The Gayla Pink Apple
**********************
A Favorite Thanksgiving Weekend,
One I'll Always Remember, Anyway!
One I'll Always Remember, Anyway!
If you are like me, most Thanksgivings are pretty much the same. Turkey and all the traditional side dishes with family, eating too much, and relaxing a little too much afterwards. Eating left-overs until you're miserably stuffed!
Thanksgiving 2007, my daughter spent the day before making homemade chocolate truffles with white chocolate drizzle, and a batch of pumpkin squares for the following day. On Thanksgiving day, I cooked the traditional meal for the three of us. Beautiful decorations and place settings on the dining table as expected. It was gorgeous and the food delicious! To our eye and taste buds anyway.
Friday after Thanksgiving is usually up for grabs. Some do the early shopping thing - get up at dawn and shop for sales, bargains, etc! Not me, I am not into fighting the crowds to get a bargain! Therefore, most years, our Friday after Thanksgiving would either be the beginning of decorating the house for Christmas or spending the day getting out the Christmas music - discussing the fact that Santa Claus would be coming soon - mixed in with some good ole lounging around the house.
But not in 2007 --- Blair and I had other plans. This time our Friday after was different. We got up very early and drove to Chicago. We had tickets to see the musical Wicked, for the third time, and were planning to shop til we dropped!! How much better could that be for two girls!!
We've been to Chicago several times before - we would usually fly - we did not normally drive. Flying to Chicago in November or December is quite unpredictable - you might get there, and then, you might spend most of your time sitting on the runway, or waiting at the gate in the airport. Big frown on my face. This happened to me too many times before and I wasn't in the mood.
But not in 2007 --- Blair and I had other plans. This time our Friday after was different. We got up very early and drove to Chicago. We had tickets to see the musical Wicked, for the third time, and were planning to shop til we dropped!! How much better could that be for two girls!!
We've been to Chicago several times before - we would usually fly - we did not normally drive. Flying to Chicago in November or December is quite unpredictable - you might get there, and then, you might spend most of your time sitting on the runway, or waiting at the gate in the airport. Big frown on my face. This happened to me too many times before and I wasn't in the mood.
The drive was tedious and long, but the two of us had a wonderful time singing, talking and laughing. Blair turned the music volume way too loud - I just let her do it and pretended I was her age. I wasn't about to say "turn down that music!" How could a young teenager have fun if all her mother said was "turn down that music?" So, honey, it was hit the road!
In Chicago, we wore our warm winter weather attire and shopped all day Saturday, then went to the musical on Saturday evening. Blair absolutely loves Wicked and could not see it too many times. I remember her describing the weekend as a marvelous dance through Thanksgiving and Chicago! Now, who could ask for more than that!
In Chicago, we wore our warm winter weather attire and shopped all day Saturday, then went to the musical on Saturday evening. Blair absolutely loves Wicked and could not see it too many times. I remember her describing the weekend as a marvelous dance through Thanksgiving and Chicago! Now, who could ask for more than that!
Having said that, she may have seen it as a dance through Chicago through her eyes, but this gal, saw it a little differently. Driving for 10 hours and then arriving in Chicago to a zillion inches of snow on the ground and blizzardly cold temperatures - uhhh - not a dance for me. The snow plows had pushed the snow to the side of the streets, and the snow banks were literally taller than the top of my car. Once the car was turned over to the valet parking guys this gal could breathe a little better. A big sigh of relief, once that was done the car would not have to come out of the parking deck until we were leaving for home. Everywhere we needed to go was within walking distance of our hotel. It was time to relax and soak in every moment with my favorite girl!
We had a blast! Bundled from head to toe with the warmest clothing we owned. Blair in her big coat, boots, gloves, and warm cap and scarf. Me - well - I had heels instead of boots! I did have my big coat, cap and scarf, along with warm gloves. But, why on earth was I in HEELS! Seriously, I must have temporarily lost my mind. But, it is the truth. I quickly got rid of them and regained my common sense replacing them with boots!
The city was decorated for Christmas. It was beautiful - snow everywhere - holiday season in the air. Shopping Michigan Avenue - the hustle and bustle of people at every corner - it was great. We shopped until our feet were frozen. It was a lot of fun to shop for Christmas gifts. We had plenty of room in the car to get them home - no airlines and carry on packages to fret with - so our Christmas shopping list was an easy breeze! This was the trip of shopping designer stores and upscale shops - particularly those we do not have in LR. As you can imagine, we were singing gloriously on the way home - gloriously sassy and gloriously broke too!
As we leave the hotel driving and maneuvering our way to the interstate - snow piled so high you can't see anything on either side of the car - except piles of snow - nasty dirty snow. I am internally a wreck. Sure enough I turn left at a stop light and all of a sudden I'm meeting traffic head on. I had turned onto a street going the wrong direction. In my defense, there was so much snow - only one lane was passable - there was no way to see other cars until you were about to kiss their headlights. My daughter says to me, "don't panic" and I then realized she had temporarily become the grown up. I see an alley with just enough open space to quickly turn my car into the tiny space. My daughter says, "we're fine, don't panic." Luckily, a man walking down the street came over and guided me backing out of the alley and directed my turn around. Back on track - all swell - we make it to the interstate and heading for home.
I would not change a thing about the weekend. Thinking back on it brings a huge smile to my face and joy to my heart. It was a wonderful weekend with my daughter and the memories - well, we rocked it! It's one of my favorite Thanksgiving memories of all, so far!
As we leave the hotel driving and maneuvering our way to the interstate - snow piled so high you can't see anything on either side of the car - except piles of snow - nasty dirty snow. I am internally a wreck. Sure enough I turn left at a stop light and all of a sudden I'm meeting traffic head on. I had turned onto a street going the wrong direction. In my defense, there was so much snow - only one lane was passable - there was no way to see other cars until you were about to kiss their headlights. My daughter says to me, "don't panic" and I then realized she had temporarily become the grown up. I see an alley with just enough open space to quickly turn my car into the tiny space. My daughter says, "we're fine, don't panic." Luckily, a man walking down the street came over and guided me backing out of the alley and directed my turn around. Back on track - all swell - we make it to the interstate and heading for home.
I would not change a thing about the weekend. Thinking back on it brings a huge smile to my face and joy to my heart. It was a wonderful weekend with my daughter and the memories - well, we rocked it! It's one of my favorite Thanksgiving memories of all, so far!
Dancing down memory lane,
Gayla
