Grateful for: The good news from Maine. Mom has gotten the unofficial word that the mass on her thyroid is benign.

Matthew's Phrase of the Week: "Ha ha, very funny, ho ho." I think he picked this up from the Charlie Brown Halloween special, which the boys were watching earlier this week; it sounds like something Lucy says.

Thanksgiving Shopping

10:35 a.m. I'm at Wegmans, where I've come to do our food shopping for Thanksgiving. Right now I'm sitting at one of the tables, drinking a cup of the special coffee of the week, pumpkin pie spice. It's not bad, but I prefer hazelnut or the house blend. Or tea, as I still consider myself primarily a tea drinker.

Stephen and Matthew are in the playroom. I guess we are getting to be regulars: both of the child care workers on duty today, Miss Ruth and Miss Dee, recognized the boys and greeted them by name when we arrived. Fortunately, the twins love to come here, and it gives me a break for an hour and a chance to accomplish the weekly shopping without fights breaking out in the shopping cart or little hands reaching for items on the shelves.

My list today is a lot longer than usual, so I'm especially glad I can shop by myself. Here's what I have to get today:

Cranberries

Onions

Potatoes

Green beans

Miniature marshmallows

Chicken stock

Cream of mushroom soup

Crushed pineapple

Bread flour

Fried onions

Onion salt

Pistachio pudding mix

Cream cheese

Sour cream

Cool Whip

As you may be able to surmise from the list, our Thanksgiving menu is not exactly haute cuisine.

Conversation in the Car

As we were driving home after picking up Daniel at school, Stephen noticed a man walking along the railroad tracks.

"Ooooh, look what that guy is doing!"

"So what?" responded Daniel.

"He shouldn't be doing that, right, Mama?"

"Right, honey."

"So?" Daniel said again. "It's his decision."

"But if a train comes along, he will get hurt!"

"But it's his decision," Daniel insisted. "Mama! Stephen stuck his tongue out at me!"

"Well, that makes him look foolish, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, you look foolish, Stephen! You look like...like a..." Daniel paused, searching for a dismissive epithet. "You look like an embarrassing clown!"

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