Long Weekend Ahead

Oh, how I've been looking forward to the long holiday weekend. Starts off with a veg night tonight with the dog. She is pooped from her day today at doggie daycare and is curled up (and asleep) under the down throw on the couch behind me. I am feeling so good knowing that I won't hear my alarm click at 6:00 AM tomorrow. The dog and I can sleep in. Then I can have a nice breakfast and cook several sides to bring to my friends' for the Thanksgiving meal. This will be done while watching the Macy's Thanksgiving parade.

I'm be able to sleep in each day, go at my own pace and also get a lot done. I plan to pack my suitcases for my upcoming trip to Moscow and have everything by them except for my clothes. I don't plan to bring a lot of clothes as my daughter washes daily and it'll save room in the suitcases.

Each holiday season, I do baking for Christmas gifts and this weekend will start that with having a cranberry orange walnut bread production line. It's a messy job so it'll be good to have it all done at once. I make some in the regular size pans and some in the tiny ones. I like to wrap them in aluminum foil with elegant metallic ribbons. I'm hoping to also bake green cream cheese spritz cookies that I shape into a circle and put two red cinnamon candies on them so they look like mini wreaths. It's not Christmas for my daughter without them as she had them each year. In fact, the year that she spent Christmas in Europe after being in Spain fall term in college, I baked a batch the beginning of October to mail with her Christmas gifts in mid October to Spain so she's have her green cookies. Last night I bought the red hot cinnamon candies and green sugar to pack in my suitcase along with my spritz maker so I can make them with my granddaughters in Moscow and start the tradition for them.

While watching all the Christmas movies on the Hallmark channel, I'll also be doing some gift wrapping.

I'm looking forward to spending the holiday tomorrow with one family of friends for dinner in the afternoon and then going around the corner to spend the evening with another family of friends for dessert. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.

I will have to probably hit a store or two but want to avoid it on Black Friday. Can't believe people actually will be up and in line at Walmart for their 4:00 AM opening. Not me. The dog and I will be fast asleep in my bed between the fleece sheets.