Families and long holiday weekends.

It doesn’t get much better than having a long weekend to spend with some favorite relatives.  My cousin Jen and my Auntie Lynn came for Thanksgiving this year.  It was good to see them and the strain between my mom and her sister seems to be lessening.  We all laughed a lot this weekend and that’s what it’s all about.

A Turkey Day Meme clipped from Carole’s Blog.
1. Which do you like better: Cooking at your house, or going elsewhere? I cook at my Mom and Dad’s.  It’s the best of both worlds, I get to do what I love, cook, Mom gets to do what she loves, clean before and clean afterwards.

2. Do you buy a fresh or frozen bird? Fresh from the local Turkey Farm

3. What kind of stuffing? homemade traditional stuffing - cooked outside the bird because we all like the crusty parts.

4. Sweet potato or pumpkin pie? Pumpkin pie, apple pie, pecan pie, and cheese cake.

5. Do you believe that turkey leftovers are a curse, or the point of the whole thing? Nothing is better than ’special’ turkey sandwiches.  Favorite bread, spread with mayo, add turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce.

6. Which side dish would provoke a riot if you left it off the menu? Waldorf Salad

7. Do you save the carcass to make soup or stock? Yes, I made turkey soup on Saturday.  Yummy!

8. What do you wish you had that would make preparing Thanksgiving dinner easier? An extra oven, and an extra fridge.
9. Do you get up at the crack of dawn to have dinner ready in the early afternoon, or do you eat at your normal dinner hour? Early afternoon,  this year was a bit later because my sister’s kids are in their school’s marching band and the football game had FIVE overtimes.  It was pour rain and nasty and cold.

10. If you go to somebody else’s house, what’s your favorite dish to bring? I always bring waldorf salad and appetizers.

11. What do you wish one of your guests wouldn’t bring to your house? Whatever they would like to share.
12. Does your usual mix of guests result in drama, or is it a group you’re happy to see? There is always some kind of drama, and lots and lots of laughter.

13. What’s your absolute favorite thing on the menu? Stuffing of course.

14. What are you thankful for this year?  I am thankful that we are all happy, safe and healthy, yes,  my Dad is feeling much better (thank you all for your healing thoughts and prayers).

Now it’s your turn. What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

Now it’s on to Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Yule - my shopping is 99% done.  I only have a few odds and ends and stocking stuffers to pick up and wrap.

DD has already started dragging the Christmas stuff out, and she still has Halloween stuff to put away!   She has also requested a REAL tree and not a fake one this year.  The deal is she has to clean out the back (three season) room to put the tree out there.  No clean, no tree.

Last night we went to see a production of the play ‘Rent’ at the Lowell Auditorium.  It was spectacular.   I promised myself I wouldn’t cry… I did anyway.  I always cry when Angel dies.

I also finished up one knitting project this weekend but now without a few obstacles.   I only had the picot bind off to finish the Fiddlesticks Shoal Water Shawl that was lying in a bag in my room, but some how I managed to lose the insert sheet from the pattern with the last bit of info I needed to finish the already started bind off.  I tried to figure out what I had done by tinking back, but that was to no avail, so I ran over to my local yarn shop (Woolpack in Littleton) and a lovely person sat down and helped figure it out so off I went to finish up.  Of course I ran out of yarn (I KNOW there is another ball somewhere in my house, but do you think I could find it?) so pulled out some sort of matching left overs and finished it off.  If I ever do find the other ball, I’ll just rip it out and re-do.

And just in case and so I don’t forget the cast off:

*Cast off one stitch

Knit cast on 3 stitches to left hand needle, then knit and bind off each stitch (4 total)

Repeat from *

Busy Weekend and Food Prep

UPDATE:Please take the time to go to this site Let’s Say Thanks and send a note of thanks to the troops.  It’s free and takes only a few minutes.

Oh my it was a busy weekend end, most of which I cannot discuss publicly. But I will say it was at least spent with very pleasant company

Saturday evening I grabbed DD and we drove down to IKEA. I had seen the perfect mirror and glass shelf for the new bathroom that I wanted to pick up as well as grab a few things for the house.

