realsorien | Entries tagged with thanksgiving

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags

To taking Greyhound to Furfest. I'll leave EARLY Wednesday the 16th, about 5:55 AM and I'll get back home early Tuesday morning, about 1 AM. Woot! I'm looking forward. Its a no-stop trip, and on one of the NEW buses, with the internet and power hookups. So I'll be able to futz on the computer all the way there and back.

I'm gonna try (HA!) to control my spending- as the big commission I was considering is lacking an artist (I was planning on commissioning DarkNatasha, but she can't attend), I think I'll try to get just two commissions, with the rest of my spending being food.

Also- we're about 2 weeks off my annual Halloween party! I'm doing it more potluck, so all I have to deal with is the bird, mashed potatoes and the cranberry sauce. I'm farming the rest out to other people. If you were invited in past years, you're invited this year. :)

Current Mood: Okay
Current Location: Home
Current Music: NFL32 on ESPN2

I think that I'm gonna make an eye appointment relatively soon. The fact that I couldn't read the teeny print on the bank website, and the trouble I've had since I got my current glasses kinda convinces me that something's up. I DON'T want bifocals, but... Fuck if I wouldn't rather be able to see properly! Also, while I was fine through the con other than the coughing from my stupid asthma, it might now be turning into something else. I was going to go in to the allergist anyway, but this means I'll try to get in tomorrow rather than just getting an appointment when I can. I'm betting its just an opportunistic cold developing cos the asthma has been kicking my ass since the illness I had three weeks before the con. I have to say I'm gettin' pretty tired of getting sick. :P

Other than that, I spent a bit of my remaining con money (Yes, even with the bank stupidity I still had money allocated left for fun stuff) and got the Pathfinder book. With my discount and the sale I got at $35 new, free shipping. It retails at $50. Woot. :)

Saturday I'm considering starting my Xmas shopping. Friday is a NO EFFING WAY day for me and shopping- I hate stores to start with without rabid bargain-hunting swarms. I'm aiming for about $10 per gift, maybe a bit more for the family ones. Anyone who's on my list (you know who you are!) lemme know what you want! For me... All I want is LOTS of Barnes & Noble gift cards.

This being the first day home, not much is going on. I'll go back to work at midnight, work two days and its Thanksgiving. I'll be at my folks Thursday evening, and that's about all that's going on.

Current Mood: Okay, mostly.
Current Location: Home
Current Music: Pickers on History Channel

Went very well. A goodly number of people attended, and an insanely vast amount of food, both supplied my me and brought by others was available and consumed. The turkey was likely the best bird I've ever done- meltingly-tender meat for the win! There are leftovers of course, and most of the cleanup is done- I really like disposable tablecloths! I am now relaxing afterward, 5 of the six carved pumpkins still lit out front. I'll put up pics on my FA site shortly.

Once I'm clear-headed I'll start my NaNoWriMo story... But I dunno if it'll be before I sleep. I WILL do 3000 words today!

Current Mood: Tired
Current Location: Home
Current Music: Dirty Jobs on Discovery Channel

Well. The party prep is now in kinda-full swing. I've people that are at least likely to supply some of the things I need for the gathering, which will help, but I've still a crapton of stuff to arrange/gather/prepare myself, not the least of which is the turkey.

This year, its between 18-21# (I dunno exactly- depends on what the butcher shop comes up with), and will be in my trembling grasp on Wednesday. So much for free cash. O.o

The mashed potatoes and most of the other stuff will be dealt with between Wednesday and Friday, with what I need to get being determined by what people tell me they're helping with.

I'll have booze available, probably a selection of three or four kinda of beer and some 'hard' liquor- in particular I've picked up two bottles of single-malt scotch: Tomatin 12 year Highland and McClelland's Single Malt Speyside. Its been hard to NOT try them before the party!

Other than all that, I've some cleaning to do. General pickup, vacuuming and cabinet-cleaning in the kitchen is all that's really required.

In other news, I need a vacation. :P

Current Mood: S'okay.
Current Location: Home
Current Music: None

The party went well, and a good time was had by all as far as I could see. I was a bit concerned about the turkey initially, but it came out perfect. The ham was a lil underdone, but it was fully cooked to start with so no real big deal. One of

firecatmn's pies as well as one of the pumpkin pies I bought (hers were homemade!) were devoured along with all the turkey, half the ham and 10# (!!) of mashed potatoes! It was a helluva scramble before the party, but I think it was worth it.

In other news, last night was another dose of pure joy cos we had construction going on at work, and the freight elevator failed. LOTS of running about, and I got growled at for procedure by one of the engineers. O well.

And now, I'm home. I had a doctor's appointment today, but I'm gonna cancel- I was so tired on the way home I could barely keep my eyes open and it DEFINITELY wasn't safe. So I'm not gonna go back on the road.

I'll set a new appointment for next week.

Current Mood: tired
Current Location: Home
Current Music: None

Well, the damn bird is in the brine now, and sitting on the porch out back. The temp won't get above 50 today, and the porch is in permanent shade so it'll be fine there in its salt-and-ice bath. I'm gonna frost the cake later, cos I'm bloody tired. All that I'm doing else this morning is eating something fast, having a cup of tea, typing this entry and falling over. I'll hopefully be up at 2:30 to start the cooking. If I have the timing right, the bird should take just under 4 hours cooktime, which means I should be able to time it to come out at the same time as (or close to) the ham.

