Day 97

Thanksgiving. The holiday that for some reason will never vary the food choice. Turkey, cranberry, stuffing, potatoes, and beans.... Why not orange chicken? Pastas? Artichokes? And a berry bowl?

I woke up at my grandma's and for the most part hung around her house for a few hours. I was playing with the new tablet for awhile (Acer..... it's no iPad, but it's Google's tab... like a giant android phone). Ruby, Shelby's defiant and stubborn dog ran away and me and my cousins walked up and down streets trying to find the bitch. My uncle and Cameron found her, way down at the end of the street.

Cameron, Kelsey and I then ran to downtown Monroe to a CVS pharamcy to grab some drinks and medicines (odd combo). Then we dressed up, and I packed up, and we went to Toledo to my Uncle Mike's house for a very large Thanksgiving meal. Beer, Turkey, Cranberry Sauces, Stuffing, Red wine, (why are all these in caps?), guacamole, smoked salmon, trail mix, pretzels, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, cheesy potatoes, and other dishes were served. (There Lauren... there's my meal run down).
One thing great about Toledo is the fuel. Gas is under $3.00 here! Yes, I filled up my car to the brim. Later on in the evening, I followed my cousin Jason over to his house he bought, with Cameron riding with me. Jay's a cook. He's gone to culinary school for two years now, and is loving it. He's trying to get on a cruise line and serve food. He cooks at some restaurant in Novi, I forgot the name, but it's a non-national chain. His house was beautiful, it reminded me of a Heritage Hill house in G.R. Hardwood cherry floors, upstairs, and heck, he even built his own recording studio in the top floor, complete with soundproofing the entire room with carpet. Made me want to move out.... in fact, it made me want everything I questioned the night before. I mean, how fun would it be to buy an old house, fix it up, paint it with your wife, take a break from painting and make love on the paint sheets. That sounds swell.

But of course, I am not married, I am not a home owner, but I am a determined gent. The entire ride back I thought about the image of love. Even to the point of not fooling around with other women. To be honest, this is what I'm thankful for. Love, and what little I know if it, is powerful. So strong that it can forgive someone's past and fill that dark past and even the future with love. I don't believe love operates on a linear time table. It's a beauty of a thing. I feel, not even biblically speaking, but secular speaking, abstinence is important because it preserves that love. As my aunt put it, "Derek, every time you get physical with a girl, you're doing that with someone's wife". It's true. The last image I want is to look in my wife's eyes and become reminded or see something that would cause pain. That is your woman/man. You want them to be as pure as can be. But, even if they have had a past, that love, it has to be so strong, that it will wipe that clean.... that's what love should look like. This is why I'm not going to so much as even kiss another girl unless I'm in a relationship with her. I don't know a lot about real love, but it sounds amazing, and I'll do everything I can to have it.

Ended the night with watching Seinfeld with my cousin and uncle. We spent the night at his house in Toledo, preparing for the busy day to follow at Westfield Mall. Two letters... H & M.

- Thanksgiving Table -