Ursula Leaves the State, Day 7: Thanksgiving Thursday, November 22, 2012

Ah, the conflicted American holiday. I am not big on celebrating bringing disease and ruin to a bunch of cultures, but I do like the idea of pausing to be grateful for your abundance. And I do love (and dearly miss) my family’s traditional meal, which I hope to be able to celebrate again some day. But the past few years have definitely brought some new and interesting experiences. This year, at least, it was more relaxed! (Remember last year, the year of turkey cold cuts? And how much heavier I was a year ago--happy anniversary to my diet!)

This year I got up, showered and quickly cut up vegetables to make dressing, and got cranberry sauce ready to cook. I now regret taking my own saucepan, because I left the lid at Jan’s house. No way to retrieve it, so I will need to get a new small saucepan for Ursula. Not a huge deal--but I need to think better.

Once we were all dressed and ready, we headed to Jan’s, where daughter Jayme had been cooking up a storm, and the turkey was baking.

Our lovely hostesses (from earlier in the week)

My dressing and cranberry sauce, plus Cindy's potatoes.

 I got the food going, and soon Lee’s other niece, Cindy, got off work (she cleans at a hotel) and joined us. She made mashed potatoes from scratch. 

Cooking away!!

The kids made quite a spread of appetizers, too. We watched football a bit, and chatted with Jan’s elderly Veteran friend she’d invited.

Appetizer World! The girls did all this! Jayme especially worked hard.

The food came out really good, and it sure was a pleasant time--lots of banter, chatting and humor. Plus there was the mystery of the fallen egg. No one would admit to dropping it first on the poor plant and then on the floor!

The egg just sat there, because no one would fess up to dropping it. Perhaps whoever did it just didn't notice.

I also really enjoyed their parrot, which had been Lee's sister's before. What an entertaining fellow Crackers is. And he's just middle aged--in his 30s.

Crackers is at right, hanging out with the family!

I enjoyed talking to the girls a lot—ages 10-13. They were very well behaved and nice. Lee and Jan got caught up on family lore, and I know they enjoyed that. Much fun was had.

Lee picks on his poor little great-niece.

Around sunset, Tara and I took their two Jack Russells on a walk. I got to see a covey of Gambrel’s quail, which was cool. They live across the street from undeveloped land, so there is lots of wildlife. While we were out, one dog’s collar broke, so Tara had to carry her home. A few minutes after she got home, she was covered in welts. Apparently she is not just allergic to cats! They had no Benadryl, so after a chat with Lee’s dad, we went back to Ursula so they could get some. Poor kid sure was itchy!

Lessons Learned: Eggs are tricky. And everyone should keep Benadryl around, in case a sudden allergy arises.