Another Thanksgiving in the Books...

I survived yesterday!

I ended up reserving a room at Aloft again due to the A/C problem.  Today, the weather is quite the opposite - it is cold and the temperature in the apartment has hit 70.  I also think it is time to change the living room smoke alarm batteries.  I believe I heard something chirp and that was when I turned on the heat.  Still, I must tell the complex today that the A/C has an obvious leak and needs to be fixed.  I will also ask them to come in and replace the batteries in the two smoke alarms...if I do not call Rent-A-Man first.

I made it over for the Thanksgiving gathering.  Sitting on the bar stools always make me hurt and this year, it really kicked up the knee pain.  Considering the bad rains I had to endure getting there and back, I really think I probably should have just stayed home.  I "white knuckled it" home.  People were driving crazy and the splashing of the water onto my car where I could not see was abundant.

I got home to an apartment that was 80 degrees - WITH THE FREAKING WINDOW OPENED!  Considering the rain, there is no way I could allow the window to remain open, so the whole scenario was ridiculous.

I grabbed a few things and put into an overnight bag, got the dogs, stopped by Applebee's to grab a sandwich, then headed to Aloft.  I was so soaked from the rain.  I had to walk the dogs in the rain, then was continually getting drenched every time I had to go outside.

While the room was nice at Aloft, I was not able to get a first floor room.  That did not make Bo very happy.  It is a major undertaking to get him into an elevator - he hates them.  However, once out of the elevator and to the room, both Bo and Chloe were able to relax, especially once the room temperature hit 65 degrees.  

Me?  I sat at the desk after getting everyone else settled and looked out the rain covered window.  How could a holiday like this be so upside down?  I was upset over some things I had learned at the dinner.  I was looking for how do I let it all go - how to get past the pain?  I missed my mother terribly.  I had been an hour and half late getting to the "gathering" due to weather and sorting out how to keep the dogs comfortable in the apartment.  Driving in the rain is not my most favorite thing to do since the accident in 2006 with the "Bug."  I was going over there to have dinner with my father.  Going home, I continued to wonder if I had done the right thing with fighting with the weather and the emotions waving over me.

Next year, I will just stay home and do what I had intended to do - Relax, make my own dinner, and enjoy the day being Thankful for the dogs in my life and blessed with the opportunities I have been given.  Let my mother know how thankful I am for the time I had with her and how I am trying hard to stand on my own.

My prayers for the upcoming year - finding a way to afford getting a house and being able to breathe again.