Le Menu

I went to the grocery store to get the last few things I need for Thanksgiving dinner. I'm not going back....if I don't have something, then we don't need it.

Since it's just going to be the six of us, there'll be fewer choices than when we have the large family spread. Thank goodness.

So here's the menu:

Turkey (from Trader Joe's, fresh turkey cooked by DOTR in the Big Green Egg)
Garlic Smashed Potatoes and Gravy
Sauteed Haricots Verts with mushrooms
Corn Casserole
Acorn Squash (baked, with butter and brown sugar)
Cranberry Orange Salad
Yeast Rolls
Pumpkin Pie and real whipped cream

Pinot Noir and Reisling
Trader Joe's Sparkling Cranberry Juice

And no, I didn't forget....I'm not making dressing/stuffing. Or sweet potatoes. Nobody but DOTR likes dressing and since we're having "healthy" squash, I decided to nix the sweet potato casserole I usually make, which contains a stick and a half of butter. Because even without the sweet potato casserole, we have two choices.....we can eat this meal or we can each just have a stick of butter. Yeah, I'm using that much to cook this stuff.

Happy Feasting!

Rivalry Week

Georgia Tech vs U(sic)GA. Good Old Fashioned Hate.

What: How hate begins
When: Nov. 4, 1893
What happened: Georgia Tech defeated Georgia 28-6 in Athens in the first game in the series.

From the archives: "The Atlanta Boys came home last night about midnight and were jubilant about the victory they had scored. The manager of the team complained of the treatment his boys received from Athens. ... The treatment the Techs received was not what they had expected. Rocking the players and threatening them was something never before witnessed on a football gridiron.
-- The Atlanta Constitution, describing a rock-throwing incident during the first game between the two schools.

Yesterday's paper highlighted the Tech quarterback in 1984 who'd played for the Bulldogs one year then transfered to Tech. That year the dawgs were favored and DOTR was spending his first football season in Georgia. He had a roommate who was a graduate of Georgia and all he heard was lots of bragging about how Tech didn't have a chance. Coming from humble Nebraska, this seemed ridiculous (because we all know that kind of stuff comes right back to bite you in the butt) and even if you thought it, good heavens you would never SAY it! As an idiotic 24 year old, DOTR decided to wear a GT cap over to the game in Athens with his new buddies, since he had no horse in the race. After he was endlessly abused and harrassed by strangers, that day he became a Tech fan (and....Tech won, led by the turncoat quarterback). Twenty years later, our daughter got into Tech and the rest is history. Coming from a place where we have near universal love for our Huskers, being in one camp or the other was a new thing for us, but we picked our side and that was that.

So here's a little something to hum this week:

I'm a Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech

And a hell of an engineer

A helluva, helluva, helluva

Helluva, hell of an engineer.

Like all the jolly good fellows,

I drink my whiskey clear.

I'm a Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech

And a hell of an engineer.

Oh! If I had a daughter, sir,

I'd dress her in white and gold

And put her on the campus

To cheer the brave and bold.

But if I had a son sir,,

I'll tell you what he'd do --

He would yell "To Hell with Georgia"

Like his daddy used to do.

Oh! I wish I had a barrell of rum

And sugar three hundred pounds,

A college bell to put it in,

And a clapper to stir it 'round.

I'd drink to all good fellows

Who come from far and near,

I'm a Ramblin', Gamblin'

Hell of an engineer.

We never knew the words past the first verse until our daughters went to Tech...so we dress them in white and gold, and nowadays we can all yell.....THWT.

Let rivalry week begin!

First Day

Happy Sunday! It's raining and I'm being a heathen this morning by skipping church. We are singing this killer Bach piece in German with orchestra and since I can't hit half of the notes (along with all my friends in the second soprano section), this seemed like the perfect morning to be absent. May lightening strike me.

Is it just me, or are we really just skipping right over Thanksgiving big time this year? My MIL (who, as you know is hosting Thanksgiving) posted on facebook that she's all done decorating and has been listening to Christmas music on CBN.com since Nov. 17th. About four other people have posted that they're done with their decorating, too.

