Lesson 620: Big Waves

Welcome to the Lamp Post on Black Friday.

Thanksgiving 2019 

was full of ups and downs.

I hope you have all recovered 

from your day of feasting.

Eloise didn't head out shopping this morning.

Instead I took my wavy hair out to see

the damage from the big waves on a high lake. 

This was Lake Erie in the late afternoon,

the day before Thanksgiving.

 The photos just cannot capture 

how windy it actually was.

My lens couldn't quite communicate 

the damage to my parents lakefront cottage,

early Thanksgiving morning.

The lake broke through the barricades,

knocked out the front door,

broke a window,

and spewed its guts into the little cottage they've owned since 1988.

Thankfully,

no one was hurt.

A long winter is ahead,

and the sooner the lake freezes, the better.

A frozen shoreline protects the beach.

My feral cats are all set and ready for a long winter.

Light is on in the chicken coop,

and I'm anxiously waiting to capture

a little head with triangle ears

peering out the glowing window.

The swish and swooshes we hear 5 miles inland 

aren't Lake Erie waves--

it's the driveway hoop.

Basketball season is here again!

Hubby stole all my Chinese auction tickets

and put them in the golf basket.

It worked.

Happy Hubby.

Thanksgiving was moved to the Lamp Post this year

to make for an easier trip for Grandpa,

who is getting used to his new knee.

My kids were so excited to host

that they helped.
A lot!

On top of the cleaning and house prep,

I let them each pick something to prepare.

Natalie went with a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving platter,

with sides of bacon and pickles.

Ellen went with a beautiful,

Pinterest inspired

charcuterie board.

We have two Italian named chocolatiers in Erie--

maybe there is room for one more.

Sam made some homemade chocolates.

It took him four hours

and he did his own clean up!

Hubby's smoked ham turned out perfectly.

Probably because he dumped one of my Rolling Rocks 

on top of it.

And,

in keeping with my holiday kitchen disasters,

here were my homemade rolls.

Pioneer Woman made it look so easy on her TV show.

Even Hazel was disgusted.

She sat guard beneath the turkey all afternoon

and my parents never tripped over her.

Whew!

We still had a kids' table.

An awkward family photo.

Visiting friends.

And fun moments.

My sister complained my house was too hot,

so we locked her out.

In summary,

Thanksgiving at the Lamp Post had its ups and downs,

just like the waves.

To leave you all with an up--

check out this video from a Charlotte area church

from a few years ago.

That is your only homework for the holiday weekend.

See you in December!

Eloise