OT November Chit Chat

[Cherie]

The kids and grands left around 7:45 PM. Both house guests were upstairs by 9. David broke down the table, vacuumed, took out the trash and recyclables while I started the third load in the dishwasher and cleaned counters and stoves. The carcass is already made into broth and leftovers are plenty for the next few days with house guests even though the girls took a bunch home. Weather was warm and Dave got most of the leaves picked up from the yard with help from the grandkids before dinner was served. Menu here was:
22 pound turkey stuffed
Separate dressing baked for the vegetarians
Mashed butternut squash
Grilled asparagus
Garlic cheddar mashed potatoes
Giblet gravy
Cheese bread
Bran bread
Cranberry apple relish
Pumpkin pie
Strawberry Rhubarb pie
Walnut pie

Heather brought:
Smashed cauliflower (garlic, cheese, scallions...so good!)
Roasted root vegetables
Pecan, cranberry , brussel sprout casserole (total hit with everyone)
A gluten free dairy free birthday cake for Becky that was awesome.

So much food went home with the girls and the fridge is overflowing . Cat, I wish I was close enough to bring you a plate and one for TomCat as well. This year was much more manageable as My time management was firmly in place and energies not totally depleted.

Blessings on all of you. Happy Thanksgiving.

[agate]

Cats have a way of getting into Thanksgiving feasts and any other feasts. I've heard they do this just for the halibut.

[Howie]

My nephew came by with TWO plates of food from my sister. One was the meal, and one was all dessert. They were SO delicious!!! I'm just waking up!

[Virginia]

Sounds like our folks had a good day. Howie, so nice of your Sister to send you food. Isn't it great just to have it show up and not have to do a thing but eat.

Agate, I would like to try a bean burrito sometime. I guess it is just something you got out of the frozen foods section, right?
I have spent Thanksgiving alone and was fine with it. I have also spent Christmas Day alone and I am fine with that also. Although I do have Christmas with my family on Christmas Eve, so I am usually ready for rest now. I use to go and do all the time, but just a day or two a week out is all I can handle now.

Cherie, I think all your guest must have enjoyed everything a great deal. Now with friends from out of town for the next two days, I hope you do not get too feisty.

Jeanie, glad all went well for you and Andy today. Hope it was not too hard. I know it was hard for Andy.

I think we are a thankful group - maybe more that many people because we realize how fragile our ability to do things really is, and how quickly we can loose what ability we have.

I am sure others will check in tomorrow or later on and let us know about their Thanksgiving.

[Howie]

Virginia, I also spent the day alone except for the visit and food delivery by my nephew. But I would have it no other way. I'm very comfortable being alone. I was that way in my childhood, even thought I had a brother and sister.

Not that I never saw them or anyone else, but I always enjoyed hiking out into the woods, and being alone. I remember many times just sitting with the sun on my face, breathing the fresh air, and almost not thinking, just being.

[Gary]

Glad that everyone had a good holiday. We are doing it tomorrow as everyone schedules wouldnt work. SIL had to work but at the last min his excalled and said son was comong over. So My daughter to on call status to spend time with our GS. She is a good step-mom. She takes them school shopping and whenb either kid is having problems they call our daughter.

I am not good alone. MS not withstanding. I am not cut out to be single. I am the first to admit that I married to my best friend.

[agate]

Virginia, the burrito--I'd never had one before--is one of the frozen foods put out by a brand that specializes in organic and mostly vegetarian meals. The brand was recommended to me by a diabetes dietitian I went to years ago when I mentioned that it's hard to find frozen entrees without meat in them.

[Frog42]

Joan, is that Amy's brand? If so we have them in our local store.

[kathija]

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[agate]

Joan, is that Amy's brand? If so we have them in our local store.

Yes, it is! I'm not completely sold on the brand as some of the items are high in sodium but if you want frozen meals that are vegetarian, it's one of the few options.

[Howie]

Are you two vegetarians?

[agate]

Are you two vegetarians?

I don't recall about Vicky but I haven't eaten meat since some time in the early 1980s. I occasionally have shrimp or sardines though. And I do have lots of yogurt and cheese. Tofu turns up in Amy's meals quite often, and I like it.

[Howie]

I do pretty well. I don't eat beef, but have chicken or fish, mostly chicken. And I have cheese, Sam insists on it. I also only drink soy milk. I ate tofu for breakfast for a while. I would add tofu, banana, Ovaltine and soy milk in the blender, and make a milkshake. Now I only eat once a day because I do so little.

[Frog42]

I'm not a vegetarian but I tend to avoid beef. We have chicken or turkey and sometimes seafood too.

[Gary]

My daughter is a vegetarian. I have NO idea how that happened! I guess its been the last 4 or 5 years that she hasn't eaten meat. She eats fish and the only meat she will eat is bacon. We eat a lot of lean pork and chicken. My wife insists I dont eat beef for every meal. Because I would!

Getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner later today. Turkey has been in the pellet smoker since midnight. And cheese goes into the smaller smoker at 11 AM. Everything just has to be warmed up. We are having "fresh" cooked Cranberries. I have never had anything but the stuff in the can. And I wasn't crazy about it anyway. So this should be interesting. As it takes a lot of water it isn't something that is grown very much in the west. I made 2 cherry and 1 pumpkin pies last night. I may be in a food coma by this evening.

Cold this morning 15 deg but the sun is shining and there is no wind. So I would bet that grandson will have a tractor and trailer out giving the younger kids rides this afternoon. When they were small that is the first thing that they wanted when they came over.....rides on a tractor. Now they are big enough I get to watch them. When Grandson is driving the little tractor (think riding mower size) you would think he is piloting a heavy cruiser through dense fog.

It is funny to watch as he learned young. He checks the oil and hydraulic fluid levels and makes sure that it is safe to operate. One thing about farm kids is that they learn to drive as soon as they can push the clutch in.