Things are going pretty good here. Been back to work now for several weeks since my surgery for my kidney stones. Pretty much all healed up from that. Still get some pain, but its getting better. Pond has been doing great. Have both pumps running and plan on leaving them running all winter. Skimmer box pump and bog pump are doing a great job and keeping the ice at bay so far. Had a great Thanksgiving at my dads with my wife and Eden. Spent the night there with him to do the whole Black Friday shopping thing with my sister and my dad. I honestly can't remember the last time it was just my dad and his kids together. It was great. I haven't spent any real quality time with my sister in years. The last time I saw her was when I was in the hospital for kidney stones and I was so drugged up on pain killers, I could hardly walk. Before that, it has been a few years. My dad woke me up at 4:30 so we could pick up my sister and be at Bass Pro when they opened at 5. The line was crazy long to get in, but it went really fast once the doors opened. We went to get the Carhart coats but they weren't the same ones that they said they would be. They were the really thin lined ones. I'm trying to find another one for me, but I'm having a hard time finding the thick one that I have. It must be the Artic lined coat. Its the black cotton quilting, not the silk quilting that most of them have. I ended up not getting a coat. We went to Menards after we were done there and got all that we wanted too. All the check out lines were really long, but I knew of a super secrete check out that didn't have a line. The Garden center. Nobody wants to stand in a line that is pretty much outside to check out on Black Friday in Iowa. I will. After our shopping was done, my dad took us out for breakfast at a small hole in the wall ma and pa shop. Those places have the best food. It was so great to see my dad happy like he was that day even if it was just for a few hours. I came home after that and took a long nap. I couldn't sleep too long because I had to get our own thanksgiving feast going here for my mother in law, all of our kids and some friends. That was the first time I have cooked a turkey. I must say it turned out really well. I think the leftovers the next day are almost better. Got family pictures tomorrow with my whole side of the family. I think last we counted, there will be 22 of us in the picture. It should be a fun time.
