THANKS-giving

By now, I suspect most everyone has finished up their Thanksgiving meals. I would hope, and pray, that all have had a safe day, filled with love and gratitude for all they have, whether it be a little, or a lot.  My family has been blessed beyond what I'd have dreamed as a child and a young adult.  I will never forget those very lean years and the struggles they held. For that, I am very thankful. 

Yesterday, I wasn't much feeling that way, and it carried into most of the morning too.  I wasn't feeling thankful, or grateful, or appreciated, and wasn't much in the mood or mindset to prepare a regular meal, let alone a feast for my little family of three.  The holiday blues were upon me big time.  It hits me every year, and it's a struggle to stay cheery and motivated all the way through to the new year.  Earlier in the week, I had gone to the store and purchased a whole turkey, which of course, I cannot cook in my large toaster oven in its whole form (it's now been five years since I've been able to) and so I had planned to cut it into pieces and cook the breast portion, and freeze the rest. 

Last night I made sure my kitchen was cleaned of all dirty dishes, and this morning put them away.  I still wasn't feeling much motivation, but after spending time in God's word this morning, had made a list of foods, and set to it.  First I boiled some eggs for deviled eggs - darn eggs wouldn't peel for anything, but still I managed to make them 'good enough' and Nick watched me as mixed up the yolk ingredients, put it into a small plastic bag, snipped the corner and piped it into the eggs.  He was impressed :) so that helped.  

The turkey had been dissected, parts in the freezer, some bones, wing tips and such in pot of water boiling for soup later - I completely deboned the breast.  I had made stuffing, which I prefer cooked in the bird, but had to find a way to do that without a bird cavity and still have it, and the breast fit into the very small covered roaster that fits in my toaster oven.  I mixed up a whole package of store-bought stuffing (Mrs. Cubbison's I think) with lots of butter, some broth and of course onion and celery, lined the roaster with foil and with cheesecloth, laid down a good layer of the stuffing, and then seasoned the breast and placed it atop the stuffing.  And I didn't take a single picture of this process! before or after!  It ultimately turned out well.  The stuffing was a little more moist than I prefer, but I'd also put some of the stuffing in a separate baking dish and fit it alongside the roaster - amazing they both fit in the oven!  

Other sides were mashed potatoes (butter, cream, cream cheese), gravy, whole green beans with bacon, niblets corn from a can, Cheddar Bay biscuits, cranberries both jellied & whole from a can, the deviled eggs.  I'd spent maybe 4 1/2 - 5 hours in the kitchen on my feet, having sat down only a couple of times for about 5 minutes each, cleared and set the table.  We enjoyed our feast, I filled up my plate, looked at it and said "I don't know why I put so much on my plate, I'm not hungry" and I wasn't, but I ate all that I put on my plate.  Less than 30 minutes later, we were done, I got everything put away and washed up, and then put a Claim Jumper frozen Dutch apple pie in the oven.  By then, I could hardly move.  I took an Aleve-equivalent, and went to my craft room to rest a bit and check social media.  Went back down and put the crumbly stuff on the pie for the last 10 minutes of baking, handed the timer to Nick, and told him to take it out when it went off, and as I'd been so uncomfortable sitting in my chair, went in and laid down for a nap.  Over an hour later I got and felt a whole lot better, but still somewhat tired.  

While eating dinner, somehow we got on the subject of concerts.  Kicking it around, and talking about where to go for concerts - Nick's never been to one - I mentioned Las Vegas, and that way back in time, like in the early 1980s, my first husband and I had gone to LV and I don't even remember who we were seeing, it was a dinner lounge show or something, that required you to buy dinner.  So we had the prime rib.  It was served with the usual including horseradish.  What I DO remember is, the then husband, without testing the horseradish first, put a huge blob on his piece of meat, which went promptly into his mouth, and which he nearly spit out as it was the hottest horseradish one has ever had.  For some reason, today, it just seemed funny as could be...it wasn't at the time! 

I will probably spend the rest of what remains of the evening, watching TV and working on genealogy.  Nick is in his room doing whatever he does there, and Marty's downstairs (I think) watching football or the political talking heads.