I still have pumpkins and dead mums on my front porch, along with a witch's broom and a devil's pitchfork. Those tend to stay out until a couple weeks into December because I get busy with the Pilgrimage, delivering poinsettas for the baseball fundraiser, decorating the church before the first Sunday of Advent, per my Altar Guild duties, and the like. Normally, DOTR will buy a Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving (against my wishes, but it's his tradition to get whoever will budge out of the bed at the crack of dark thirty to buy a tree) but it usually stays out on the porch for awhile, leaning against the side of the house in a bucket. I like to call this our Festivus decor.

Of course, this year the front porch will also be sporting a Georgia Tech flag and a Nebraska flag since both teams are playing in their respective conference championship games on December 5th. I think they last did this in 2006, then both teams tanked the next year, fired their coaches and are on the upswing again (thanks Bo and PJ!)

One of my friends sent me an email asking me about my Christmas decorations that year, and wanted to know whether the baby Jesus had attended Nebraska or Georgia Tech.

Well, duh.

Everybody knows Nebraska is God's Country.

Addiction

I'm probably not alone in my magazine addiction. I never realize just how bad it is until somebody (mainly Favorite SIL) comes to visit and starts going through piles. And piles. And more piles. I stash them here and there. Ok, and everywhere.

So, after SIL's visit when she said she'd love to have anything I don't want for her kids (she teaches art) I did a little thinning of the ranks. To the tune of 4 huge shopping bags for SIL. And those are just the ones that were close at hand.

After this little exercise, I see a definite trend. I have about 30 magazines with Thanksgiving dinner recipes. I think this clearly shows my frustration level with the situation discussed in the previous post, don't you? I want to make something besides green bean casserole, sweet potatoes with marshmallows (I lie, I have a great sweet potato recipe and my kids don't even know that people eat them with marshmallows on top) and sliced cranberry goo. My magazine stash is 100 lbs. of proof.

Then there are the Christmas decorating magazines. Every edition of BH&G, Traditional Home, Victoria, Martha Stewart Living, etc. and a few of the late greats, like Home Companion, Country Home and Southern Accents among others. I also have quite a few fall and Halloween decor issues as well. And yet, my decor stays relatively consistent despite all this inspiration.

And then there are the travel magazines. Those aren't going ANYWHERE. They can be stacked to the rafters, but nobody is touching my Travel and Leisure collection. Budget Travel, National Geographic Travel, Conde Nast Traveler, Lonely Planet....aaahhh. A girl has to dream.

And of course, Garden and Gun. The complete set. Along with Victoria, although the old girl ain't what she used to be in her latest incarnation.

So what got sent to the art students? Food and Wine, Cooking Light, Bon Appetit (except the Thanksgiving issues, of course), Health, Natural Health, Prevention, Body and Soul (eat less, exercise more, only eat real food....if only I would do it). A bunch of old Traditional Home after I've pulled any tearsheets that might inspire me. Three Ethan Allen furniture catalogs.

Happy clipping, kiddos. There will surely be more where that came from.

I definitely have a problem.

Thanksgiving

So what do you think about it?

Dread it? Love it? Is it like that facebook relationship status "It's Complicated"?

Many moons ago, it used to be really easy. We lived in Atlanta and our families lived in Nebraska. We were young, had babies, a big mortgage and had no intention of spending Thanksgiving with our families. We slept in, cooked a turkey breast and hung around the house watching football. Or went to dinner with friends who also had no plans with family. Not hard to find in Atlanta with so many transplants.

Then, one by one, DOTR's family followed us and settled here. First his brother, right out of college, soon married to his college sweetheart. Just the four of us and our kids. We all still fit around a six top dining room table. A fun day hanging out together. What's not to like about that? Before too long his sisters appeared with their families, his brother and wife had as many kids as we do, and not wanting to be left out, Grandma and Grandpa hauled it down here and settled, too.

Which means an extended family of almost 30 people, once you count SIL's two brothers, their wives and kids.....and yes, it all started when DOTR got a job with Mutual of Omaha right out of college and they sent him to Atlanta.

For years I was "cruise director" of the holidays until MIL moved down here and then we had, shall we say, a power struggle. She has the smallest house, but she thinks we should all go there for Thanksgiving. Thirty people in a one butt kitchen (if you want to get something out of the refrigerator, sometimes you have to go outside, through the garage and back in to the other side of the kitchen....I am NOT lying). We get to sit at card tables with lawn chairs and eat dried out turkey and ham boiled overnight in the crockpot. I am the only one who can cook (and again, I am NOT lying) and she asks me to bring the relish tray. Passive aggressive anyone?

