This weekend is great, it is exactly what I needed.  I needed a reminder that I do indeed have friends outside of Oberlin, and that they are great people. 

    Yes, I do need to do work, but I craved Kentucky.  Like when you were little and you got sick, then felt better and wanted to play outside, but your mother told you that you had to stay inside until your fever was complete gone. Homework is the last little inch of that Oberlin fever I've been having, and being here for Thanksgiving is like being old enough to know better and  the diving head first into the swimming pool.  Feels good.

    Jessica's mom cooks her traditional and Thanksgiving lunch.  The family eats in casual attire, her mom is still wearing sweat pants after cooking a gigantic meal.  I like that.  After a break for our over-filled stomachs and a romp outdoors in the beautiful and sunny 50 degree weather, Jessica and I come back in for Derby Pie, a fantastic and delicious Kentucky original (and perhaps the only kind of pie I really like).

  (not really like either picture  of course)

    After pie, Jessica, her girly younger sister, her now-two-inches-taller-than-me younger brother, her adorable and quirky mother, and her humorous father all get into there car and head to jessica's mother's parents' house.  I assumed no one would remember me since It was a few hour period a year ago.  Yet, every person I met on the way to the door at least vaguely remembered me from last year and gave me a gigantic hug. 


  
  When I went inside, the entire poker table stopped their game and all gave a gigantic groan.  Their grandfather said something like, "Oh no, it's you again".  You see last year I had beaten them at poker, badly.  They play for money.  I bought myself a fancy "Burbon Ball French Toast" the following day with the money I made- paid all in quarters.  This year I didn't fair as lucky; I came out about even.  However, I love playing poker with Jessica's outlandish relatives.  Her grandparents are not like stereotypical grandparents.  Her grandfather was drunk and lively and cracking ridiculous jokes with his thick Kentucky accent- from bad poker jokes to dirty jokes.  I  was thoroughly entertained. 

Tags: jessica, kentucky, poker, thanksgiving