2 Thanksgivings

Just finished Thanksgiving Dinner #2. Had planned on bringing my camera to both, but forgot both times. So, my friend Sharon took some pix from Thanksgiving Dinner #1. Picture #1 is the son, the husband, me and the daughter. Picture #2 is Sharon's daughter Linda, with her cheese and turkey ball. It actually has turkey in it. A very festive addition to the party. And picture #3 is a table of appetizers. I made a tuscany dip and holiday pecans.

I ate way too much last night. I have reached a point in my life where I can no longer eat heavy food and feel fine afterward. The company was wonderful, the table was beautiful and the food delicious.

This morning I left the house at 6:20 to pick up Sharon for our annual tradition - Black Friday shopping. We've been doing this long before they called it Black Friday. So we went to stores that weren't offering early bird specials - Gabriel Brothers, Big Lots and Ollies. All the stores were relatively quiet and well staffed. There were no long lines. We did not make much of a dent in our shopping, but I think we agreed the tradition was more important than anything. After shopping, we met Kenny for breakfast. Then we went home and went to bed.

Tonight was dinner #2, at my parents' house. I was very good. I did not go overboard.

I am looking forward to 2 more days of freedom.

On that note, the pecans were pretty good, and VERY easy, so here is the recipe:

Paula Deen's Southern Holiday Pecans

2 C pecan halves
3 T unsalted butter
1/3 t cayenne pepper (or 1/2 t hot pepper sauce)
1 t ground cinnamon
1 T sugar
1 t salt

Heat oven to 325 and place rack in center. Line a rimmed baking sheet with
foil and lightly coat with cooking spray. Place nuts in a large bowl.
In small saucepan, melt butter. Add cayenne and cinnamon and stir.
Pour over nuts and toss until coated. Toss in sugar and salt.
On prepared baking sheet, spread out pecans in a single layer and bake,
stirring once, for 14 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack and cool.

Thanksgiving Morning

I started to lose interest in work at about 1:00 yesterday. I had a 4 day weekend to look forward to! When someone brought their kids to work at about 3:00, and they started running through the office and yelling, I decided I'm outta here. Is it just me, or is it only the parents who think their kids are cute when they do that?

This morning it was just glorious to not have the alarm go off at 5:50. Pepper the dog did start to run over to my side of the bed when she heard me move, so I came down to feed her and let her out at 8:00. At 15, Pepper does not have the eyesight she used to. When I let her out, there was a squirrel in the front yard, sitting on its haunches eating a nut. I thought oh no, squirrel, be careful, because in her younger days, Pepper would madly chase after the squirrels. But today Pepper just quietly went out and did her business and came back in, and I thought well Mr. Squirrel, you have something to be thankful for today.

After letting Pepper out, I happily went back to bed. Three cats awaited me - 2 in bed with my husband and one on the loveseat. I am so thankful for these little creatures who are truly the most amazing things ever created.

Pepper followed me up and proceeded to roll all over the floor. I have heard that rolling like this is the sign of a happy dog, and Pepper has always been a happy dog.

I got back into bed and started to read a book I've been enjoying. Heaven! A weekday morning to be totally lazy and do whatever I want.

The husband came down and made his Caribou coffee. Something else to be thankful for, cause I always make the cheap and easy stuff during the week. I proceeded to make cinnamon streusel muffins from a mix and put them in the oven. The daughter is home from college and has a friend sleeping over and they can wake up to the smell of fresh baked goodness. That is, if they wake up soon at all (last night involved a trip to a local bar where they enlisted the son to be their designated driver). I don't think I like that my daughter is 21.

The husband just commented that my mother, Lenore, has not called to ask if we're watching the parade. Yet. She has done this in 23 of our 24 years of marriage. I'm sure the call will come soon.

We are having a double Thanksgiving this year. We usually trade off every year - odd years at my sister-in-law's house and even years at my parents' house. I am ashamed to admit that at age 52, I have never cooked a turkey. I never needed to! But anyway, this year (not being my parents' year), my mother decided we should have Thanksgiving at her house tomorrow. She would not follow the normal rules this year.

All I know is that while I used to love to have people over, it is just too much work! So I am thankful I just have to make appetizers for tonight (I'm trying Paula Deen's recipe for spiced pecans and a hot tuscany veggie dip that has all kinds of good stuff in it) and a salad for tomorrow and that's the extent of my obligations.

There is much to be thankful for. I hope everyone out there in blogland enjoys the holiday.

Fragments of my Life

You know how when you go to the grocery store and you are buying gum or a candy bar, the bagger always asks if you want to take it with you? Well this is embarrassing to discuss, but last night the husband and I went to the grocery store. Among other things, I was buying a bottle of stool softeners. So we're waiting for the bagger to bag up the groceries and he holds up my bottle of stool softener and asks if I'd like to take it with me. I said no. And I looked at the husband, thinking he hadn't heard this, and he had this big grin on his face, and when our eyes met, we just cracked up. What was this guy thinking?
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Went to dinner tonight at this local Italian place. This is the same place we went to a year ago where the waitress had a tantrum and told the owner that "they" (us) "could get their own food out of the kitchen." So we were a little nervous about what we would find, but tonight we found the opposite - a young smiling waitress who told us several times that she was just a happy person. No matter what we asked, her response was "no problem." Once we realized this, we would smile at each other when she responded with "no problem." Then the husband said "I think I'll ask 'how bout a blow job?'" and see if she still responds "no problem." Needless to say, he didn't.
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That's all that's new over here. The son turns 20 in a few days - we will have a party tomorrow and I am going to make a giant snowball -http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/snowball-cake-114038.aspx. He won't let me use coconut so I'll try chocolate chips.

Humor at Ho Wah

Let me start by saying I would be perfectly happy eating Chinese food 7 days a week. But my husband doesn't feel the same, so we don't get it too often.

Tonight the husband came in, all stuffed up. He said he didn't feel well.

Me: I know what would help you!
Husband: What?
Me: Hot and sour soup! I'll order and pick it up.
Husband: You want to order chinese?
Me: Yes! And you can get pork egg fu yung, which is kind of Atkins-y.
Husband: OK.

I called my son to see what he wanted, and then I called Ho Wah, our favorite local chinese restaurant.

Chinese lady: Ho Wah
Me: I'd like to order something.
Chinese lady: OK
Me: Sweet and sour chicken, hot and sour soup, and pork subgum chow mein.....Oh, WAIT. I don't mean pork subgum chow mein. I mean the dish that's made with eggs.
Chinese lady: (silence)
Me, who can't remember shit: What's it called - the dish made with eggs?
Chinese lady: (silence)

I was scanning the menu as fast as I could, and then I found it.
Me: pork egg fu yung.
Chinese lady: 15 minute.
Me: OK.

I arrived at Ho Wah. While I waited for my food, I was watching the chinese owner. Everyone who works there is oriental, but tonight there was a young white guy.

Chinese owner, looking at paperwork, mumbling something about Christmas, looks at the white guy.

Chinese owner: You work Christmas.
White guy: Uh, I don't think I can do that.
Chinese owner: You work Christmas. Everyone work Christmas.
White guy: (frown)
Another Chinese employee: This is a Chinese restaurant!!!

I told a friend about this exchange and she said it sounded like I was in a Seinfeld episode, and I said I FELT like I was in a Seinfeld episode! It was like the most important thing about working in a chinese restaurant was being able to work on Christmas.