Whee. God I'm tired.

Oh- remember my comments about the steam-pressure release valves? Well, nothing has changed and last night I had to reset the fucking thing 8 times... When someone gets burned or falls off that rickety ladder the lawsuit is gonna be terrifying.

And I'm damned well gonna be there to point and say "I FUCKING told you so!"

I hate stupid people.

Current Mood: BEAT. :P
Current Location: Home
Current Music: Most Haunted on playback.

Well, as the asthma is still being a pain I've made an appointment to go into the allergist on Thursday to try and see what's up- more than likely its the same damn thing as usual, and I'll end up on a week of Prednisone to tell my immune system to 'Knock it the HELL off!'. In party news, I should get the rest of the cleaning done today (I hope), start the brine before I go to work, bake the cake, pre-prep the cheese-tray and snacks, carve the pumpkins (with help from

ataramos,

feezlekahn and

joshuwain hopefully), get the beer and do whatever ELSE is left.

Tomorrow, I pick up the pumpkin pies and the cooking will prolly get into full swing at 2 or 3 o'clock- I have to check how long the damn bird will take! And then its partytime! I unfortunately will have to leave for work at 10:30, as I couldn't get the time off... But at least I'll be there for most of it. If people are still here when I have to go, I'll appoint a back-up host. ;)

I am SO glad today is trash day- we'll have room in the bin for the after-party trash this time!

Remember- 5 PM Wednesday! See you all there!

The Menu So Far

19# turkey
8# ham supplied by

foeclan
8# mashed potatoes
Ciabatta bread
Cranberry sauce (Can-shaped!!)
Pumpkin Pie
Pies supplied by

firecatmn
Chocolate frosted devil's food cake
Various chips and crackers with dips
Various cheeses
Relish tray (Celery, carrots and dill pickles)
Pasta supplied by

joshuwain
Candied walnuts supplied by

joshuwain
Pop (Dr. Pepper, Coke, Fresca black cherry, A&W root beer)
Juice (Apple and Cranberry)
CANDY!! (Supplied by me and

mirrdae; Mirr got damn near enough to fill the cauldron on his own!)

If people wanna bring stuff to add, you can see we've a LOT so far- More pop wouldn't be bad, some diet pops and something like 7-Up or an orange pop would be good. :)

Current Mood: Okay
Current Location: Home
Current Music: None

The title because I keep forgetting that info in OTHER posts of late...

Anyway- I've gotten the almost all of the remaining stuff I needed to get for the party, save that I still need a bag of ice for the brine, maybe a second for drinks. I've gotten a serious start on the cleaning, at least in the front room and kitchen, and I should have at least those areas done tonight. The back room and the bathroom might be started on tonight, but will likely get finished tomorrow. As for my room... I think the door will be shut again this year. :P

I'm going to see if I can't get my computer into its proper location on the other side of the chair tonight or tomorrow too, which means getting the cat-5 line run and having

mirrdae get the connector-plugs onto the line- Hopefully not a big deal, though I'm not sure how much of a pain running the line will be. Other furniture-rearrangings include shifting the table from out front to the kitchen-nook, dealing with

mirrdae's old TV-and-stand (I think the garage), and maybe shifting the seating about in the front room some.

Also, I got one more pumpkin, so unless more went bad there'll be six out front again this year.

And as a final note, I actually remembered and got my flu shot. :)

And as ANOTHER final note, YOU'RE INVITED,

brellchild!!

Current Mood: HUNGRY!
Current Location: Home
Current Music: The dishwasher running

As it turns out I have a 19# bird, so the stew will be off the menu as it was just added as a filler anyway. The ham, provided by

foeclan is 8#, and should make up any gap in the vittles-supply. :)

I forgot to mention that there will be a supply of pop, as well as apple juice/cider, plus beer. I still have a few foodish odds and ends to pick up, but that'll happen Monday. Today at some point I'll be cleaning, and I don't know if that will go easy or hard. :P See the comments on the previous posts for at least one other thing being provided. Thanks,

joshuwain!

Oh, another credit:

mirrdae supplied a shit-ton of candy for the cauldron for the munchkins who come by. :)

Current Mood: Tired
Current Location: Home
Current Music: None

After the weekend I've now returned to work. Yay. I've gotten a new little problem tho- They have us (or want us to at least) resetting steam-valves. LIVE, HIGH PRESSURE steam valves on the building's heating system. Now, last time I checked I was a security guard, not an engineer, and I've never received an engineering certificate, boilerman's licence or a membership in that union. So why do they want US doing it? Prolly to save money.

My account manager, eager to please the client has said 'its in the post orders, so we do it'. I've said 'Bullshit', and I've left a message with the main office to see if this can be fixed. If not, I'll be going to the union. THis is the first and only time that I've found a use for the union... I just hope I don't have to go that far, and that it works if I do hae to go to them.

At to other things, the Halloween/Thanksgiving Turkey Feed is on the 31st as usual- Help would be appreciated of course. The menu is as per previous years, but I've a few things still up in the air. The worst part will be cleaning the house- Its a bad day when the kitchen will be the EASIEST part... O.o

And that's about it for now.

Current Mood: Kinda here
Current Location: Work (Campbell-Mithun Building, Minneapolis, MN
Current Music: KJCK-FM