Thursday Christmas Dinner

I was one of the first fifty people there, and amongst the last 25 served. ugh. However, it was okay. I ate chocolate cake.

A guy who looked like he might know something stopped near our table. I asked about food. He said "well, you have already eaten." The other people and I spoke up, saying we had not had our meal and all the tables had been served except us. He said, "Well, your dessert plates are empty. You did not have a meal? Well, why did you eat dessert?" We all said we were hungry. Really, the meal smelled and looked delicious.

This meal was sponsored by the same church where I went on Thanksgiving Day. We had ham, turkey, corn, green beans, sweet potato casserole, roll, mashed potato, dressing, cranberry sauce. I did not get get corn. At this place there is a menu each month. The person circles what she wishes to have.

There was so much food I could not finish it. So, I was going to carry the plate home. Someone offered to get me a go plate. I thought they meant a box to put my leftovers in. No, they filled me a plate/box again. They gave me two times what I had the first time which was generous.

A woman encouraged me to walk over to the sanctuary and hear Christmas music. I told her I could not comfortably walk that far. She said, "You need to go over there and get your gift bag." I asked if someone could get it for me since several persons were concerned I would not get it. I was informed I had to sign for it. A guy told me to write my name on the back of the menu and he would get it. So, I did and waited.

I thanked him and asked the woman near me if someone could take the bag to the car since my purse, the very heavy go box were all I could handle. A little boy about ten carried it for me. He had obviously been assigned to my table because during the evening, he continually inquired about my/our need for more tea. Great service. 

I figured the gift bag would be a paper bag donated from a grocery store. No, it is a great reusable tote bag with the name of the church on it. Cool!

The people who sat at the table where I was were all related or acquainted. One woman was in a wheel chair with right arm splinted. She had fallen and crushed her hand. I forgot how she broke her foot. There were two other older women and a young couple. The couple  started fighting, loud, sharp and with a few pokes and mean faces toward each other. My stomach was in knots over that. They left and never came back which bothered the three woman. I was relieved.

Then, I headed to WM to get packing tape. Since I left my checkbook at home, I had to come home and go back to WM...grrrr.

There was one more thing I needed to get at Belk's so I went there and about killed my back walking and holding onto the little carts they have. K, g-daughter, will like what I got her. I survived and headed to Publix for milk.

While I was waiting in the car for someone to bring me an electric cart at Publix, I looked in the bag to see what was there....food. Two boxes of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, some sort of dressing mix, cranberry sauce, green beans, corn, and something else. There was a broken candy cane, a piece of paper about the organization, and a little yellow card about 4x6 inches, yellow like a safety vest. When I took it out, I was shocked. I read it three times to make sure it said what I thought it said. Yes, it did say that.

I could take the card to the meat department in Publix and get a one half a Publix baked ham, partial bone in. My ham I picked out with the help of the meat guy was 8.97 lbs. !!! I asked him if he would cut it in three pieces, not across but down the ham. Then, as he cut it, I asked if he could remove the bone for beans. So, I left with four portion of ham. One of the thirds will go to exbf. He can have it with the beans I made and have frozen for him to take home Friday.

Now I know why 200 people showed up at the dinner! Someone in Publix said the church had it on a Tuesday last year and did the same thing--gave away hams to everyone. Nine pounds of ham is a lot for me, even with part of it being bone and giving away some of it to exbf. I am so happy. He was pleased and surprised when I told him on Thursday night, and he will be very pleased when he is eating it.

Now, I will make everything I like that goes with ham--scrambled eggs and ham, biscuits with ham, mac n cheese with ham in it, field peas with mac n cheese and ham. I don't mix that last. Of course, I will freeze two of the three ham bones. Plus, I will freeze some of the meat because I don't need to eat that much ham in a short time.

These free eating events, lunches and dinners, are working out fine.

(When I first went into Publix and was struggling to walk, someone from customer service told me to call when I arrived and a cart would be brought to me. So, I do. Last week, I waited and waited for a cart and finally just walked best I could. Halfway there, I saw a woman getting into an electric cart. I asked her where she got it, and she said someone just brought it to her. I was frosted!

I commented to the person who was sending the cart that I never got one. Another woman just took it. She was horrified that I had to wait and that the girl gave it away to someone else.)

Would you say this has been a good night with a huge half of a ham? It would have been better with the Christmas carols. sigh Are any churches in your area giving away hams?