I hope that everyone had a lovely thanksgiving! I was fortunate to be home in Torrington to spend the holiday with my family. By the time I arrived in Torrington, the city already looked like Frosty the Snowman had a big sneeze. We even had two massive tree branches fall from the weight of the snow.

The first snow is always to beautiful and picturesque. By the end of January I may need to go out of my way to witness a crime so that the Witness Protection Program could relocate me to a warmer climate. Extreme? We shall see…

I thought that this Thanksgiving would be more emotionally charged but really it felt like any other holiday. It wasn’t this grim reminder of finding out that I had cancer. It was just Thanksgiving. Good old turkey-eating, pie-gorging, Scrabble playing Thanksgiving. This time last year I was preparing myself for yet another surgery so I was still in the midst of all consuming cancer world. I remember feeling this intense need for camaraderie with other cancer crushers. I do still need that in my life but not with the same immediacy as this time last year. It was quite honestly a relief to not experience this holiday with a black cloud looming over it.

The time I had off was perfect. My parents and I had mini-Thankgiving the night before actual Thanksgiving. Hence my mom’s delighted face as she rubbed seasoned butter underneath the bird’s skin.

We spent my first day home relaxing, cooking, baking, and playing games. It was nice to have leisure time with my parents and no where to go. Truth be told I spent about 85% of my 5 days at home unapologetically in my jammies.

On actual Thanksgiving we headed to my cousin Sara’s house for an incredible spread. She is just amazing from the food down to the decor of her home and table. I’m pretty sure that if you cut Sara open you’d find Pinterest boards instead of vital organs. It was perfect and I was so thrilled to share her and her fiance’s first Thanksgiving in their home.

The only snag that day was on our up to Sara’s I was pretty nauseated. It only took a few bumps in the road before I was vomitting into the shopping bags that my dad luckily packed. When the snow melts in Litchfield someone is going to find a big ol’ bag of puke in the street. Sorry…

After the vomitting had subsided I had a nice empty stomach to fill up again on Thanksgiving food. In fear of another episode I didn’t over do it. (Unfortunately I DID overdo it the next day at lunch so again, puking commenced). How can a person have so much puke?! HOW?!

Well I would rather puke and feel relief than not and be nauseated. Damn you chemo.

On a less gross note, I got to reunite with my girl Jamie Anulewicz at where other than Twinco for breakfast. It felt wrong being there in the daylight, sober, amongst respectable people. The Thanksgiving football game we intended to go to was cancelled. We were hoping to see our old band director, mentor, friend, and resident bald guy- Mr. S. Wayne, if you’re reading this we missed you!!

I also hit the mean streets of Torrington with my wolfie pup Michelle. We felt that Dos Amigos was probably the most age appropriate place we could find short of crashing the Class of 2004 reunion. We had a margarita (sorry liver) and caught up. We have come a long way from binge drinking the night before Thanksgiving and eating the pancakes her mom would make us at 2am (shout out to Elaine for those pancakes!).

My lunch break is nearing its end so I must head back to my office. I hope that everyone had an amazing Thanksgiving!

Gobble.