Before the inlaws moved down here full time and when we were in the midst of our Nutcracker years, SIL with the huge house and farm hosted and just did the turkey and I did all the side dishes. This was great when the kids were smaller because they could run wild and we had plenty of rooms to spread out and avoid talking to people we didn't want to talk to (like MIL! since her MO is getting you pinned in the corner asking 20 questions).

So, since I'm making a short story long....we all dread Thanksgiving now.

We solved our problem a couple times recently by having my aunt here for Thanksgiving (she was in SC.....close enough!) and last year by going to Hawaii. Which we've already decided we're doing again next year.

So anyway, what should be an enjoyable holiday is just a total pain in the butt. I've been trying to figure out a solution that will make everybody happy....or happier anyway. Favorite SIL thought this was an awesome idea and was going to join me in this because Favorite BIL likes going to MIL's about as much as I do (as in not at all). They are in the same boat as we are, they have grown children, and even have a two year old grandchild. BIL runs in the Atlanta Half Marathon every year, and we have a huge charity race on our square every year and we'd like to participate in that instead of running halfway to Alabama and packing in like sardines to eat turkey a la jerky.

So I suggested we just eat at our house and go over there for dessert. SIL thought that was the BEST IDEA in the world. She was doing it. She was telling MIL that's what they were going to do, too. DOTR's brother and his family love going to Grandma's and they are welcome to it; we'll all show up later. Sounds like a plan, right?

SIL caved. She's going for lunch. MIL guilted her into it big time. Me? Not.so.much.

DOTR told them we will be there for dessert. Period.

So how are things shaping up for your holiday plans? Vent away if you wish.

Another Shopping Miracle

Friday the design gods were in a very good mood and bestowed upon me many blessings.

I went to Scott Antique Market, which is not my thing--yes, I know there are people who come from all over the southeast to go to this, and I'm lucky that I live right here.....but still, generally not my thing. However, we were looking for some unique pieces for my den and wanted to make that budget streeeeetch, so I was game.

We did find a few "back up" pieces at ADAC and a couple other places on Miami Circle if nothing spoke to us, so we had nothing to lose.

Well, let me tell you what....we parked the car. We got out and walked to the door. Something not only spoke, it screamed. Yes, I bought the first iron console I saw. It was right by the front door OUTSIDE. It was the only one there long enough to balance the gigantic flat screen DOTR bought. It was the only one that wasn't full of rust and/or curliques (not my scene either). We went inside and walked around for a bit and walked back out and bought it.

Then we were casually looking for a library table to go behind the sofa. We found one I really liked at a store the Friday before, and it could be made with any finish I wanted and two choices of leg style out of reclaimed wood. Very pretty. We'd made the rounds of the North building and decided to walk out the door to go to the other building and something else SCREAMED at me. A table. From Avignon. With scrolled inlays on the top, curved legs and iron. Circa 1880. Beautifully waxed. We walked outside. We walked back in and bought it.

Then we got in the car and drove to the other building (I guess it has better food?) since it was past lunch time and we were starving. We've been having a hard time finding a fabric in the right color to go on one of the chairs I want and just the day before had decided to just have both chairs done in the same fabric (a linen). As we walked up to a booth full of fabric, I saw something that looked just like the color we'd wanted but had been unable to find. And low and behold it was a Colefax and Fowler cotton velvet that was only $25/yd. And we needed 8 1/2 yards and there was 10 on the bolt. I found another gorgeous Brunchswig & Fils chocolate brown cotton velvet, but there was only 3 yards (boo hoo). Anyway, we jumped on that.

And then we left. No use tempting the gods.

Alone Again

Thankfully.

The painters are gone after a full week two weeks ago, two days last week, and three days this week. The guys installing the tv/dvr/whatchamacallit system were here for two days, along with a visit from the cable guy.

In the midst of all that, we had one knee surgery, three doctor appointments, three dentist appointments, two visits from the designer, one trip to ADAC.......

And a partridge in a pear tree.