I got the mirror and shelf installed on Sunday morning and they are perfect. Only things left are the new toilet installation and the tile grouting which is currently scheduled for next Tuesday. Keep your fingers crossed. Friday I picked out the grout color (natural grey) and picked it up as well, so there can be no last minute mix-up hopefully.

While I was at IKEA, I longingly looked at the new beds that I want ,and the mattresses that I desperately need to replace. But funds are short right now, with the holidays fast approaching. I did go ahead and buy one of their mattress topper pads, hoping that it might help my horrible mattress, and surprise! It feels like a new bed. I may be able to postpone a new mattress purchase indefinitely.

This coming Tuesday my niece (Ms. K) turns 17! Yikes where has the time gone? Mom and Dad came up and we went over to my sisters, to give Ms. K her birthday presents. She recently started knitting in earnest. She’s knitting her first sweater out of Malabrigio (NICE!), so for her present I got her a beautiful Lantern Moon knitting bag. Ms. K also loves all things oriental and Japanese, so she really liked her bag.

We also took this time to discuss who was bringing what to Thanksgiving dinner, which will be at Mom and Dad’s this year.

My sister and brother-in-law (who happens to make the most outrageously sinful pecan pie!) are bringing the pies (pecan, pumpkin and apple), and Ms. K is baking some bread. These are the bakers in the family, but this doesn’t explain why they are also the thinner side of the family.

Afterward we had our lists made, I headed over to my all time favorite fruit and veggie stand, Idylwilde to pick up some of the stuff for turkey day. This really isn’t a fruit and veggie stand anymore, they turned it into more of a gourmet grocery store, but the fruits and veggies are always worth the ride and the money.

I am bringing the Waldorf salad, a tradition that was started by my Grandma Bess, and that I continue to this day. I’ll even share this recipe with you. The measurements are just approximations to taste, so feel free to add more or less to your taste.

Ingredients:

Apples (4 -6 of them), I pick gala apples because they are naturally sweet and firm - perfect for this salad. A nice bunch of big, juicy, sweet red grapes (seedless if you can find them, if not you just seed them as you cut them up). celery, plump raisins, walnuts, real mayonnaise (don’t skimp it’s the holidays!), and freshly whipped and sweetened heavy cream, and one lemon.

Note: that this salad doesn’t keep more than a day or two in the fridge but you do want some leftover for the next day. If you do have leftovers, add some shredded leftover turkey for lunch the next day, yummo.

Wash and cut grapes into halves or quarters depending on the size (1-2 cups)

Dice (large dice) 1-2 stalks of celery (2/3 cup)

1/2 cup of roughly chopped walnuts

1/2 cup of raisins

Wash and core and peel 3-4 cups of the apples, and cut into large bite-sized chunks, squeeze fresh lemon juice from half of a lemon over them to keep them from turning brown, and toss the ingredients together.

Dressing:

Equal portions of mayonnaise and whipped cream. Start with 1/2 cup of each. Mix together well before adding to the salad.

Toss everything together with the dressing making sure everything is well coated.

Refrigerate until served. Note this is best if served the same day it is made.

This will make about 6 servings, but it’s easy to double or triple the recipe.

I’m also making the cranberry relish, and the gravy.

Now you may ask how can I bring the gravy without cooking the bird? Well, Dad always complains that there is never enough gravy, and he was planning on purchasing gravy. But I talked him out of it, having just watch Tyler on the Food Channel, show us the secret to making lots of gravy.

I purchased some fresh turkey wings and legs, seasoned them with salt, pepper, fresh rosemary, sage and thyme, drizzled with olive oil and roasted in a pan @ 325F. When they were done, I dumped the entire contents of the roasting pan into my stock pot and added enough water to cover, tossed in a couple of roughly chopped celery stalks, carrots, an onion and simmered for about an hour or more. I then removed all the bits, and strained the stock through a fine sieve.

I will use the stock with a butter and flour roux to make all the gravy you can possibly want. If I had thought ahead a little I would have made a lot more stock to make turkey soup on Friday.

Other than the bird, we also will be having, mashed potatoes, squash, green beans and of course stuffing.

