well, i'm home now in kansas. [sigh] right after i got off the plane, my parents whisked me off to this really yummy French bistro in downtown Kansas City--called something like Le Fre Frogue. My parents just call it the French Frog restaurant. Anyhow--the food there was delicious and I had a good dinner conversation with the parents. I was sad to arrive home and find out that my brother isn't coming home for Thanksgiving---I thought he was. This will be the very first Thanksgiving without the entire family together.

So then we slowly drove home...I was quickly reminded of how extremely flat Kansas is. Then we took the ever familiar West Lawrence exit, $1.25 toll. So surreal. I haven't been home in a year and everything seems foreign to me. I walked into the old kitchen and noticed the new stove and dishwasher my mother had just gotten installed a week ago. Then my dad excitedly grabbed me and showed me the cool Direct TV satellite channels that we get now--why didn't we have something like this when I actually lived here? The biggest change--> I walked into my bedroom to find a crazy flower print bed with matching curtains. Whatever happened to my favorite cow pattern?! So, I was a freak in high school and loved cows...loved all sorts of cow decorations. And I had a hilarious matching comforter set with curtains. Looking at it now, it's kinda horrifying...but it reminds me of how silly I once was. Anyhow, the cow pattern is gone, replaced by "guest bedroom" decor. Aaah.

My friend Sara came by and picked me up and we went to our old hangout, the Bourgeois Pig. Drank 2 yummy martinis and caught up in our lives. Then we called Jed (who now has a cell phone!) and found him hanging out at Matt and Rachel's place. We drove over there and saw some familiar faces, sipping beer out in the cold. It's bizarre to see Matt...he was my "high school sweetheart" as I generally like to put it. And Jed...he's just the same guy as he always is. No surprise that he was just over at Duffy's tonight, singing karaoke. I can't decide if much has changed...or if the pace is just slower here. I can always come back home and find the same people doing the same things every night.

So anyhow, I'm home now, typing away on my dad's new computer with this really nice 21" screen. Parents tend to buy a lot more toys once the kids leave--does anyone else notice this?
Tomorrow's the big day. I plan on making that yummy salmon salad that Matthew likes to make...and my first attempt at pumpkin pie. Shouldn't be too hard--but a big accomplishment for me. And then the Wongs will be over and I can catch up with Rod.

I wonder how Betina's doing back in Seattle. tee hee---she has an office crush...and office crush has a crush on her. Things are going well...I'm so happy for her.