Happy Thanksgiving!

Note:  My hard drive failed last week - it lasted 7 years - so the photos in previous posts may or may not be visible.  I haven't check yet.  I do subscribe to Sugarsync, an online storage site, so I had saved most of my photos and all my documents.  Worth the money each month! I need to re-sync so I have access to my photos from my computer again, but I think I will wait until after Thanksgiving.  I am planning an upgrade to Windows Vista, as I am still using XP and service runs out for that in April.  My plan is to gradually go to Windows 7, if my old Dell system can handle it.   The new hard drive was a quick relatively inexpensive fix to my aging computer, but I know I will be in the market for a new laptop or something similar soon.

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My how time flies. Christmas is just a month away now!  How was your summer?  We had a good summer here.  I raised tomatoes this year - plum - which did ok, considering where I put them.  They didn't get real big or thick, despite the composted manure I put in, but I think it was just not enough sunshine.  My yellow tomato plant did quite well - planted it in a big pot instead of the ground. I just don't have the gardening space for more. But I am encouraged! 
I didn't grow the blue morning glories that I usually do, we were having our deck finished, so I couldn't let them twine around the railings, so I just skipped them this year.
I did extend the shade garden between us and the neighbors.  The bee balm I had put in a couple of years ago survived, so I expanded the bed to include some extra columbines - they readily self-sow in my front garden.  A few extra's that seem to do ok in shade as well.  We'll see how they survive the winter.
My cat, Max, has been diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease.  What an awful disease.  It's not reversible, and will just keep getting worse until he will need to be put down.  I'm trying to prepare myself, as I love him dearly and I've had him since he was 6 weeks old.  He's 16 now, which is somewhere around 75 in people years.  We had to switch him over to a special vet food for cats with renal problems.  He's doing a bit better, but he's not that fond of the food.  We fed him dry food for years - this can be a contributor to CKD.   I did start feeding him a bit of canned stuff a couple of years ago or so, but I think it was too late.  Now all he gets is canned stuff.  Cats need water.  Dry food just doesn't put enough into their system.  Also, they are thinking now that one of the kitten immunizations could be contributing.  Anyway, I hope they find out for sure what causes it, because many older cats develop this, and it's so sad to see how it causes muscle wasting, loss of energy, many trips to the litter box, and overall deterioration to their health.   The vet food lowers their sodium and phosphorus intake, and their protein intake, so their kidneys don't have to work as hard, which then gets their water intake under control.  I thought he might be diabetic, he urinated quite a bit, but he wasn't hanging over his water bowl like Jellybean did when she was diabetic. 
Anyway, it's hard when your pet is ill, becuase they can't really tell you how bad it is or hurts, you have to watch for the signs.  If you have a cat that's older, and you are feeding dry food, please look up Chronic Kidney Disease and check the symptoms - it's not usually apparent they have this until they are well into it.
http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/cliented/ckd.aspx  is a good site to get started.http://www.felinecrf.org/index.htm is also an informative site.
Well, better get back to work! I've got a pumpkin pie in the oven, and will roast the turkey today as well.
I'm thinking about making a quiche for breakfast tomorrow, something real simple.  Perhaps one with canadian bacon, cheddar and onion.  I usually use regular ham, but I have none on hand.  I'm also going to do candied sweet potatoes - I love sweet potatoes, especially roasted! Plus mashed and gravy, cranberry sauce, and I've already made the homemade biscuits. I may throw in a green bean casserole.  I've been wanting to try making it with fresh green beans instead of canned.
Hope you all have a great day tomorrow!