I cannot wait to stuff myself then spend the afternoon on the couch knitting and napping.

I’m pushing through the knitting of cousin Jen’s shawl, it just seems to be taking a long time but it’s a bit more interesting than the sweater I also started for myself.

I don’t know what I was thinking when I started THIS for myself. It’s almost all stockinette on US2’s and US4’s. What WAS I thinking? I’m doing it in Cascade, Bollicine Dolly, Extra Fine Merino, in M4 or a medium grey color. This yarn is really soft and lovely, but can tend to split so I kind of have to pay attention to what I am doing. I actually got about 6 inches done on the back.

I also have to knit my NETA afghan square soon. I’m hoping to get that done over the upcoming holiday weekend. The assembly party isn’t until January so I still have some time to get that done.

It’s a hard rain gonna fall…

Why does everything need to be so complicated?

Or as the sagas continue….

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First Saga - the bathroom:

 

I now have a beautiful new pedestal sink installed. I’m not sure why they didn’t install the toilet, but I have high hopes that when I get home tonight I will also have a new toilet installed. This just leaves the re-grouting which is currently scheduled to occur on Nov. 28^th. I still need to pick up the grout from Home Depot on Friday.

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Second Saga - the HP Laptop:

 

This morning the sales person from HP called to verify my home address to send me the “Buy Back” check. I couldn’t resist so I had to tell him that I have been in Customer Support for decades and I just did not understand why they weren’t replacing/upgrading me to a new and usable computer? I did appreciate that they were doing a buy back, but I wanted him to be fully aware that I would indeed be buying a new laptop, but that is sure wouldn’t be any HP, and that I was surprised they couldn’t accommodate me with a new replacement. He explained that they were “out of stock” on that model. Ok… So I asked about an upgrade. Wouldn’t it be worth a few bucks for them to eat in order to keep me as a loyal customer? He said he’d call back with the hour. Now, I cannot believe they didn’t think of making this offer before, and I know Circuit City asked.

 

Fifteen minutes later he calls back – he found a PC that has a larger 17” screen, it also has a 240 Gig hard drive (4 times the size of the original PC), it has all the features of the old one, but the processing speed is slower. Only 1.66 Ghz vs. 1.8 Ghz. I’ll take it!

 

Deal done, he’s contacting Circuit City with the details. I’m not sure when we will be getting it, and DD is a bit disappointed that we aren’t opting for the check, buying a cheaper laptop and Two iPods with the left over dollars. Oh well, I like the bigger better laptop myself. I think she will too in the long run.

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Knitting:

 

Last night the Java Room knitting crew was lean and mean: Crazed Weasel Liz and Computer-less Joanne and Rhymes with Fuchsia were there when we arrived. We all ended up leaving earlier than normal, the finale to Dancing with the Stars was on.

 

At home I did manage to finish the secret socks, and I even started the Forest Canopy Shawl, that I’m doing with the Great Adirondack Merino Superwash in Pheasant Colorway with rust, violet, teal brown and gold. Just gorgeous!

 

I feel like I am knitting as fast as I can, but I will never get done in time for the holidays… panic is already setting in.

 

I feel like I’m trying so hard to focus but there are just too many plates in the air that I am trying to juggle and it’s all crashing in right now. REMINDER TO SELF Take a breath, and dream of February SPA. Of course the nasty dismal grey damp rainy weather isn’t helping either. I feel like I’m back in Binghamton…. I NEED SUN!

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Other Rants of the Day:

 

OJ Simpson, WTF?

 

Who in their right mind thinks its ok for him to virtually confess to a murder that almost all sane people KNEW in our hearts that he was guilty. Is he finally going to tell us where and how he dumped the knife?

 

I cannot believe how there is no legal action that can now be taken against him, it makes me physically ill to know that this scum bag not only got away with cold blooded murder of Nicole and Ron and now he’s just taunting their families with this.

 

As far as FOX FAUX News being the ones to put up 3.5 Million dollars for this am I surprise? Not really, I just hope that people not only refuse to purchase and read his book, and I hope that others will at least boycott the televised interview.

