. After lunch, we take Rick to his doctor's appointment, and we head to Costco. And the adventure began - With lists in our hands, we successfully purchased our items, and headed out to the car. Colleen was looking for her keys. They were on the seat of her car, and we were locked out. I could hear the keys laughing at us!

Using my cell phone (only Rick and I were carrying ours, she called her Subaru service and talked to a great guy, the service manager, Greg. He looked up her car, and said no problem, he would cut a new key and be out in fifteen minutes. We went back inside, it being 10 degrees out. Not more than five minutes after Colleen had talked to Greg, my cell rang, and it was Rick. I handed over the phone to Colleen and she told him what had happened, told him we would be there in half an hour, and hangs up. The cell rings again, it is Greg. Colleen's keys were laser cut, and he can't make them. He had called all the tow stations they used, but all were out pulling cars out of ditches, etc. Colleen called the police, but they don't break into locked cars anymore - something about how letigious folks have become. Rick calls - where are we, and Colleen explains all the new facts. She calls Greg and tells him no luck. So he said he would try to find the door opener kit at the dealership, and would come out. After several phone calls more, Greg was there. He put me in his car, and begins the process of trying to get into his car. With great persistence, and a couple of failures, he finally was able to finagle getting the the door unlocked. He was going to give us HIS car, and get one at the dealership for him, if he couldn't get our car open. Now that is service. With many hugs and wishes for a happy Thanksgiving, we head down the road to get Rick, who has been waiting for an hour.

He comes out with three precriptions, and we head to a pharmacy. Their computers were down. So while I am picking something up, he walks over to another pharmacy. Unbeknownst to me, he refused a ride from his wife, and as he was walking over, fell and sprained his right wrist. Stubborn. We finally get back on the road and get back to Crickleberry Lane safely. Sunshine had been guarding the house for over eight hours, and was very happy to see us. We have a bowl of soup, and Rick takes his meds, and goes to bed.

When I came in Wednesday, Colleen said that Rick had given her his cold. But she felt okay. I went into Ellensburg to pick up the turkey, flowers, and bread. Colleen goes in the opposite direction to get her massage, and pick up lanyeager for me to bring down to Phil and to the SD folks. Lanyeager is similar to pepperoni but it is much better. The temperature remained in the teens but no more snow. I put together a fresh pumpkin pie and some apple crisp. The house is smelling great.

At six o'clock AM today (the 25th), I hear a tap on my door, and Rick comes in. He had made an executive decision to call off the company coming - Colleen was up all night, and was sick. He asked me how I felt, and I told him I was fine. So he said just sleep in, which I did.

Colleen slept most of the morning, then got up, and said, Let's cook the turkey. I went over to my apartment and got it, and the beans and stuffing and cranberry relish. Everything got cooked. Just as we were going to sit down and eat, the buzzer indicating someone coming down the drive went off. It was one of the guests that Rick had canceled. Tom had gone over to eat with the couple who were also invited. He brought leftovers from their Thanksgiving dinner! As he backed up to leave, he went into the ditch, and our dinner was halted, as Rick went out and got his tractor and pulled him out. Finally we ate. Wonderful grub. And only what we had prepared, and were very contented. Turkey, gravy, stuffing, fresh green bean casserole, with fresh baked crisp onions, fresh cranberry relish. Just enough.

You know we have so much food now, that I told Colleen that I was definitely carrying a turkey sandwich or two with me when I leave! Not another think can go into the frig in the house or in the frig in my apartment!

As Rick and I were here in the office on the computer, the buzzer kept going off. The house is wired so that when someone is coming in, they can watch for them. It wouldn't stop. Rick figured it was deer, and sent Sunshine out to deal with them, but she came right back in. It's too cold, Dad! The buzzer went off a couple of times more, and Rick went out again, and came back. He said it wasn't deer, but elk! I would have loved to seen them, but of course it is pitch black out.

Another funny thing happened today. Rick said when he was out in his workshop, he found a quail just fallen over near his tractor. It wasn't dead. It had eaten so much food that it couldn't move!! He said it happens all the time. They just eat and eat and eat. So the big bird feeder is going to be empty for a couple of days. Who would of thought!!!!

Today it was 16 degrees out most of the day. I have no idea what it is now. If the roads are clear, I will start down the road on Saturday or Sunday. I am watching the weather. My plans have changed, and I will take a couple of days, and get to Los Angeles, and see Phil and Gihan. Then I will get to San Diego, and get myself ready for Molokai.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Adieu, Adios, Mahalo,
I love you all,
Sally