Thanksgiving with the Brehms!

After anatomy lab on Wednesday, I packed up the Camry, kissed Wentworth goodbye, filled up the empty gas tank for $26, and headed east on I-10. Though I felt a bit sleepy while stuck in traffic on my way out of Houston's construction mess, I perked up when the smooth sailing began and things got a bit more interesting in Danielle Steele's book-on-tape (compliments of Houston Public Library). Getting an impressive 500 miles to the tank, I fueled up again in Loxley, Alabama, and made it to Navarre, Florida, just after the stroke of midnight. My beloved sister Sarah and her husband Paul gave me a warm welcome. After a tour of their impeccably decorated home and a bit of conversation, I crashed under the comfortable covers of the guest bed.
When I awoke (well into Thanksgiving morning), aromatic scents wafted from the kitchen and triggered parasympathetic stimulation of my salivary glands (I have to integrate some evidence of studying). First we devoured some delicious bubble loaf. Then we watched the Macy's Day Parade. I even slipped in a pre-turkey jog around the neighborhood in the pleasant 70-degree weather. Finally, we settled down for a fabulous feast featuring yummy stuffing, tangy gravy, candied sweet potatoes, and more! We had drinks (apple cider martinis), dessert (Kentucky bourbon chocolate walnut pie and homemade vanilla ice cream), and dominoes (Mexican Train). After Sarah dominated dominoes with her exceptional sagacity, Paul showed off his hand-eye coordination with his superior ability to stop a spinning penny on its edge. Exercising my quick wit and vast vocabulary, I evened things out with a clear victory in Scattagories. It was a complete evening.
Friday morning began with studying and Texas toast followed by an early afternoon nap. In the afternoon, Sarah and Paul gave me a driving tour of the Florida panhandle (aka "an extension of southern Alabama"). We drove through Navarre and along the sound on Miracle Strip Parkway. I caught a glimpse of Hurlburt Field, the Air Force Base where Sarah and Paul are stationed. We drove through Fort Walton Beach and into Destin where we snacked on appetizers and beer at McGuire's Irish Pub. The atmosphere was quite festive with hundreds of thousands of dollar bills hanging from the ceiling interrupted by the occasional bra, beer taps pouring from the breasts of a topless figurehead, and incongruous Christmas music playing in the background.Then we went across the street to Destin's newly-opened Pat O'Brien's and had signature hurricanes in souvenir glasses. On the way back to Navarre, we searched for an open Thai restaurant. After about a half dozen failed attempts, we finally found a place that would serve us dinner and humor me by letting me practice some Thai. Though I realized how much Thai I have already forgotten, I really loved the opportunity to 'poot passa Thai.' After dinner, we came home and relaxed in the living room before retiring for the night.
Now, it's Saturday morning, and I'm already (grudgingly) planning my return to Houston this evening. Sunday will probably be spent studying and wishing I was back with Sarah and Paul at their lovely home in Navarre.