"Why did the turkey cross the road?"

---- "Because it was the chicken's day off."   

And that was one of the silly riddles that went into a Thanksgiving card for one of J's grandchildren.  We had another card-making afternoon today, me and J and J.  Surrounded by boxes of Thanksgiving papers and pictures, double-sided tape, fancy scissors, and slices of dessert made by Paula Deen, courtesy of the local supermarket.

Last month, the three of us made Halloween cards... both J and J sending handmade cards to their grandchildren, and me sending cards to my cousins.   We had talked about getting together for Thanksgiving cards earlier this month, and somehow, turkey-day just crept up on us and before we knew it, next week is Thanksgiving already.

So there we were, sitting around my dining room table, with J asking silly riddles that she popped up on her iPhone, and J and I laughing at the answers.  After a Paula Deen sugar buzz, it doesn't take much to make us laugh.  "When was the first time the pilgrims said God Bless America?"  --- "The first time America sneezed."  Well, it was funny this afternoon.  I guess you just had to be there.

What was also funny was the intense quiet that existed in that dining room after we had laughed at the riddles.  All three of us looking through the box of Thanksgiving papers and embellishments, deciding what paper to use for which card, which stickers looked best--- the scarecrow or the pumpkin, the leaves or the acorns?  You would think we were all helping Michelangelo design the Sistine Chapel.

I look at card-making as very relaxing..... if I'm not making cards or reading, then I'm on my feet in the kitchen or going up and down the stairs in this big old house.  So making cards or reading a book forces me to sit down for a while, and it's like taking a deep breath and just letting the time pass.   

We started making cards at 3:00 this afternoon...... before we knew it, the clock said 5:30. How could that be? What happened to the afternoon?  Did the husbands want dinner?  Again?  Didn't they all eat yesterday?!  Does anyone ask Hallmark what time dinner will be on the table???