So Thanksgiving is the first family-based holiday I get to spend alone in Afghanistan. I think back to some memorable Thanksgivings I’ve spent such as when I went to visit the Varnhagen’s in Denver where we went with the non-traditional Thanksgiving lobster instead of turkey. I also think back to all the Thanksgivings in Collins, Ohio with Tim’s side of the family when Mary went out of her way to find and cook Tofurkey for me. Needless to say, the Thanksgiving meal this year wasn’t close to being half as good as what I’ve had in the past.

Joanna Garcia Swisher. Does she look familiar to you?
However, there was a bit of good to go with the bad. Yankee right fielder Nick Swisher and his wife Joanna Garcia Swisher visited Camp Eggers for breakfast on Thanksgiving day. His wife is actually an actress mostly known for her role as Reba’s oldest daughter in Reba. I recognized her from the short-lived show Privileged which I actually really enjoyed. I mentioned to her that I liked the show and was sad to see it only last one season. She told me that every female she meets tells her the same thing.
Anyway…back to Nick Swisher! Of course I wanted Nick to autograph something. It would be great to have my Yankee cap signed, but it was left at home. Having him just sign a piece of paper wouldn’t be any fun. The only thing I have here with the NY Yankee emblem on it is my laptop, so I got him to sign that.
Oh, while waiting for Nick to finish eating breakfast and come greet us, a guy walks up to us and says, “You probably don’t know me, but I’m the Under Secretary of the Army Joseph Westphal,” and he gave us all a coin. Kinda cool.

Football snacks...including NA beer.
Of course, Thanksgiving wouldn’t be complete without watching the Detroit Lions play football. So, at 10:00 PM we sat and watch the kickoff with some non-alcoholic beer and whatever chips we can find lying around. And no, I didn’t make it till the end of the game, but I did make it till halftime right around midnight.

Obviously Tim is doing OK without me there!
So, all in all, Thanksgiving turned out to be a pretty OK day considering I spent it away from my friends and family. Although, seeing the picture my friend Layla posted of my husband on Facebook of him enjoying Thanksgiving at the Officer’s Club with some good friends and having all-you-can eat crab legs did make me a bit envious.