Four day weekend!

November is a terrific month to work in a school. We were off Tuesday for Election Day, had school Wednesday, and we're off yesterday and today for NJ Teachers Convention. I feel that I've used the time well.

Tuesday I went to an inservice from 8-1. It was sponsored by the county, was held at the middle school in my town, was free, and we got 5 CEU/prof dev hours! And they had a continental breakfast. And it was interesting, which few inservices are.

I'm still feeling virtuous- yesterday I had a colonoscopy for the first time. As the doc said, the prep will kill you, the procedure is nothing. I had to be there at 6 a.m., and was home by 9 a.m. The hardest part was getting the IV put in. They wheeled me in, the nurse anesthetist said Nighty Night, and then I was in recovery. The results were good, and they'll see me in 5 years. So this year I've had a mammogram and a colonoscopy, not to mention the hysterectomy. What a year!

So it's November! We got no trick or treaters for Halloween- we're at the end of a dead end street, and it's too much trouble for the kids. So I was feeding Reece's to my co-workers.
Tomorrow is my nephew Kevin's birthday, and great-nephew Justin's birthday party. Later this month are my friend Franny, sisters-in-law Donna and Morgan, and nephew Joseph's birthdays.

I also finally quilted the quilt that's been up on the HQ for about a month. My friend Barbara has a quilt she wants to do, so that motivated me to get to it. It still needs to be trimmed and bound. I've been in crochet mode. I finished an afghan for Steph's friend Kate, and started another one.

In October I read 9 books, which brings the total for the year up to 130. I added several books to my Nook. Barnes and Noble announced they are coming out with a Nook Color, which is like a mini iPad. It's not an upgrade, but a different product. I read the specs, and I don't want one. LCD screen (hard on the eyes), 8 hour battery life (mine will go about a week) and it has to go to BN when the battery needs to be replaced. And I don't intend to either read magazines or kid's books on it, so I don't need the color. And it's only WiFi, no 3G's.

I've been going over recipes to decide what to make for Thanksgiving. We celebrate with the moms and Big Mike and Donna and their kids and whoever else is around. This year Ben and Manda will be with us. Donna does the turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and pineapple stuffing, and I do a lot of sides and a dessert. I do a broccoli casserole in the crockpot that the "kids" all like, and I found a crockpot recipe for brussels sprouts that looks promising. Sweet potatoes in another crockpot. Cranberry something. And Joseph's Trifle, which I make almost every year.

And since Ralph is retired now (and job searching) he doesn't have to work any of the holidays!

And the beat goes on!
Holly