So Thanksgiving break at Tami Swenson's house in Boscobel, WI rocked my socks!

I could try to go into a play-by-play and give every insignificant detail of the trip, but really... I'm not sure it's worth my time to type or your time to read. Perhaps a short list of highlights will suffice?

As for the highlights:

*a positively *loopy* drive to Madison in the van including me, Tami, Elizabeth Wong, Jack Nehlsen, Anna and Emily Holsclaw, and twins' parents, who graciously packed us all into their van and suffered through a 2 1/2 hour delay in Chicago, just to make sure we all got home safely (um, Jack?)

*the lovely traditional Arabic breakfast prepared by Mrs. Swenson -- menaaeesh -- yum!

*Risk... and Jaimi's strategy for systematic world domination (wait -- what happened to our alliance??)

*Thanksgiving Day with 34 other people in the Swenson household, perhaps more food than I've ever seen in one place that wasn't a buffet of some sort, beautiful piano music, Scattegories, and a video tape of Princess Nora's birthday party ("Where are all the kids?" "Maybe she didn't want kids at her birthday party" "I bet they didn't pass security" "Nooo... all the officials just wanted first dibs on the cake!") uh huh.

*playing the game Mafia for the first time in my life. I caught on eventually. And Mandi saved me a couple times, too. I like her. She's my friend.

*taking an ill-fated trip to Debuque, Iowa with Tami, Elizabeth, and Jaimi. But at least I got to go into cool stores I'd never set foot in before (Maurices, Deb), meet a couple of Tami's friends from high school, and see three states at once while crossing the Mississippi River! Sweet!

*church with the Swensons and the McClures at their church in Fennimore -- who needs coffee to stay awake during the service when you've got fruit falling out of the offering table cornicopia and rolling down the aisle?

*teaching Jaimi and the other girls a jig in the basement to Celtic Christmas music... ahh, I miss dancing!

*tractor pictures before leaving, watching Jaimi "jigging" on the front porch as we pulled out of the driveway, and driving away to the distinct sound of Alison's giggles in the seat ahead of me

Ok, so that doesn't even come close to covering everything, but there will be another blog -- soon to come -- which will be singularly devoted to our "Thanksgiving 2004 Quote and Unforgettable Moments" list. I know you're sitting on the edge of your seat already. But you'll just have to wait a little bit longer.

Wait anxiously. Check back persistently.
You will be rewarded.



But for now, dinner calls.