Friday, November 24, 2006

So I'm off work at 5:00 tuesday. Collect the kid, so it's sixish by the time we arrive home. I am not prepared for the coming day. However, the other half pitches in and we get the house mostly clean, and all the while, I'm compiling the list of all the things I have forgotten to buy, that I will need for the massive feast that will kick off on the morrow. A quick dinner, and it's off to the grocery, armed with the list of all the things I have remembered I need. Speed shopping at it's finest. With of course, the five year old that does not yet comprehend " We are in a hurry, that means no you can't look at every damn toy the store hangs there just to make this harder on all the poor moms who just want to get their pecans and go have a beer..."

Apon our arrival back at the old homestead, we discover the help has succumed. Asleep in his chair, an occasional whuffle the only sign of life. The girl must get her Barbie fix, so I set her up on the computer, and it's on with the show.

About tenish, I check the turkey for thawedness, which leads to the realization- I forgot to buy a damn roasting pan! Hmm, 20 lb bird, 5 hours in the oven, eat at about 3, must be in the oven by 10, but need an hour for the pies first, and must have stuffing ready when the bird goes in, so another trip to the store in the morning before I can get that all started, what else did I forget.

Of course, the other half didn't wake me up, He was being nice ya know, cuz he knows I will have a long day, so at 8:35 I open my eyes and look at the clock. CRAP, 25 minutes to get up, dressed, to the store and back, the pies must. go. in. by. 9 and that is cutting things very close! Things may have gone bad there, but luckily, I am the type that can prepare myself for a trip to the store in about 2 minutes, so off I go. (Aarghh, I left my coffee sitting on the table!)
Oh, casual acquaintances, you must remember, early morning at the store ON THANKSGIVING DAY is not the place to strike up a conversation with the woman you think you know, very bad form. Nod, smile, move on. If she looks like she will run at the slightest break in conversation, let her go! There are pies waiting and those eggs are not going to devil themselves!

Back home to my coffee. and kitchen. Things went pretty well after that, I only scorched one pie crust, didn't chop off any fingers, and managed to instigate a wonderful arguement between every member of the other half's family about how to tell when the turkey is done. Priceless. I didn't actually need any info on that subject, but you should have seen the looks on their faces as I turned away from the oven, full of indecision, and asked oh so innocently, "How do I tell if it's done? " Like I haven't been feeding them turkey every year for the last six years.

My children dissapeared as friends and family departed, so by evening it was just a couple good friends, me and the other half and the rest of the wine. I managed to make most of that go away too. Through steely self discipline, I washed dishes and cleaned as needed all through the day, so the kitchen is relatively clean this morning, the other half had to work, I have no children, leftover pie, and plenty of coffee. Life is good. I am thankful.
Hope it was great for all of you!

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