Alright, if you've survived Halloween, then your ready to gear up for the first real battle of the season--Thanksgiving. Halloween was nothing compared to the full on assault you are going to face over those three days of feasting and family. What were the pilgrims thinking? Oh, I know. There weren't that many of them left that first fall, and there wasn't that much food to eat, so of course they were thankful! They were alive, they had food, and they were pretty sure the Indians they had invited to share in the festivities weren't going to sacrifice them to some heathen god in an after-dinner roast.

I don't mean to sound completely flippant. The pilgrims really did have a lot to be thankful for during that season of suffering, as do we. The difference, however, between those original party animals and those of us fighting in the weight loss wars, is both far and wide. Yes, pun intended.

I don't mind telling you, I was really nervous about this particular Thanksgiving. We were going to have a houseful. Our friends Ron and Emmy, Lloyd and Tonya, and David's father and sister were all coming for an honest-to-goodness sit down, old fashioned holiday experience. I knew my friends would support me and tell me whatever I made was yummy, but the idea of cooking low fat for my father in law terrified me! No, I'm not exaggerating. I was scared.

My husband's father is a sweet man, but when it comes to telling someone what he thinks he has no trouble sharing his views, positive or negative. If he doesn't like it, he tells you. In front of everyone. I'd chalk it up to his being over seventy, and therefore entitled to say and do whatever he wants, but he's been like this for as long as I've known him. The first time I went to my husband's, then boyfriend's, house for dinner I was frozen with fear. I didn't say a word and hardly ate a bite despite his mother's wonderful cooking. I just wanted to get our of there as quickly as possible before his dad yelled at someone. Now that I'm part of the family and know how tender his heart really is, I better understand where his "voice" comes from, but I still don't want it directed at me.