Turkey round I

The first of our Thanksgiving meals took place this evening.

The three of us drove up to Milwaukee for dinner with my family. We started the tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving on Wednesday night about 10 years ago, when I had to work on Thanksgiving.

I was a crime reporter at the time and seriously, nothing says "shoot your brother" like some turkey and football and liquor and cramped quarters with relatives. The crime beat was busy on holidays, so I was expected to work.

But we found we liked celebrating our Thanksgiving the day before the real Thanksgiving that we stuck with the tradition. So my mom cooks on Wednesday and we all sit down for dinner and no one is rushing to another relative's house to eat a second meal.

Delightful.

Tomorrow, we head to Peoria for Josh's family gathering.

With a feverish child.

Oh yes, didn't I tell you? Jack started running ANOTHER fever yesterday. We had him at the doctor for an ear recheck today and they said his ears look great but his throat was red. So they tested him for strep -- negative -- and said if the fever isn't gone in 72 hours then we need to come back.

So far, we're on 24 hours and change and he's still taking Tylenol and whimpering in his sleep.