Northsidemom Muddling Through

    Thanksgiving is just a couple of days away.  Everyone I know loves this holiday, but I have never been a big Thanksgiving kinda girl.  Growing up, Fred would do the cooking and they tried to make it a big deal.  But all I got out of it was a bunch of food I didn't like and football.  Not really much of a holiday to a young girl!      The last several years my sister-in-law, Sara, and her husband, Chris, have invited us to dinner at their house.  We always have a good time spending time with them and they are both wonderful cooks.  They serve a nice combination of the traditional, and some not so traditional, food.  Turkey, stuffing, Chris' mom makes great sweet potatoes, and Chris' pumpkin pie is to die for!  Chris usually makes fish for Dana and Nicholas (my vegetarian boys).  One year he served his world famous pumpkin ravioli as a side dish.  Chris is my favorite cook!  I told him once if I ...

     So I was supposed to have lunch last week with my friend, Sue.  But I canceled because I didn't want to go out.  Too much effort to shower, find something to wear, get downtown...  It was easier to just back out.  Sue, in her goodness, was understanding but also concerned about the management of my depression.  I found myself explaining myself to her and in the process learned why, deep down, I don't like going out.      My response to her concern was as follows.  "You are too kind. I am better than it sounds. I am by nature a homebody. Have been my whole life. A lot of what's going on is because I have such a hard time moving about these days. Walking from my house to Alamo on the corner is enough to make my back hurt. I am so out of shape, it makes walking painful. But I try to take little steps. It's embarrassing to be walking with someone and have to stop because my back is all tensed up and hur...