turkey time

So I've resolved to start posting again. Because... You know. Some things are happening. Because I feel my thoughts and experiences are important and valuable to the world. Because I read a lot of blogs and think, I have something to say about that too. Because I need more stuff to do that is not doing homework.
Anyway, I've been gargling a lot of salt water recently. I've had a sore throat on and off for a couple of weeks, and it's one of those things I know I'm supposed to do but don't know why or who told me. It's really gross. But, my Urdu professor tells us gargling things will help us think about how to correctly pronounce the letter that is transliterated usually, i think, as an aspirated g "gh" and in hindi is just a regular g with a dot under it. If you ask me the "guh" sound and this letter have next to nothing in common. But apparently this pronouncing this letter and gargling things are pretty much the same thing.
Some other things have been happening:
Yesterday was Thanksgiving. I had dinner with Auntie Em and friends, brought Marshall along. I love hanging out with grown ups sometimes. They were all clever and nice and well-dressed. And the food--
Highlights were brussel sprouts, Emmy's mashed potatoes with caramelized onions, and her bacon stuffing. Yummy cranberry sauce. Clear cream soda (creme soda?). Great gravy--sweet and a little translucent, almost. That's the kind I like.
I was glad to have a real turkey, even though I didn't eat much of it. Glad to say grace before a meal for the first time in a long time.
Today I met up with her and Nathaniel and we went together to the Museum of Natural History. We spent a lot of time looking at the gem collection--some really excellent colors going on. I kept remembering lines from mom's poetry.
I loved the ocean exhibit--I'm always fascinated by fish and water and all that jazz. Even though in reality they freak me out.
I couldn't stop thinking about how much the 2 year old baby I watch in the mornings would love the museum. I can never do anything by myself for some reason, but going places with him--getting a bagel, walking in the park, feeding the ducks--is great. Babies that age are just perfect little parcels of humanity or something. I get the meditative benefits of walking alone, but all of a sudden a turtle sunning itself on a rock is a huge event. And getting mud all over yourself is no big deal.
I guess it's cheesy, but I love it.
More soon!
Lovest.