preparations

It's the day before Thanksgiving, and I am IN MY ELEMENT. In any case, I'm happy. I love the fall. I love Thanksgiving. I love to plan big dinner parties - from putting together the menu, to planning the shopping, and planning out the timing of the big day. I love that my hands smell like garlic right now and that the fridge and pantry are stuffed to overflowing. (oh isn't this the ultimate spoiled american holiday, where the point is EXCESS. In most cases I would despise this, but it's Thanksgiving, and I think of family and friends and food and drink and happiness and laughter, so I make an exception in this case and just enjoy the feast).

I don't love trying to get or keep the house clean,though, and I especially don't love that Callias continues to poop and pee on our carpets every time I leave the house. Literally - I simply walk out of the door and she races to go poop on the carpet. Oh, I was in tears and on a rampage a few days ago when she did it the VERY day after I'd rented a steam carpet cleaner. It must have been quite the rant because though the haze of my rage, I realized that E and Q had immediately gone to straighten their rooms, and DH had started vacuuming cobwebs off the ceiling and doghair tumbleweeds out of the corners. As far as the house goes, I just need to hold.it.together.until.tomorrow. Impossible? Woo. We'll see. I've so far rearranged the living room completely, to make room for the folding dinner tables, and I've banished the pooped and peed upon rug to the garage, leaving my living room looking pretty much like a gym, with a large expanse of hardwood floor -which, I shall add - is irresistable to 6 and 9 year old children who MUST (and I repeat MUST) run upon it and jump up on it and do the splits upon it and attempt handstands upon it, amen.

My plans? My Preparations? you ask? Well thank you for asking!
I made the cornbread today so it can sit out all night and dry out nicely for the stuffing. (Anyone want to place bets on how whether Callias finds a way to get to it?) I'm marinating bits of mozarella in olive oil, spices, and garlic. Yum. John has been called and given his list of last minute items that I could not find at Farm Fresh. OK - You tell me. How many *good* grocery stores do you think would be out of frozen pearl onions on the day before Thanksgiving? And (gasp) CHESTNUTS!! I am stoked to try two different dressings this year - my every-year sausage dressing, and a new recipe I want to try with roasted chestnuts and cranberries. John had to make a special trip to several grocery stores to find said chestnuts. It'd better be worth it.
The turkey continues to defrost (tick tick tick - tune in bright and early tomorrow to see if it will be ice-free by sunrise, when we will need to start smoking it)
The poinsettia has been bought and placed in the pine cone pot. The bathroom has been cleaned. Extra toys have been tossed into the craft room and office (which, by the way I must now negotiate through to get to my computer, so the fact that I am here again illustrates that I am truly truly addicted to the internet.) The wine rack is full, and the wood pile is stacked (it's going to be cold tomorrow - wee!! We get to have a fire!).

For the curious or the bored, here is Our menu (where "our" means the 4 families here that regularly get together for holidays)
...and I know this is dull to most of you, but this blog is for me too, and I want to have this kind of stuff down somewhere so I can reread it one day. It means something to *me*.

Appetizers will be
Baked Brie with brown sugar and pecans
and Marinated mozarella bits with water crackers
Carrots and Peppers with hummus
Homemade sushi (thank you Chieko)


Dinner will be:
Hickory Smoked Turkey (started in smoker at sunrise with applejuice)
Baked Ham
Fresh cranberry sauce (not canned)
Sausage stuffing
Chestnut and cranberry stuffing (My new recipe to try this year)
Turkey gravy (from a JAR - I caved)
Creamed onions
Twice baked potatoes
Roasted Sweet potatoes (for John)
Teriyaki Green beans
Spinach/Cheese pie with philo dough
Fresh breads


Desserts will be
Cherry pie
Pumpkin dump cake
cupcakes
Coconut cream pie

And I must add that most of this is not going to be my responsibility. I take the turkey and dressings, the coconut cream pie and the pumpkin dump cake, the creamed onions, and the appetizers, but my wonderful friends, who make my life as rich and fun as it is, are doing the rest. Come on parades, come on cold weather, come on toasts and wine and music and sweet food and savory delicacies. You think I like this holiday? Oh yeah. I do.