Home For Thanksgiving - and Back

We flew home from Florida to Philadelphia for Thanksgiving to be with our kids, grandkids, and family.  The weather was relatively mild (40' and 50's) until the last day when it was 28 degrees in the morning.

My husband took a picture with the Eagles display at the
Philly airport

I loved the crisper weather ( for the week) but most of all I enjoyed the lights and festive decorations on all the houses. In South Florida, there are mostly condos where I live and the personal decorating is at a minimum. However, the streets and condo building are highly decorated. Maybe it just doesn't feel like the holiday season in South Florida because it' still so warm (70's and 80's). 

Anyway I'm back in Florida after a 6 day visit to the Philadelphia area. 

During my stay, I went to a few doctor appointments on Monday. 

On Tuesday afternoon I got together with friends to play a friendly game of canasta for 3 hours. 

Tuesday night we went to pay a Shiva Call for a friend whose 96 year old mother had died a few days before.

Wednesday I met my good friend Vicki for a full day of activities: we treated ourselves to facials, had lunch out, sparsely decorated a small outside pine tree in front of her condo, and went to the movies to see Wicked. 

We could not reach the top branches

Thursday, we spent Thanksgiving Day at my older son's home with 30 other people (all relatives). I took pics of the vegan food, but there was plenty of turkey and other goodies!! 

I made baked butternut squash topped with homemade simple but delicious hommade cranberry sauce . In the past, I've also made a delicious cranberry apple chutney sauce. 

I took a pic of the table for 30 before it was done being set

The dinner was served buffet style . 
Turkey, GF stuffing, salads, sides, winter squash soup, breads, and pies. 

I'm the one with the fanny pack- with my 2 sister in laws, my granddaughter and my son's in-laws 

Winter squash soup 

                                           

Someone brought these gluten-free
vegan donuts from a gluten-free bakery, 

What are turkeys thankful for? Vegetarians

Friday we went back to my son's home to spend the late afternoon and evening. We ate leftovers, played some serious games of Rummy Cub with the grandkids, and said our teary good-byes. Next get together is in April!!

Me and one of my granddaughters

Saturday, we straightened up the kitchen, packed our backpacks, took off for the air-port, returned our rental car, and sat in the busy airport for 4 hours waiting for our flight. 

Left everything nice and neat in my kitchen

While in the airport, we had lunch (I found a place called-Currito which had lots of vegan ethnic food), window shopped, and read. The Philadelphia airport is quite large and actually hosts a small mall that was fun to browse. 

Thank goodness our flight back was happily uneventful.

Glad to be back in Florida after a wonderful visit to Philadelphia area !!!

My Notes: 

Wicked -Despite my son, daughter-in-law and teenage grandkids loving the movie, and hearing rave reviews from neighbors, I thought the movie was toooo long and I was ready to leave (but didn't) half way through the 2 hour and 45 minute movie. I will admit that I liked the last 45 minutes the best! 

That being said, the acting, singing, scenery, technology etc was all excellent. Just too long and drawn out. I had seen the show on Broadway and love it. 

Did you see the movie? What did you think? 

I'm sharing this post with Sherry's IMK (In My Kitchen). It is basically my son's kitchen but that's what I've got to share this month.