Will you take me back

I have missed my little blog. I fell into the trap of so many new bloggers in that I didn't post regularly, whether I felt I had a good post or not. I procrastinated about my posts for days into weeks into a year. Yikes! I feel like I'm trying to reconnect with a neglected but good friend. I think we can kiss and make up.

Thanksgiving was another small but wonderful affair for my family. I cooked my tail off for two days and had:

turkey breast
collards
corn bread DRESSING (not inside the bird = not stuffing)
yams
field peas
mac & cheese
broccoli rice casserole
sweet carrots
cranberry sauce (again I know it's a condiment-see post from last year, but I love it as a side dish)
pumpkin praline pie

This was the most food we have had at one time and it was all so very good. There was a moment of domestic bliss and satisfaction I felt. I was in the kitchen looking into the dining room at my family fix their dinner, myself still feeling the satisfaction a new bride feels when she gets to use her wedding china and she has all the pieces and they are being used dammit (I digress), the sun was shining and things just felt *right*. I don't know how to describe it but it was truly a picture perfect moment.

After a while, crocodile

I have been busy knitting. A lot of knitting. I made a hat to match my cowl and one pair of socks. As a new knitter, making socks is daunting. You struggle to figure out the instructions and covert them into an actual article of clothing. When you are done, even if the experience was unpleasant, you have to repeat it. Unless you have one foot in which case when you finish one sock, you're done! I need to remember to take pictures of my work. Pictures would be very helpful. I'm now working on this scarf in a beautiful jewel turquoise color.

I think a lot of my friends are getting knit items this Christmas.

Later gator

I am going out of town tomorrow for a job related conference at Callaway Gardens. I really wish Dear could come with me but he just started back to work and doesn't have any vacation time he can use yet. It would make for a romantic snuggle with all of the lights they have on display for Christmas. I will take some pictures, promise.

Could it be I stayed away too long?

I feel that I have neglected a friend here and I am ashamed. I got caught up in Thanksgiving. That sounds like a lame excuse, doesn't it? We ended up having a turkey breast, ham, dressing, candied sweet potatoes, collard greens, cabbage and macaroni and cheese. For dessert, we had sweet potato pie and the yummy bars. I said I would describe the bars. It has a yellow cake layer that is more cookie-like than cakey, pecans and then a layer that is cheesecakeish. My only dim spot was I mistakenly got the whole berry canned cranberry sauce instead of the one that is purely gelatinous. It doesn't have the same tangy bite as the plain kind, but whatever - I still glopped it atop my turkey and dressing.

Even though we had 4 days off, we didn't get any rest until Sunday. We woke up early Thursday to cook. We didn't wake up early for the Friday sales, but did stay out late for a friends birthday party. We did wake up early Saturday for an Ikea sale. I love Ikea. Off topic but when watching a show on HGTV, we can point out everything in the home that was purchased in that blue and yellow box. Back on track. We were so tired by Saturday night that we went to bed at 9:30 and woke up 12 hours later. 12 hours of sleep. I never sleep that long, my husband never sleeps that long but we needed the rest.

Sunday we started painting our library. Our library (giggle). It sounds so pretentious, but that's what it is. On our house floor plan it's listed as a 5th bedroom or a library. It has an attached bathroom and closet but it's the room immediately off the foyer to the right. It is a terrible location for a bedroom so we have turned it into a library with bookshelves (from Ikea) and everything. We are painting it a color in the orange family, at the choice of my husband. I will have to post a picture because the color can't be explained. It leans towards a orangey, cinnamony, brownish color. We like it. I need to remember to take pictures with my camera phone so I can post these pictures from work.

Bake, stir, roast, simmer

Tomorrow is a big cooking day for me. I'll keep you posted on my progress. I think we have everything we will need. We are eschewing a whole turkey for a turkey breast. Those things are huge! About the same size as a chicken. Anyway, I have to get some rest because dinner is tomorrow at 3 and I hope to be ready.

I have arrived

A sure sign that I am an adult with adult responsibilities: I used to look at the ads for black Friday for gadget and clothing sales. Now I'm looking for the best prices on furniture.

We gather together

Thanksgiving is finally upon us! Or will be soon. As stated previously, I like this holiday. Food, family and football. Our gathering will be small as it usually is. I have 3 half-siblings, but was raised an only child so it will be me, Momma, Dear and my moms boyfriend Joe. I also invited our Realtor (yes with a capital "R" because this is different than a realtor). Does it seem strange to invite your Realtor to TGiving dinner? It's not to us. We had a lot of fun riding around with her the earlier part of this year while looking for our home and I knew she would be alone so why not. I will be doing the bulk of the cooking with Dear contributing the sweet potato pies. My mom want to bring something, but I don't know what. So let's talk menu:



turkey (obligatory)

dressing (or not. If there is not dressing, it won't be missed)

candied yams

collard greens

macaroni & cheese

broccoli rice casserole

green beans

cranberry sauce (I know this is more of a condiment, but I love it so. I eat it like a side dish. It also must be the canned type, not the fancy Ocean Spray one that is more like cranberry preserves. I try to dress it up by slicing on the lines made by the can and kind of fanning the slices out, maybe add some parsley)

sweet potato pies

yummy bars (I will have to describe them later. I could post the recipe, but it was given to me in confidence as a wedding present and I promised to keep it secret)



All of this for 4-5 people? Hell yes. I have to start cleaning out my fridge today so there will be space for the leftovers. I love to cook and this will be our first Thanksgiving in our home. I get to use all of my wedding china and have an excuse to open the leaf in our dining room table. I can light the apple scented candles and put on the Christmas muzak which will start playing from then until New Years. We may even go downtown and watch the lighting of a Christmas tree (there are many to choose from). I love Thanksgiving!