Did everyone make it?

Are we all here? Did we survive the holiday? From what I see, it seems everyone had a pretty good Thanksgiving. Hopefully, we have gone through most of the leftovers. For those of you who still have pounds of it left, I am happy to take it off your hands. For me, there is no such thing as too much leftover holiday food.

A few years ago, I did Thanksgiving in my apartment for me, my parents, my bother, and my paternal grandparents (that's 6 people). My parents had just moved to Oklahoma and DFW was about half-way between their house and my grandparent's. It was a little snug in the apartment, but it went quite smoothly. Let me add a sidenote here: Every other Thankgiving I have attended (that I can remember) has been a collaborative effort amongst many kitchens, some having double-ovens, which I highly recommend. Mine was done with a total of one oven, one stove, and one creatively used microwave. To pull this off requires much preparation and timing.

Yes, I got up at 4am to put the turkey on....and then promptly went back to bed. You don't really need to watch a turkey cook, right? Plus, I have a VERY sensitive/good smoke detector, so we were all good. Dishes were prepared in accordance with the available cooking medium, i.e. if you steam green beans, it leaves the oven free for the stuffing. They are better steamed anyways (which is healthier) and then tossed with bacon (which is not).

One of the most notable things I learned that Thanksgiving is something I wish to share, so no one else makes this mistake. When cooking a turkey, it makes the turkey taste REALLY good if you half a lemon and stick it in the turkey. Super tasty!!! However, if you make gravy from the drippings of said turkey, it tastes like lemon-rind gravy. Very much NOT tasty.

On the knitting front, yes, I got pictures taken this weekend, but am still ransoming them from my parents. In due time, in due time.....

I also have a new "dealer", as my dad calls him. You see, I have this uncle, who, you know, happens to be in the wool biz. No lie.....We have chatted and when my aunt learned I was spinning, she sent me some "stuff" she had in her closet. This was some lovely merino (we think) roving that she had LYING AROUND!!! And now, my uncle has begun to bring me a pound or two when ever we meet up. It tends to go something like this:

Hotel lobby morning after cousin's wedding
Me: Morning!
Uncle: Hey Jen....um, would you mind coming by the room later. I have some stuff for you.
Me: Really? What kind of stuff?
Uncle: (eyes shift nervously at my dad) You know, just some stuff I had around.
Me: Oh, *wink wink* Sure! I'll come by later.
Dad: God, it's like he's your dealer.

I love my family.