Like all of you, I am trying to stay positive. But, I miss my tribe. My greater tribe, that encompasses the entire crazy Weizeorick clan and the Haldeman clan. As a people person, I am seriously deficient on in-person social contact. Since Thanksgiving is my very favorite holiday, I am trying to remain thankful. Perhaps there is an upside to this. Instead of hosting my usual 60 or so family in my home, I will have five. Yup, I even lost one of my own. Trent opted to spend Thanksgiving with Abby and her brothers. I can’t help but feel like I just didn’t have enough to offer to compete on that one. Without the mad dash of last minute preparations, followed by the surge of people, I look a little tepid. 

And seriously Covid, my house is a mess and desperately needed the “Thanksgiving Clean.” Don’t pretend that you all don’t know what that is. Maybe for you, it’s the “Christmas Clean” or the “Easter Clean.” It’s that deep down clean that can only be achieved when you are hosting a major event. The kind of clean that makes you think that maybe you would buy your house, even though you already did. The kind of clean that you like to pretend you always maintain. You can’t fake that kind of clean. It requires real pressure and a pre-Thanksgiving sleepless night. But it feels good for that one hour before everyone shows up and messes it up. This year, it’s not going to happen. 

In the mood of the “less clean” house, we decided that we would start our basement project before Thanksgiving instead of after Thanksgiving. Travis is doing an amazing job of running plumbing and electric and cutting holes in walls. I just hold things where they need to be and hand him tools. So far, the fighting has remained petty and with a serious lack of heat, but we aren’t painting yet, so there’s still time. Since we are spending our spare time in the basement, the house is a little more messy, so I am really feeling down. 

On top of that, Travis found out yesterday that he applied for unemployment from his current employer. That’s an interesting thing to discover. So, he filed a police report on the fraudulent claim and locked down his credit. Today, I get to spend some time trying to find out if I am included in the breech, and try to tap down my panic. I want to feel thankful, but sometimes people suck. 

On the upside, everyone in my extended clan is healthy, as far as I know. I get my girls back from school… Taryn is already here; Tessa comes home tonight. And while we can’t have the traditional Weizeorick Thanksgiving football game, this Thanksgiving will probably include a round robin doubles ping pong tournament, which would be difficult with the normal Thanksgiving numbers. And maybe before next Thanksgiving, I will have an updated basement, complete with a refreshed bar area with sink and recessed shelving, two recessed TVs, new floors, new ceiling, fresh paint all around, and finally a new downstairs bathroom. No more beige on beige for me. And Travis let me keep my cheesy spinning disco ball, so there’s that! He must love me because he hates that disco ball. 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Let’s enjoy our small Thanksgivings in our messy houses and feel the love via Zoom. Next Thanksgiving will be amazing… and hopefully normal.