Happy Belated Thanksgiving to Everyone!

I'm sorry this is coming to you the day after Thanksgiving, but by the time everything was said and done yesterday, I was too pooped to pop! I was up with the chickens yesterday morning and started getting ready. You woulda thought I was having 100 people. But, like they say it's just as easy to cook for 100 as it is for 3. I started in making the stuffing and the cranberry-orange relish. I also had to set the table. I hadn't used my good china in years, so I got that down from the top shelf of my closet. Thank goodness it is stored in china savers, there was a 1/2" of dust on them. So, I washed everything off and looked for a tablecloth that did have remnants of dinner at 406 on it. Time to invest in some new tablecloths (hint, hint!). The one I found that didn't need to be washed or ironed was for the table completely opened up, but with a little fold or tuck here and there, it worked. I even had napkins to match. I then dug out a cloth pumpkin that Aunt Janet had made and gave to me last year and that along with some candles was my centerpiece - except I moved it to the unused side of the table so we wouldn't have to reach around or look over it.

I put the turkey in about 10:15 - it was a 14 pounder. Kathy and Dee Dee were due here about 1:00. Dee Dee called a little after 12:00 and had just gotten onto the Mass Pike and it was bumper to bumper - stopped! ...in both directions. She said she had just seen the sign for 495 - 26 miles away. I shouldn't expect her soon. Phew - I could jump in the shower and get some other stuff done. Kathy finally showed up about 1:30 and Dee Dee arrived about 15 minutes later. Dinner went VERY well - everything turned out great. And, Dee Dee even offered to carve the turkey. Bless her heart! We had turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, turnip, rolls, cranberry sauce, cranberry-orange relish, pickles, olives, celery. For dessert, we had strawberry mousse that Kathy brought and an apple crisp that I made - from the Barefoot Contessa's recipe. Wouldn't do that again. It was OK, but not wonderful.

Just as we finished eating, the "tribe" from Connecticut called. They missed having Daddy and me there. However, Nick was sure that when they got to the part where everyone said what they were thankful for, at least 2 or 3 would say that I wasn't there. But, he did say he missed having me there and that his turkey came out almost as good as mine.

The gals pitched in like real troopers and we got all the dishes done before they left. I had 2 wine glasses and the dessert dishes to wash before I went to bed. It was a fun time. Kathy and Dee Dee got along great - Dee Dee is going to diligently look for a dog for me. She asked me if I wanted a cat - Yeah, right! She's got a litter of calicos that's she looking for homes for. Not this person - I want a pet - not something that ignores me unless it's dinner time! But, owning a horse farm, she gets all kinds of animals. She's got several dogs, cats and a pig! That's not counting the 30+ horses in her barn. She doesn't own all the horses, but they're there. Like Daddy used to say, Dee Dee Gilyard was born on a horse!!!!! BTW ~ her brother, Kent, is getting ready to have a kidney transplant. He had a heart transplant several years ago and now the kidney. He's fighting off dialysis - sound familiar? - but is hoping that the xplant will happen right after the first of the year. He's got a donor - so it's just a matter of getting the everything settled.

Well, I slept in this morning so it's time to have some breakfast (it's been an hour since I took my levoxyl) and then get the dishes put away from yesterday. I may go out and look at new cars this afternoon. I really would like to go to AC Moore, but I am not going to fight that mob. I woke up in the middle of the night last night and when I turned on the radio, they were reporting that the exits to the Wrentham Outlets off of 495 were crammed, traffic was backed up for miles, parking spaces were nowhere to be found (and they had added 500 from last year) and fights were breaking out in the stores. There were some good deals, but you got killed getting to them. Hopefully, I'll be the only one looking at cars!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We have a lot to be thankful for, a lot to remember fondly, and hopes for a bright and happy future. Scoots, while I was working around in the kitchen yesterday morning, I had the local news on and they were broadcasting "hellos" from the troops in Iraq. I pictured you standing there saying hi to everyone. Can you let us know when you get our packages? Just so we know, and know what works and what doesn't work. Will work on Christmas this coming week.

Doesn't someone special have a birthday tomorrow????? In case I don't log on tomorrow ~ I may go to Ct. to a b'day party for Dennis' 60th ~ HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SCOOTS!!!!!

Love to all and KYHD!

/Shennie