Readying...

 Thanksgiving is fast approaching, and part of today was dedicated to preparation. In truth, there is only a little to be done. After years of hosting the bash, we have the routine under control. The house is in good order, and Chris has begun laying in the not-very-perishable groceries such as onions, sweet potatoes, chips, baking supplies, and wine. 

Of course, we don't have any problematic relatives, but this tag makes me chuckle. 

I got out some of my favorite decorations and set them about today. A trio of vintage turkey gravy boats and Big Tom, gifted to me by friend Liz many years ago. An actual turkey feather left by a visiting wild bird hides a chip on his foot. A few hand-knit pumpkins complement the scene. I also hung a Thanksgiving flag outside and stabbed a massive pumpkin with my beloved ceramic and metal turkey head/legs and feathers. This tacky guy makes me grin every year. 

The temperature was dropping, and while I was out in the garage gathering decorations, the cats kept winding around my legs, chatting. I decided they were reminding me to set up their heated house. I got it out, shook the inner pad, cleared a spot, and plugged it in. It took them about 30 seconds to investigate. 

I wrap a warm blanket around it to add insulation. The two brothers snuggle in side by side when it gets freezing, tucking their paws under them. The heated pad below them radiates, and the space gets quite toasty between that and their shared body heat. I like to reach in and pet them on a cold day, feeling the rumble of their contented purrs. 

The day started before dawn with a trek to Portland for the procedure on my eye that was rescheduled last week. To be honest, they make it relatively painless, but the fact that a long needle is injected into my eyeball and wiggled around a while leaves me feeling a little traumatized all day. A thumpy headache arrived within an hour of the process, undeterred by Tylenol. I soldiered on- at an admittedly slower pace. 

In the late afternoon, I fetched my window candles from storage and sat a while loading each one with batteries.  As dusk fell, I quickly turned each one on. They work from some small timer that will automatically illuminate each of them simultaneously each day. I usually put the candles up closer to Christmas, but with the dark coming so early, I felt compelled to set them up now. The house looks cozy and welcoming, with them shining from every polished window through the long New England nights.

After completing several holiday preparation chores, I head into my workweek feeling a bit accomplished. We will greet the upcoming gathering with glee.