 

This man is one sick puppy that he is basically just an Attention Grabbing Ho, so badly is his need to be in the limelight that he’s even willing to stoop lower than I ever thought possible, lower than pond scum.

 

I still believe and advocate shunning him. It’s the only logically just thing left to do, and it will deny him everything he craves.

 

Now, Rhymes with Fuchsia brought up and interesting hypothesis that knitters are generally more liberal people. Well, this maybe true, I think knitters are inherently compassionate, and caring. Who else but a compassionate, caring person would spend hours and hours knitting an object for their beloved, or for a perfect stranger with the same care and love? But does this make them liberal in the political sense? I’m not sure. Sometimes I am very liberal, especially on social issues, but I also believe that we need to pay as we go, which apparently is no longer a conservative stance, but now a democratic one. I believe this is another point of proof in my previous rant hypothesis regarding the old Dixiecrats and Political Party re-alignments.

 

When I was young I was too naïve and idealistic to be anything but a raving liberal, then in my late 20s early 30s I read Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged and became a capitalist and conservative, but as I got old matured, I realized that most of us cannot afford to be conservative and they were killing the middle class, it appears they only care about power and wealth. So now I subscribe to neither party. I like to think I’m a combination, Libertarian Anarchist. I don’t believe the government has any right to come onto my land and blow me up, but I certainly believe that we are free to blow ourselves up.

 

 

HP Bad, Circuit City Good

To whom it may concern at Hewlett-Packard,

I recently purchased one of your laptops through Circuit City in August of this year.  I also purchased the extended warranty provided by Circuit City at the same time.

When the laptop broke after 4-5 weeks of casual use, I was sure that I had not only HP but Circuit City behind me to get me back up and running in short order.

Unfortunately it appears that HP was the one to let me down.  After having my PC for over a month with no communication back from HP.    Circuit City went to bat for me, but unfortunately they were not able to get my laptop fixed, nor were they able to convince HP to give me a new laptop without a two to three month wait for either option.  This means that I was not only out $1000 but I also was out a laptop for over 4 months.

I work in customer service and if one of my company’s products was not working for one of my customers and couldn’t be fixed in a reasonable period of time I would not only get them brand new equipment, I would upgrade it for them if only to keep them as a loyal customer.  Apparently you don’t care about loyalty or customers.

I really thought that when I was buying HP, I was buying the best, not only the equipment, but the reputation of your company.  Apparently I was wrong on both parts.

So, now I am waiting for HP to send me a refund check, since that appears to be the “best they can do for me” and when that check comes, I do plan to buy a new laptop at Circuit City, but I doubt it will be an HP.

Sincerely yours…

True Confessions (cynical but not hopeless)

cyn·i·cal (sn-kl)
ADJECTIVE:

1. Believing or showing the belief that people are motivated chiefly by base or selfish concerns; skeptical of the motives of others: a cynical dismissal of the politician’s promise to reform the campaign finance system.
2. Selfishly or callously calculating: showed a cynical disregard for the safety of his troops in his efforts to advance his reputation.
3. Negative or pessimistic, as from world-weariness: a cynical view of the average voter’s intelligence.
4. Expressing jaded or scornful skepticism or negativity: cynical laughter.

Ok I’ll admit it I am sometimes very cynical but, as I like to think of it, cautious. I do expect the best from people and for the most part I’m rarely disappointed.

But this recent turn about that took place on our election day has me thinking in very cynical terms. I wonder if the republicans orchestrated their own defeat to dump the mess they made onto someone else’s plate. Because no matter how I try to look at the war, the economy, the ill will through out the world that this administration has actively fostered… well I just have to wonder. I also suspect that there is much inner turmoil if you are Republican. Much like back in the 60s after Lyndon Johnson sign the Civil Rights bill all the “Dixiecrats” jumped ship and joined the Republican party. Now that the evangelicals who were invited into the Republican party by Ronald Reagan for their organizational skills, have begun to realize that no one in either party who may have promised constitutional amendments, abortion bans, etc. , etc., well, let’s face it, they are just not going to happen. Politician’s know that touching anything that controversial is just political suicide, no matter which side of the fence you sit upon.

