Susie..."Survived" is an eloquent way of putting it. My husband and I discovered that we CAN DO THIS alone, since family isn't interested. I can't force people to want my kind of Thanksgiving...traditional, regardless of when the Egg Bowl is scheduled.
NO-o-o-o...But Hotty Toddy...Go Rebels! They're a bunch of egg heads (to put it eloquently).
I posted a description of our holiday with our fir baby Dalmatians. They LOVED not having to share the leftovers with their fir baby cousins=) If you'd like to read the gory details, it's on the "Whine with Turkey" thread.
Loretta...I so understand your sadness and feelings of loneliness. I know what it's like to want to be with family. It only adds to my sadness that they mostly live within biking distance. They just don't want to be together. They don't want my tradition. I'm heartbroken, but I've got to learn to accept what I cannot change. 
I'm so sorry for the loss of your bird baby...
As I stated on my thread, I feel more like the turkey carcass at this point. I think I blew a disc in my thoracic spine on Saturday. My husband and I were trying to put our wreaths across front windows of our house. The pain took my breath away, and I literally went to my knees (which are worthless, too).
I wish all of you cyber siblings of mine a reasonably pain-managed week. On Back Pain...On Knee Pain...On neck pain and all...On Shoulders and migraines...On Hemorrhoids, large or small!!! HO-HO-Help!? That ain't Santa on the roof. It's just SHINGLES still in my eye. I had blood draw last week, but no results yet because of the holiday. Doctor put me on another round of anti-virals and drops for my eye. I've got PMS/cramps 20 years post hyst this week, as with EVERY month. The deterioration of my body is the gift that keeps on giving. Can I re-gift to the "egg heads" in my life?
Good luck and positive thoughts to all of you=)
Hugs~~Dixie