Thanksgiving Day - Take-off Day

For a variety of reasons, we opted to fly out on Thanksgiving Day. Besides, that's the best day of the year to travel - everyone is already at their destination.

Joel's mother had planned a Thanksgiving Day celebration and we were invited. That was very nice and thoughful - but the event began at 11:30 a.m. and we needed to be at the airport by 1:30. That would have given us an hour at her house. We needed an hour travel time .

Well, I hadn't finished packing. You know - the detail stuff - the pharmacy. Now this year, all had to be packed in such a way as to not blow up the plane. All the gels had to be together in a plastic bag. All the liquids had to be together in a plastic bag. They had to be arranged in the luggage in such a way to ensure no spillage - or at least to secure lids so they wouldn't pop open.

I was up until 2 a.m. the night before packing - and as Joel later learned, it was a darned good thing I packed the Imodium, aspirin, Nyquil and all the other little goodies.

So, did we get to the party? No - and were blasted for it. Sorry - but we had a plane to catch and they knew it. I was nervous because this entire scenario was new to me. Joel was nervous too - and he had a speech to give. The last thing I wanted was to get filled up with bird and stuffing before the flaps when up. Socializing is fine - but this wasn't the day to to do it.

And - it's a darned good thing we didn't eat. Those chapters follow ....

PHOTO: Open air markets in Paris sell all kinds of food. Laws in the United States prohibit the sale of raw meat - hare, hen and hog - beef, shellfish, fish, squid, sea urchins, clams, crabs, oysters, veal, etc. in outdoor settings. But, this is how many in Paris buy their fresh food. Some of it looked so good, but we didn't give into temptation.... Fruit, nuts, flowers, breads, cheeses - the list goes on. Their cuts of meat were far superior to what we find in most grocery store meat counters in this country.