i'll be getting drunk, taking some drugs and hoping I make it.. its going to be a nightmare..
Remember when surviving Thanksgiving was the biggest worry?
The in-laws haven't paid a visit in 10+ years and we haven't visited them since 2018, so I convinced my wife it's time to do the nice the nice thing and pay them a visit since Trump is at least out for now.
So we'll be packing up the kid and dog and heading out for the 12 hour one way drive early Wednesday morning. To answer stevewizzle's question, I'm thinking of playing some of my favorite albums of 2021 to help me through the drive, my daughter promises to catch me up on the Lana Del Rey albums I haven't heard, and my wife said she'll play the new Snoop Dog album (joy!)
After landing the SUV, we'll get to sleep in the basement that has no bathroom. This is a recurring theme with the in-laws. When I first visited them when i was 34 or 35 (and my fiancee was 29 or 30), I was forced to sleep in the basement alone (it was a different house), and had to pee in the utility sink (or climb stairs and go through the kitchen to get to the bathroom.) Why did I have to sleep alone? Because we weren't yet married, and that was the house rule. (Meanwhile, they were pregnant with my wife when they were unwed and 20, it's always do as i say not as i do with these Christians.)
Then Thursday, I'll be the guy eating sides at Thanksgiving, and feeling guilty about the glass of beer because I'm the only male at the table who's not an alcoholic. I wonder if football (which we three collectively give zero fucks about) will dominate the tv? Go Bears! At least it's not Christmas, so we won't be subjected to the Nashville Network Xmas coverage, a live broadcast of a Catholic Mass, and the old VHS tape of the Winans Christmas special, all at deafeningly loud volumes so Gramps can hear it.
Friday was to be the saving grace, with a trip into Chicago (a city I don't particularly like but it beats rura1 Indiana) and a visit to the new Half Acre location for some lunch, beer, and take home beer. But reading the fine print, if I were to take my 13 year old dog, he could come inside to the taproom or the heated tent and eat all the lunch he wants, but my vaccinated 14 year old human kid would not be allowed in those spots at all (even to eat a full lunch at a dead-ish time on a weekday); she would have to stay outside on the unheated patio which is only open "weather permitting." (*Weather predicted to be clear and 33, that's probablly weather permitting in Chicago) Oh well, I guess they don't need my $100+ anyway. I'm told the food is better at the BYOB ethnic joints anyway.
Then Saturday we recover back at the homestead and Sunday hit the road again.
Am I being a little too whiny? We do have plenty to be thankful for, and I am. We both have jobs, daughter is doing fine in high school, dog is still in amazing health for a teenager, grandparents are in good health, Trump is temporarily out of office, we got the boosters, hopefully they'll offer them to teenagers even if they really don't need them....so no more whining until 2024.
But now the trip just got 100 times weirder because on Saturday, my sister-in law's boyfriend blew his brains out and she discovered the body. But we're still invited!
So what are you guys spinning, and/or doing for Thanksgiving?