I am cynical enough to believe that some republicans would eat their own children to stay in power, regardless if it was right or wrong for the country. It’s all about power. But just because I am cynical, doesn’t mean I am hopeless.

What I do hope for is that the republicans that have survived, reject the president and his policies, and refuse to let him ram any more of his outrageous policies upon us here and the rest of the world.

My friend Paula (the astrologer) predicted a blood bath and violence from this election. I never expected it to be republican blood, and there were isolated incidences of violence too. But for the most part we were civil and orderly.

Let us hope that the Democrats do not rise to the bait and find a way to do the right thing for the country, and the rest of us citizens’. Because if there were any mandate shouted out this past Tuesday it was - We are not going to take this BS anymore.”

Enough of politics and one to the fibery things that keep me close to sanity.

I started the ’secret’ socks the other night at our weekly Java Room meeting but absolutely hated the pattern that I was working. You know how sometimes you start something and it’s just not what you envisioned? This is also why I love love LOVE the book Sensational Knitted Socks . Everyone who knits socks should have this book. So, I hate the socks and when I got home I frogged it all the way back. I didn’t even like the K1P1 ribbing. I finally got a minute to start again (don’t you just love that about knitting - you can just keep starting it until it feels and looks right). This time I doing K2P2 with a mini rib cable and they look spectacular. I’m loving them.

I’m hoping to get a ton of knitting time in this weekend. Sunday is supposed to be rainy and damp, so I’m planning on staying in my jammies, watching old movies, sending out for pizza and knitting all day long. So sorry girls, I probably won’t be joining you at Border’s on Sunday, I so need a day to be totally unplugged and it doesn’t look like there is another one on the near horizon. I cannot believe Turkey Day is less than two weeks away, and you know what comes right after that. ACK!

I must say I am really looking forward to January and February this year, I hope it’s very snowy with lots of big snow storms that keep me hibernating. I have all the fiber and yarn to keep me busy through spring. Not to mention I am really looking forward to SPA in February.

All done but the counting…

I have to say I’m so happy to see this morning that for the most part and across the board and country, voter turnout was high, high enough to break records locally and nationally. I was happy to see a huge number of young voters turn out too. Perhaps there is hope for our republic.

This is the quote from my Wild Words from Wild Women:

“I’m so sick of hearing about family values. Most of us are in therapy because of our families. I’m surprised you don’t hear about more calls to 911: ‘Help me, I’m in a family. Get me out of here!’” ~ Judy Carter, mentor to many an aspiring comic

I’m happy to see Arizona said NO to a ban on gay marriage, South Dakota said NO to a ban on all abortions regardless of circumstances, Missouri said YES to expanding stem cell research and I’m happy to see that with the democrats taking over the congress so that hopefully now the Congress will start doing the job it’s supposed to do enforcing accountability for policies that are going so horribly wrong.

I am also proud to be from Massachusetts where we just elected our first Democrat to the Governor’s office in 20 years. He is also the first black to be elected governor AND only the second ever to be elected governor in the entire US. He ran a clean, non-negative campaign. Although I don’t agree with everything he says, I must say this man appears to be a man of integrity and he has class, and he’s not a puppet to the Democratic party either. I hope for good things to come from him.

On the knitting front. I finished off Brother-in-law’s Fly Fishing socks. The colors pooled nicely. I’ve already cast on my “secret special” socks for my “secret special” friend. I should be at the Java Room Metrowest North Knitting Group. I’m not sure what time yet as DD is still home sick with a temp, and hacking cough.

I also have to get started on my cousin’s shawl. So much knitting so little time. The holiday pressure is already on.

Dad is still doing well and hoping to go on that cruise with Mom in December. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that he keeps improving so he can do just that. Otherwise they’ve threatened offered to send my sister and I on the cruise in their place. Ya just what we want to do - go on a cruise with a bunch of really old people. On the other hand maybe I can find a cute sugar daddy! Robert Redford looks great for being almost 70.

Then there is the bathroom saga… the plumbers should be coming sometime this week, they may even show up today I’m still waiting to hear from the tilers, in-spite of calls to Home Depot. This time the invoice was somehow stuck somewhere in the system, but that now seems to have cleared.  I’m still waiting for a call.

