We spent most of the last weekend finishing up shopping for Christmas gifts for Mary, Martin, Karen’s parents, sister, brother in law, our nephew and niece. I know it’s kind of early, or not if you’re some people, but we have to get things mailed off to the kids before we leave tomorrow for San Jose just to make sure they get everything by Christmas. This mailing to England is tricky, but we’ll get the hang of it.

San Jose… tomorrow we jump on the Amtrak and are taking the train down to see and spend Thanksgiving with Karen’s parents, and her sister and her family. I’m excited. Both by the prospect of taking the train (how fun, we got a mini sleeper car) and of seeing Karen’s family. Plus, I’m ready for some tasty bird as well. Ah Thanksgiving, the day when we are expected to eat too much and then be semi catatonic the rest of the day. Just lovely.

As for the rest of our weekend… the power went out on Sunday afternoon. Good thing we hadn’t started making dinner yet. It was out for a couple of hours. Kinda nice really. We just lit some candles, grabbed a blanket, and sat chatting in our cozy living room. Weston got loads of attention as well, which I’m sure he appreciated.

Now, it’s Tuesday. Last night we wrapped presents. All the stuff we’d purchased over the weekend and then some. It was like a little elf assembly line. You wrap that batch over there and I’ll do these…. worked out pretty well, I must say. Two back aches later and we were done. At least with the first round. Everyone else’s stuff will get purchased and wrapped after we get back from the great Thanksgiving train adventure.

The train adventure… we have downloaded some television shows, we have some movies, we have cameras, we have loads of music, some books, a deck of cards, and a travel game set. I think we’re good to go. All that’s left is to find parking at the station, find our little roomette on the train, and be off. Taking the train… sort of a romantic notion. I like it.