The couch was an air mattress.
I had decided to host Thanksgiving at the Rockaway condo before the place was ready for anything resembling Thanksgiving. I was still moving in. The important furniture was mostly there, but the outdoor list was long and the temporary couch had a valve.
The plan kept going.
The condo could stay unfinished. Thanksgiving was already on the calendar.
I was staying at Rockaway for the week and expected guests on Thursday. I asked around for advice on where to get a turkey. I sent a message asking whether we could smuggle a purple couch down in time. That did not solve the couch problem.
The night before, the fire pit was running on the terrace. There were chairs, string lights, and enough of the setup in place to make the outside feel usable. Inside, the furniture situation was still changing by the day.
Thanksgiving morning started with a quick turkey trot down the block. Then I went to Dollar General. The dog stayed inside.
Getting family to Rockaway on Thanksgiving required some subway planning. I warned everybody about the ride and expected at least a few people dressed as turkeys along the way. The commute was part of the invitation.
Family made it out. They got to see the new place while it was still becoming the new place.
By Sunday, my whole review was four words: “Thanksgiving was great.”
I was still moving in the following week.
The couch was still an air mattress.