Traveling On...

The hospital where Chris works uses contract surgical techs on a regular basis. These contract workers get paid a salary plus a per diem and are contracted for a set period of time. (I guess that's supposed to be cheaper than hiring them and paying them wages and benefits.) They are refered to as "travelers" since they are not local employees.

Two if them came to join us for Thanksgiving dinner yesterday. I hope they enjoyed the day as much as we enjoyed having them. I imagine that it is difficult to be away from home and your family and friends. I hope that we were a suitable stand in for the day.

Now it is the morning after the long, festive day and while others are fighting crowds for great sale prices on highly coveted items, I am enjoying my coffee in my quiet home and blogging away. It is another reason to give thanks!

Black Friday.
Back before Black Friday was a real thing and stores were just beginning to advertise great door buster deals for the early morning shopper on the day after Thanksgiving, I waited with a small group of people for doors to open at 5AM to buy hand held Gameboys for the kids. I was in, out and back in bed by 5:30.

Another year I got a leather bomber jacket for Chris. When I got to the part of the store with the jackets, a lady had just grabbed an armload of them and was sorting through them for the size she needed.
"Got a small?" I asked.
She looked down, grabbed one and handed it to me.
Again, I was back home in no time.

This year, we are skipping the Christmas shopping and simplifying Christmas -- sort of.
I say sort of because shopping might be more simple than making stuff. I think that Chris has been enjoying the crafting part of this season. We never really want the kids to spend much on us anyway, so this is nice for them, too.
I'm happy enough to have them home for the holidays.

It's pretty cool today, so I don't know if I'll go riding. It is supposed be 60F (15.5C) tomorrow. I've debated (with myself) about putting the windscreen back on for the winter. For now, it'll stay off. When it gets colder, we'll see if I keep it off and tough it out, keep it off and ride less, or just breakdown and put it back on. Since I doubt that I'll be taking any long trips, my guess is that I'll leave it off and keep riding.

I hope that you are one of the fortunate ones that get to enjoy the Friday after Thanksgiving as you please -- whether that is fighting crowds, enjoying nature or just relaxing.
Whatever the case (even if you're working), be thankful!

John <><