Dear Kids,
      We had a great Thanksgiving here at the cabin. But now it’s the day after, and the turkey carcass is out in the field, picked clean by the magpies. I just finished off the dressing, and I’m eating the next to the last piece of pie. Dad is fixing the washing machine (won’t spin) and Paul is doing homework. But the holiday was great while it lasted. Al and Missy and their kids came to the cabin the night before, and hung out with Tom and Kim. The kids are a great matchup–Ellie played with Emma, and Carson played with Bentley, and I didn’t notice any fighting at all. Dad and Paul and I came Thursday morning, with Grandma and Grandpa. They really enjoyed getting out for a day! Grandpa especially likes that ride up Provo Canyon. Some of my family had said they couldn’t go, but all those people were out of town, so Grandma said she could do whatever she wanted. She used a cane to get up the cabin steps, and a walker the rest of the time. Her knee seems to be healing fine, and we hope she’ll have a lot more mobility than before.
      Our great entertainment (besides the turkey dinner) was watching the video of Allen getting tased. If you haven’t seen it, it’s on Missy’s blog. A few weeks ago, when Boyd was visiting us, Allen was talking about the relative advantages of getting shot vs. getting stabbed. He said he’d rather be shot. Maybe that’s why he looked so excited, before they tased him. After the shots hit–well, you can watch it and see for yourself. He said it really hurts.
      After Thanksgiving dinner, some of us went and hiked the loop–Allen, Paul, and myself. Coming down, by the beaver pond, I got all excited about some moose tracks on the road. I said, “Hey, look at the moose tracks!” Allen said, “Hey, look at the moose!” There were three of them, just ahead of us, next to the road, eating the bushes. We talked as loud as we could, so they’d run away. There wasn’t much chance they would stomp us, but we didn’t want to see.
      Last night, Nora and James and their kids came to the cabin, from Ogden. So it was round two of fun. They slept over and went home this morning, so now it’s quiet again, and we’re sort of bored. I laid some more sod on the sledding hill, probably the last for the year. I never thought I’d still be working on that hill! Usually we have snow before Thanksgiving. Who knows when winter will ever come?
      Last Saturday was my duet recital at Riverton Music, and Robyn Noel had her students play, too. Her Dad played Jurassic Park with her, which was really cool. All the Fulton kids and the McGettigan kids were splendid. Jana McGettigan showed up without her wig, and her new hair is very short and very curly. Jana and Robyn and Stacy Menlove and I played the March Militaire quartet. It was so much fun, I wanted to do it all over again. In fact, the whole recital was so much fun, I wished we could do it again.
      Dad and I are having a Christmas Music open house again this year, probably December 18th. So start rehearsing. You can sing, play the piano, eat cookies, play the kazoo, whatever you and your kids want to do. We’ll invite my piano students and some ward members, too. If you have any friends who want to come, they’re also invited.
      I’m really excited about all the other Christmas fun coming up, too. Love to all, Mom