'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE THANKSGIVING

When all through the house...



...not a creature -- oops, wrong holiday. Apropos, however, of the funny photo, below, received last evening with Happy Thanksgiving wishes from our good Newport friend Kimberly Jones, esteemed wife of AC Regatta Director Dyer Jones. Made me smile.







Kim would probably like to wring my neck after I woke them both up yesterday when I called Dyer on his cellphone early afternoon our time and forgetting how early it was in Newport (Dyer, turn your cellphone off when you go to bed!). Sorry, you two....



And here is a rare post from Leslie to the EFB; I have taken the liberty of copying a nice email she sent to the fams yesterday....



Hello to all and we send our love and Thanksgiving greetings from frosty Rissen-Hamburg, Germany.



I always find this a difficult holiday to celebrate without family since it is not recognized in this country. Come to find out, in October they (at least the Northern Germans) celebrate, Erntedankefest -- a gratefulness for the bountiful harvest. Only took me seven years to find out that one! Anyhow, it is a normal week here. Tom and I both work all week and school is in session, so Thursday is anything but traditional.



We did celebrate on Sunday with an 18 lb. bird, my outstanding onion-mushroom-sage stuffing, butternut squash, roasted potatoes, green-bean casserole, broccoli-carrot-cauliflower au gratin, and home-made cranberry-apple sauce with apple and pumpkin pies for dessert.



As you may have seen on the Blog, our good friends the Koks joined us. Unfortunately, we had hoped Cristine would join us but she had to cancel. Cris has a lead on an interesting art project for a private home, and it is never easy to leave Klaus, even when completely well-attended. We were disappointed but I worked Friday and cooked all day Saturday so it would have been a very short visit. We may go to Karlsruhe for a few days after Christmas and before the New Year celebrations, but haven't made firm plans. I would like to have Christmas right here because it will likely be our last in Germany and the season traditions here -- Christmas markets and decorations, etc. -- are amazing; plus we have spent three of the seven last Cmas holidays happily in Auckland, but for sure that is a different Christmas scene!



So, just an update to let you know you are all missed and loved, and welcome to come visit before we move from Rheingoldweg to Valencia, probably next July.



Happy Turkey Day - hug everyone for us,



Leslie, Tom and Meg