Happy Thanksgiving weekend!

So, oddly, I didn't update here much during my week off. It's been a great vacation, though I never again reached the towering heights of productivity that I did on Monday. There's more to life than typing, though (and I did get some work done). Tuesday Heather didn't feel well, and stayed home sick. I slept in with her until early afternoon, then left her (she wasn't feeling as bad by then) to do some shopping in Berkeley. That wasn't too successful, actually -- I was looking for very specific things, and only found two of them. They're all things I could order online easily, but I'm philosophically disposed toward supporting local businesses (and in Berkeley, it's possible to support real local businesses, not just the local arm of your friendly multinational coagulating conglomerate). Alas, my local businesses could not serve most of my needs, so I'm going to resort to the internet for a lot of my Xmas shopping. So it goes.

Heather had a doctor's appointment that afternoon, a diagnosis was made (nothing life-threatening, just life-annoying) and she was prescribed some medication that, oh stars and wonders, actually seems to work! So we're cautiously hopeful that things will be better, especially once she deals with some exacerbating stress-factors...

Wednesday I rose, and wrote my review of Campbell's Told by the Dead, at last. Then I went to have lunch with my favorite ruler of a magazine, Susan Marie. We ate fine food and talked of many things and generally had a fine time.

Thursday Heather and I nested most thoroughly. We did a sort of miniature personal Thanksgiving, with mashed potatoes and stuffing (the all-starch Thanksgiving!), and I had a couple of turkey club sandwiches in honor of the day. We didn't do a formal what-are-we-thankful-for thing, but by spending the day together we were immersed in that thing for which we are most thankful -- the fact that we're together.

We also watched a lot, lot, lot of the West Wing marathon. We'd never seen it before. It's a good show.

Friday -- yesterday, only just yesterday! -- we went to my boss's house for a post-Thanksgiving dinner. We arrived around 3 in the afternoon to help set the table and prepare the meal. It was an altogether great night. My managing editor Kirsten was there, along with her husband and their daughter; other co-workers in attendance included kest and Carolyn. Bob Silverberg and Karen Haber were also there, and -- surprise guests! -- Kelly Link and Gavin Grant. It was so great seeing them, and getting to talk about small press stuff, and their upcoming projects, and the avalanche of Year's Best stuff they're presently buried beneath, and other things. Quite apart from the various cheeses, olives, strawberries, champagne, and grapes that preceded dinner, the meal itself was magnificent, with turkey, three-sausage stuffing, four kinds of cranberry sauce (the brandy and the mandarin orange were the only two I tried), various vegetables, sweet potatoes, and other forms of gustatory loveliness. And, as part of the staff, I get leftovers next week! Whoo! Heather and I stayed and talked with my boss and Kelly and Gavin, sampling scotch and brandy, listening to stories about the publishing world, being thoroughly charmed and entertained. My boss finally shooed us out around 11 -- Heather and I hadn't realized it was getting so late.

And now I'm on day 8 of my 9 day vacation. Oh, where does the time go? There may be more social excursions tonight. If so, fear not, dear reader, for I shall report back here.