Wednesday I got nervous when the number of RSVPs for my Thanksgiving dinner shot up to 21. They'd go to 24 before settling back down to the 17 that did show and I had planned for.

Michael arrived and we went to a cocktail party at Tarae's. "Don't forget to leave that dip."

Fortunately I had cleaned house on Wednesday, because I spent almost all day on Thursday setting up, decorating, and preparing the meal. It went at a pretty good pace until folk started arriving and my heartrate began racing.

But Michael and Kelli were there to help me in the kitchen, which made for a wonderful moment. This is the first time my sister has met one of my boyfriends while I was dating him. They liked each other.

The meal was great, and a handful of us sat around afterwards drinking and talking and having a pretty nice time.

But there was tons of food leftover.

So, Friday morning I invited a handful of folk to come to a "leftover party" on Friday evening and ordered them not to bring anything.

Michael and I then went shopping all afternoon, finally rushing back home after seven and just in time for the start of the leftover party. A few people showed and we drank and ate and ate and drank and laughed and talked and had a great time.

Saturday was perfect. Slept in. Laid in bed reading. Fixed lunch. Folded laundry while listening to the game and watching tv. Cleaned house. Visited Mom and dropped stuff back off at her place that I had borrowed. Dinner, and then went to see The Departed.

Thankfully I did finally get to see the latest Scorsese. I've been SO behind in my movie viewing. Though I enjoyed it and thought it better than anything since Casino, I also didn't think it was a masterpiece or his best work since Goodfellas, like so many of the reviews said. It was a good movie, but for me it didn't quite have the poetry of Scorsese's best work. Of course, I'm the weird one who thinks Age of Innocence is his best film. For The Departed: 3 1/2 film reels, 4 popcorn kernels.

Sunday, slept in again, but were at the church by 3 setting up for the banquet that is a fundraiser for our Christmas baskets for those living with HIV/AIDS. It was a good night, with a fun dinner. I was exhausted afterwards, but still took the time to drop by the Boom for a drink and to see Casey who was home visiting from Florida.

Michael left early this morning. And I miss him. I really got used to the four days together.