all we wanted, and more...

 Charlotte Claire, friend Amanda, Camille, Sonja K....Starbucks at Target.

Sonja, friend Irene, Cam, Char...the movie was really well done, we critiqued it all the way home, then continued today, when we went out and about.   We did enjoy the movie.  

There's something refreshing about hanging about with some youngsters.  They are happy and hopeful and silly and it makes me feel the same way.  We did an order pick up today, some things I ordered yesterday that were half off, then an additional 30% off, Christmas gifts.  We had to get a few things for their Friendsgiving dinner for this evening, too.  

I decided to make cinnamon rolls today, we'll serve them with coffee tomorrow after church.  Some of the young girls sell coffee and baked goods, and it's wonderful to sit around together afterwards, talk, and have coffee.  Even if you don't drink it, in my opinion, it's a wonderful aroma.  

They're not iced yet with their cream cheese frosting, it's in two pastry bags in the refrigerator.  I used parchment paper in the 13X9 baking dishes, doubled the recipe (Easy Cinnamon Rolls From Scratch, one rise, from sallysbakingaddiction.com). The parchment is like magic, just pull them right out of the pans, cool, then I put them on a sheet pan that has a lid, when they cooled, for easy transport.  I will frost right before serving.    Can you even imagine what the house smells like this evening?  Oh, heavenly.  

We went to Old Navy today, only bought a few things.  The girls had fun in there though.

Miss Cam asked me for a quarter.

Pure joy.  

Thanksgiving preparations are being planned in my head, I think about so many things, they stack up in my brain, there is a huge tower of ideas in there for Thursday.  The house has to be cleaned better, deeper, have to put more things away.  The turkey can be taken out of the refrigerator on Tuesday, and put into some salt brine, if I am brave enough to try to elevate the bird to a state of moist tenderness.  I've read about it, you boil up some water, stir in salt, a little bit of sugar too if you want, some rosemary maybe, other herbs, let it cool, add more water, put it in a very clean cooler with bags of ice to keep it nice and cold.  24 hours later, which would be Wednesday, remove from cooler, and leave uncovered in the refrigerator for another 24 hours before finally heaving it into the oven on Thursday, all basted up in butter with pepper.  This whole process takes it to another level, but does it?  Is it worth the work?  Anyone ever do it?  

Wednesday is also Pie Day.  Camille is committed to a lemon meringue completely from scratch, she has a bag of lemons and the box of cornstarch.  I will make Paul a chocolate, and I bought frozen blueberries, and Granny Smith apples.  Then a few pumpkins, and Grace is bringing her pecan.  So 2 apple, 2 pumpkin, 1 blueberry, one lemon, 1 chocolate, 1 pecan.  That should do it.  

I won't bore you with the details of the rest of the meal, but we're having turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, a sweet potato casserole with pecans (and marshmallows!), oven roasted squash cubes and Brussel sprouts, stuffing, cranberry sauce, rolls, Grace's green bean casserole, and Emily's butternut squash soup, and homemade cranberry chutney.  There will be 13 adults, 4 kids, 2 babies, so a very small gathering.  

One of the ideas stacked in my head is how to set the tables, side by side, or end to end?  

Oh, in the end all the details will blur together and not be so important, but on the other hand, good planning can make things go smoother.   Planning is also half the fun.  Maybe I can make some gingerbread play dough to keep the kids busy...

Jonathan is so funny.  He went hunting today, and went.  He had the proper licenses of course, but not overly much preparation.  So first day out, opening day for rifles, and he gets not one, but TWO deer.    Look away if you're queasy, or if you simply don't appreciate pictures of dead animals.  

He's already taken them to a place to have them processed, he doesn't want to do it himself again, too time consuming.  Plus, he is having some made into sausage, and that's beyond his abilities.  Now, this seems mean and brutal, but there are way too many deer in New York State.  Many starve in the harsh winters.  The Department of Environmental Conservation keeps a close eye on the population, and issue deer hunting tags accordingly.  Jon was actually stopped by a DEC roadblock, in the north country, when he was headed to the processor.  They were checking every vehicle for deer, making sure the hunters had the proper permits.  Anyway, it IS sad, and it IS brutal, but these deer will be eaten, it's not just sport, but shh, he sure had fun.  

Ah well.  We haven't decorated for Christmas yet.  We were always staunch Day After Thanksgiving decorators, but a few years ago the girls begged and pleaded, and what the heck, it didn't kill me to let them do it early.  We're out of the covid oppression now, but those times were a bit smothering, and if stringing up lights and getting out the bling made them happy, go for it.  So now, we packed away the pumpkins and all things orange, and put up just a few things for Christmas.  I think we'll wait until Friday to finish up, it's fine with me.  The tree can come any time after that...

Our appliances are haunted.  The refrigerator isn't cold enough because the fan gets coated with ice, and Paul takes everything out, gets on of the girl's hairdryers, and melts it off, it needs to be done again.   The washer is all taken apart, he ordered two new parts and one came the other day.  He thought the other one came today, so he went in there to finish up, and oops, it was something else that came in the mail.  It should arrive Monday.  In the mean time, I suppose I should think about the laundry mat.  I told him I think the appliances are haunted, he said, "The dryer works."  

I saw an ad that said, "One day you're buying miniskirts at Forever 21, the next thing you know you're perusing oversized sweaters at Costco..."  Oh dear, I did wear a miniskirt way back when, back when I could walk and run and lean over.  Yes, I could run.  I walked and walked, and didn't even think about my body.  It just did what it had to do.  I thought about my hair, and my make up, and of course my legs were shaved, but aches and pains?  What were they?  I did gymnastics, and I lifted weights with my brothers, and I rode my bike all over the neighborhood.  I felt fine, I slept fine, and my hair, oh it was thick and fluffy.  I see my girls, all shiny and young and vibrant, and I think they have nothing, not a THING to complain about.    :)(Funny, now I don't even THINK about my hair!  I wash it sometimes, put it up in a clip, wear it down sometimes, never blow dry or curl it...don't even think about make up anymore, but I do still shave my legs, every night ha. )

 Life does go by fast though, and no one is guaranteed tomorrow.  No matter how glossy or rich your life seems to be, we're all the same in that.  It's wise and rewarding then to be thankful for your days, and not worry about tomorrow.  

Ah, rambling on again...it's just Paul and I here, the dogs are snoring, football is on with the volume turned down, and we're chatting in between sentences, which makes for a disjointed post.  Goodnight then, (I'm awfully tired, one Little Miss Sunshine barked her silly head off at 6:18 this morning...ugh)...