My sister, Mary Beth and I have had Thanksgiving dinner together for the 16 years before Stroke.

I am a Nurse and am expected to work two of the three holidays in the Fall: Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. Since Brittany wanted to spend Christmas with my brother, his wife (now her adoptive parents)and their son (her cousin, but also brother-there are only nine months between the kids), I chose to work Christmas and New Year's.

We did Christmas Eve with the whole family either here or at my brother's; Bruce and I had our Christmas my first day off after Christmas. One year it wasn't until the 29th. Tough for me to wait. Bruce always prefers the anticipation! New Year's Eve we generally had dinner with friends and then an early night, since I had to work in the morning.

November 2009-8 months post stroke-both Mary Beth and I were determined to have our normal Thanksgiving at her home. Bruce was walking with the long leg brace. Most of you have read the blogs. Beautiful day until we figured out Bruce could not get up from her toilet. Bathroom is tight. I fell trying to get him up and had to have my sister and brother-in-law help and at that, I had had enough and drove home 2 hours in light snow Thanksgiving night. Mary had called our friends who arrived here to help me get him up the ramp and the truck unloaded.

November 2010. Bruce is not walking at all now. Yes, we could probably have gotten him up three steps, but again what do we do about the bathroom. Mary Beth and I both had a terrible day. I think we were on the phone to each other most of the day. We missed each other, the "traditions": Bruce and Liz making the gravy, Melissa and I setting the table, Bloody Marys while stuffing the turkey, pies for dessert. We both did the usual dinner at our own homes. Her family couldn't wait to get up from the table and into their own things and Bruce, while he appreciated the work, really just wanted his TV and a nap. Mary Beth and I agreed then that that would not happen again.

So her family is coming south. Brittany, Junior and Izabella plan to come for dessert and I can't believe my brother will not be with his Granddaughter-lol, so expect him and my other brother at some point.

With numbers up in the air, Bruce and I decided to do a 15 lb. turkey. He is so excited about everyone coming. We have a couple of appointments coming up, a new round of Botox and maybe some PT-OT, plus of course the continuing yard-house clean up. You all know I need to get my ducks in a row-lol. So Bruce and I made out the menu, ran it by Mary Beth and Bruce went into couponing mode-lol.

Last week he got the turkey for 58 cents a pound and then, with the rest of the grocery order, we filled up the Honda at 50 cents off a gallon.

Thursdays the store circular comes and when I got home Thursday night, went in to say goodnight and Bruce says please look at the "post." That is what he calls it. Was so excited, plus he worked without the list, which was in the kitchen and Cathy had no clue what he was talking about.

We did 90% of the Thanksgiving shopping, plus our normal OJ, Milk, meat. Total bill was $130.00 and we paid $70.00 plus have another 50 cents off gas. We will do the Brussel Sprouts and celery the week of, because I want them to be fresh. Mary Beth is bringing pies and rolls and we will need to get a nice wine for dinner. He so wants to be a part of all of this. I told him he still has to do the gravy, as Mary Beth and I do not do well with gravy-lol.

So we still have the housecleaning and guest room prep. Bruce promised he would help. I also told him that regardless of the sales, unless it was free; grocery list for the next few weeks will be limited to fresh fruits, veggies, fresh fish and milk. He has built an incredible stockpile and yes we also feed Leo, Cathy and Jen when they are here.

Funniest thing is woman in our checkout line says, OH, you are the couponing guy! I know this is a relatively small town and with Bruce being in a WC, we certainly stand out, but that was funny. Was running her list by Bruce as I am checking out. Later he says to me "she didn't do well with her choice of the Laundry Detergents. Hers cost less for two but did not get as many loads as ours". LOL, now he is the coupon guru!

So looking forward to the holiday, am so happy that Bruce is finding something he can enjoy and feel confident with. Good week all, Debbie