VOTE TODAY!

” Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety” - Ben Franklin

Voting is not only a right, it’s your civic responsibility. If you don’t want to lose this right too, GO VOTE TODAY!

DAD UPDATE:

Dad was released from the hospital today!  The good news is that he’s over his bout with shingles, the bad news is that during his illness they did not pay close enough attention to his blood sugar and diabetes that he developed Occipital Neuralgia.  This however can be treated with medication.  We are hoping they treat him with pain meds and not steriods… remember my Mom is still on steroids.   One could only imagine Thanksgiving dinner with “Rents on Roids” - let’s just say it would not be pretty.

Healing

First off, my Dad is not doing well. He turned 80 in August and has been slowing down a bit, but about 3 weeks ago he came down with a horrible and very painful case of shingles on his head and neck. The doctors gave him some kind of pain killer, I still don’t know what kind, but he’s basically slept through the last 3 weeks, barely eating (and he’s diabetic to boot!). He’s lost 36 lbs. and now my Mom reports he’s getting delusional. I’m sure it’s his blood sugar and probably dehydration. So, we’ve checked him into the hospital for some tests. If they will at least keep him for the weekend, that will give Mom a break from being housebound.

So send a little healing energy his way if you think about it.

I know Dad is getting up there, and having just buried my Uncle Frank (my Dad’s Brother-in-Law) last weekend, I realize that our time with Dad is getting shorter and shorter. So we need to focus on getting him stabilized and then getting him better.

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Oh the bathroom front: I put the second coat of stain on the trim, primed and put the first coat of paint (Ocean Air from Benji Moore). I also picked up one of those cool curved shower rods and a new shower curtain that should match or at least compliment the paint color I’m using. I also picked up some new bathroom linens, towels, curtains, rugs, etc. If I can get the second coat of paint on sometime within the next few days, then I’ll call the plumber. He said that he would only need a day (if that) to get the new pedestal sink and toilet installed. Then the only fight left will be with the tilers, who I still have not heard from.

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On the darling daughter front… once again I let her scam me. She needed $20 and the only chore I had on my list for her to earn it for the concert tonight was a sink full of dirty dishes to wash (by hand since the dishwasher is broken) - She hadn’t started them by the time I went to bed and when she came up, she said she had done the dishes, so I gave her the money, only to come down this morning for my coffee after she had caught the bus for school, and I find (can you guess) yup… half a sink of dirty dishes. gr-r-r-r-r-r-r! Teenage girls are lying sacks of you-know-what and can’t be trusted to do anything. I keep reminding myself of my friend Cathy’s warning years ago when her daughter was 14 or 15. Apparently Cathy had given her daughter $200 cash for her birthday specifically to buy new clothes, instead her daughter ran away for a week. Cathy was hysterical and warned me then , to never give a teenaged girl cash. She was right.

I left the dishes for her and when she gets back tonight from seeing Death Cab for Cuties, she can finish doing the dishes. I’m tempted to just put some clean ones in the sink, just to make more dishes for her to wash.

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And finally knitting news…

The cute little teeny pair of socks I knit for Eleanor, sadly were too teeny, so I’ll just hang them on the Yule Tree this year. I have plenty of left over bits to knit Miss E a bigger pair. I started the second sock of the pair for my Brother-In-Law size 10 1/2 shoes. The socks are plain stockinette so they are tres boring, but knitting up fast.

I ordered more sock yarn (yes I know that sock yarn diet lasted about 2 days) - but I suddenly became inspired to knit a certain color of sock for a certain friend for a holiday present. I won’t say anymore.

Also this past weekend as I begin my preparations for the upcoming winter by stocking up on more yarn. I got some Bollicine Dolly 100% superfine Merino in a lovely grey. Hopefully it’s enough for a nice sweater for moi. I also could not resist the pull of some yummy hand-painted yarn in browns, and yellows, blues and purples. It just begged to be knit into a shawl for cousin Jen. So, somehow I need to grow another pair of hands, or learn to knit with my toes, because it’s only the first week in November and already I am feeling the holiday crunch.