Tomorrow is Sunday and the last day of my week long Thanksgiving vacation. I have to say, it will be tough to return to work on Monday morning after a very restful break from my daily routine. Besides, going to work in late fall and winter is downright depressing. I leave home in the dark and I arrive home from work in the dark. Just like I advise my students about doing and completing homework early, I too finished mine last Tuesday to avoid the dreaded Sunday blues. If there is one thing I hate, it is thinking and worrying about pending work. That is the reason why I try to finish all obligations right away so I can fully enjoy my time off.

This week surely was fun. The air was so festive. I could sense the excitement as people everywhere went grocery shopping and got ready for Thanksgiving. My partner and I went to three supermarkets in search of pumpkin pie. There was none left! Unbelievable! This year too, we decided not to eat turkey. We went to Jollibee instead and bought a bucket of our favorite spicy fried chicken. We likewise bought mocha cake and tea ice cream for dessert. Of course, we had stuffing and cranberry sauce. The food was delicious and we were stuffed.

On Black Friday, we walked to Union Square and joined the hundreds of people who decided to go shopping. There were very good deals in Macy's. I bought three pinpoint buttoned down shirts for $24 a piece down from $60. Wasn't that a deal? Speaking of Macy's, it was reported that the company plans on shutting down the department store very soon. The local news even reported that this Christmas might be the store's last holiday in the city. So, so sad. It is hard for me to envision San Francisco's major shopping area without a Macy's. I still hope the store will remain open for a very long time.

With only one day left to rest and relax, I tell myself not to be so sad. After all, Christmas is just around the corner and in three weeks, I'll be on vacation once again, this time for 15 days. Not bad, eh?