Winter season

is upon us. It is cold and dreary outside and I'm still in bed thinking back on the type of week I've experienced. My family and I went to my friend Carmen's for Thanksgiving dinner that got a late start and the turkey finally was done...about midnight. The turkey was so delicious and all of the food cooked was very excellent. Except for the gumbo, which was overcooked, actually burned on the stove, by accident and poor mama Diane was to blame. She was making a nice pot of wasabi mashed potato and may have accidentally turned on the back burner where the large pot of gumbo was resting. The next thing we knew, there was smoke billowing from the gumbo pot and mama rushed for the pot to turn it off and my daughter and I ran to open the windows while the smoke alarm was blaring it's signal. In the meantime, Carmen was in the shower shouting to us, "Mama? Is there something burning? We couldn't hear her because Maurice's Nintendo Wii was on loud. After getting the pot off of the stove, windows were opened, Carmen came out of the shower in her robe and inspected the gumbo pot and immediately noticed that it was her labor of love all evening, her gumbo pot that had been overcooked and burned the fixings that had settled to the bottom. Visibly upset at her mother, this had changed the whole dynamics of the evening. My brother arrived with my son with some provisions from the store including two bottles of liquor, one rum and one brandy which mama took no time in opening and held the coveted glass to her heart as if praying and drank it.
Things finally cooled down and we salvaged what we could from the gumbo pot, sausages, crab and shrimp. It was still good eating and along with all the other fixings, it was a good meal. The turkey was done about midnight and by this time we were all stuffed but managed to eat a little of the very moist turkey meat that Carmen had cut for us. 1:00am rolled around and it was time to go home.
Friday took us to Target to get some shoes for Maurice. Nani didn't go to work since she managed to get up at 2:00pm and tagged along with me. Bridgepoint Center in Foster City was very crowded and because the "parking goddess" was with me, we found an excellent spot right in front of the store. Carmen found a few good pairs of shoes for Maurice at clearance and we headed home but not before gassing up my big truck. In San Mateo off of 92 is a great gas station where the prices are always about 10 cents cheaper than anywhere else.
We stayed for dinner of leftovers from last night minus the gumbo, which I'm sure Carmen stated that she was throwing it out. Leftovers at the Evan's is always good and wholesome food. Mama seemed to be doing fine, she was still in her pj's. After leaving the Evan's, Nani and I went home, made a fire and watched T.V.
Saturday was pretty much chore day. Washing and drying clothes, cleaning up the yard while it's still dry and getting out the yard waste and securing the tarp before it starts to rain. My lemons are still green and waiting for it to turn yellow. Maybe I need to add more citrus food. The afternoon rolled around and I was tired. I took a long nap which they say is now beneficial for you. Tomorrow, I'm getting together with the Evans' to see the last of their play, "Stardust and empty wagons". It should be a packed house and I'm looking forward to it.

Stiff joints

this morning. It seems that my "rhummy" is back since the lowering of my prednisone medication and I am feeling every little ache. I'm on half a tablet until December 1st and still taking the folic acid and vitamin daily. The methotrexate is still once a week at four tablets. It hasn't been easy this week. My once swollen ankles are back especially the right ankle. It is much harder to walk today than the past days. There is a varied amount of stiffness in my finger joints as well as parts of my back but I'm trudging along in my day just a little slower than usual.
I've been to the play "Stardust and empty wagons" three times since it has been back in San Francisco. It is a wonderful production of talented cast members portraying actual Katrina survivors from Hurricane Katrina. Live music by the Hot 8 band is not to be missed, they are an awesome band playing beautiful rhythm and flavors of New Orleans. The play is a heart rendering story about the lives of Katrina survivors and how they survived the hurricane and horrendous flooding, what they went through getting their families out of New Orleans and to this day dealing with the mismanagement of FEMA and where they are now. Listening to their stories unfold and told in a way that lets you embrace them as long lost family and to encourage their fight against a government that does not have a clue and can't seem to get it together in this day and age! The last day for the play is Sunday November 25th at the Brava Theatre in San Francisco. Take your family and friends to see it. You won't be disappointed.