Thanksgiving

Thursday was a beautiful day, blue skies, no precipitation, and few pretty white clouds, 63F degrees. Tommy came around 9:30 am as usual. I had a plan.

Back in July I purchased an item for $20 and lost the receipt. I could not return it since I have returned too many things over $10 without a receipt. So, I wanted Tommy to do it. Each driver's license can only have so many returns over $10 without a receipt. Usually, I find the receipt as soon as I get home.

So, he did, taking two other small items with receipts. I recovered $28. I can use that elsewhere!

We went to the church and I put on my makeup as we waited for the lunch time. I had time to put on nail polish.

I went through the line and someone carried Tommy's plate out for me. We had the usual--turkey, dressing, gravy, green beans and sweet potatoes. I collected tea and pie. I left most of my pie since I was not feeling it. I don't think I have ever been served such a huge helping of turkey! I put all the dark meat on his plate and he allowed me to take some of his white meat.

I planned one more thing to do--spend my $100 grocery certificate that I won. The store closed at 1 pm., so I tried to hurry. One clerk offered to help. She took things off the shelf and actually helped me find things I wanted. Tommy trailed in another cart writing down prices and figuring how much I had spent. I ended up with $102.25. I paid the extra.

We were there until about 1:10 pm. And finally had the cars loaded by 1:20. I felt bad about keeping the employees. Tommy gave me tip money to give the guy who loaded the groceries. The store was locked, so I will do it this weekend.

Tomorrow, I will list what I bought.

Before I left in the morning, I discovered the outlet for my 220 heater was smelling like it was burning. It did not burn the house down, but I will not use it until it is repaired. I lost the back off the wireless mouse. So, I had to tape it to avoid losing the battery. The tv remote quit working! I can mute it, but I cannot change channels or turn it off! I cannot find my glasses. lol I hope that is the end of these fails, all on Thanksgiving!.

After I put the groceries away, I went back to WM to get refund for the broken remote, bought a new one and had someone read and write down how to program the remote. The readers I have still cannot help me to read the fine print.

Lowe's was closed, so I could not get another outlet so someone could replace it. I am perfectly capable of changing a 220 outlet. Just the fact I cannot get so low is the only reason I will not do it myself. Yes, I will turn off the breaker for the heater.

The person who could help me with the remote had not come into work at WM, so I had to wait over an hour.  Then, she had to do other things. While I was waiting, Black Friday was ramping up. It started at 6 pm. I found my way to the deli where they were serving free coffee, hot chocolate, and cookies. I had offered to bring some back for two employees. Since it was 5:15 pm, I thought I would wait and watch the towel fight. It never happened.

Snow in Alabama

Thursday morning, I awoke at 3 am after 4 hours of sleep, maybe less. Tommy had told me to look for snow while I assured him there would be no snow. Well, it did snow but not much. At 8:30 he excitedly asked me if I got snow.

It appears he had a dusting and a little more that was still on the ground at his house. At 11:30 I looked out and yessiree, there was snow, just a bit. But, SNOW! This is the earliest snow in a long time--forgot how long. I have never seen snow before Thanksgiving.

I wonder if the French Toast People got all the bread, milk, and eggs. I was going shopping Thursday afternoon, but I needed sleep! It is almost 1 am. I was going to go shopping, but I feel sleepy again...uh.  I slept from 5 pm until midnight.

That pot is ruined! I bought a new one, but may return it. My cast iron is too heavy for me to lift, and this one is equally heavy.

One package of chicken is cooked and in the freezer. Now, the other goes into the oven with seasoning--Maple Apple something, I think. The sprinkled seasoning is for beef, but is great on chicken.

There are cheap turkey breasts in one store, so I need to get out early for that and all the other specials that I need.

It is about 23F degrees right now, but the house is too warm. How is your weather?

Thanksgiving Fails

This is not about food failures or the stove burning out. This post is about the most basic elements of Thanksgiving--food, food not present.

If I have turkey, dressing, gravy, and cranberry sauce, the other food does not matter. I can have green beans or Brussel's sprouts; white potatoes or sweet potatoes; jellied or whole cranberry sauce. Just give me the basics I require and the rest of the menu is your choice.

One year about 35 years ago, a friend new to the town invited me to Thanksgiving dinner. Her husband was the head of the Walmart Distribution Center and they were fresh from Arkansas.

She said not to bring anything, just come. But, I brought a pumpkin pie. She said to come about 11 am, so I figured we would eat around noon or maybe as late as 2 pm. Well, the turkey was barely thawed and was not ready to go in the oven when I arrived.

When she finally got it in the oven, she proceeded to baste it. She would open the oven door and fiddle around trying to find potholders. She slowly basted and let the door hang open as she talked. I was so frustrated. She assured me she always basted, and no, leaving the door opened did not matter since she left it on.

I was sick with hunger. Husband was drunk. Finally, the two of us sat and ate around 4 pm.. He might have, too. Then, the worst thing happened--no cranberry sauce of any kind. It turns out they did not like cranberry sauce. They also did not like gravy. So, I gagged it all down, reminding myself to either ask about cranberry sauce and offer to bring some next time I was invited out.

As it turns out, some people do not serve turkey on Thanksgiving, and I can live with that. But, don't tease me.  Have you ever gone to Thanksgiving dinner and discovered one of the basics was missing?

It turned out as the years passed I discovered people who do not serve either cranberry sauce or gravy. What kind of world is that? What kind of bad person am I to have simple expectations? Will I have to resort to carrying a can of cranberry sauce in my purse?

Wednesday: Making Thanksgiving Dinner Plans

Wednesday, mostly I slept. I was exhausted from Tuesday lunch and voting. It really does not matter which 8 or 14 hours during the day that I sleep except when Tommy is coming here at 9:30.

Today, I did decide what I am having for Thanksgiving. It is all traditional with nothing new.

*Some sort of poultry. A boneless turkey breast is what I am aiming for. We will see. I refuse to spend $10+ for a 3 lb. breast. Even bone-in is expensive. I might put sage on chicken breast and call it good. As a matter of fact, I will season the chicken in the crockpot tonight with salt, pepper, and sage. yum

* Cranberries. Last week, I bought two 1-lb bags of cranberries for $0.79 each! I will cook at least one of those with only a bit of sugar. NO ORANGES! I have a can of jellied Ocean Spray, too. I will have both on my plate.

*Green bean casserole. I have the beans and mushroom soup. I need the onions for the topping. At the price in the store, I might have to get a bank loan.

*Sweet potatoes. The Beauregard are so sweet, I just take them out of the skins after baking in the oven. Tommy prefers then plain like that. I absolutely detest sweet potatoes with marshmallow. But, sweet potato casserole is delicious. We like plain.

*Mashed potatoes, maybe.

*Stuffing. Home made  cornbread dressing by me or from box.

*Gravy with boiled eggs in it.  I have eggs.

*Field peas. We love field peas, so maybe?

*Pumpkin pies.

I am tired already.

We do have a place where we are eating Thanksgiving Dinner. So, I might make my dinner before or afterwards. I need leftovers, lots of leftovers!

I have poultry, fresh cranberries, canned cranberries, canned pumpkin, stuffing, potatoes, and eggs.

I need to buy sweet potatoes, fried onions, field peas.

Maybe I have been too ambitious?

What is on your Thanksgiving menu? Or, are you going away?