Clink! (coca-cola in the can, which I never do)

I'm beginning the Thanksgiving dishes. This weekend, I'll work on the cheesecake and freeze it for Thursday. I'll begin thinking about getting the other dishes going, but only just contemplating, not actual work. I'll do that on Tuesday/Wednesday.

The boy begins science project prep as he has to obtain and assemble his project materials. The following week he'll begin running and recording data. Actually, it's going to be fun. Last year, his science class broke up into groups to compete in a rocket competition. He volunteered to make the parachute for the rocket. When I asked him what configuration it was to be, he looked at me like I had a third eye coming from my forehead. He never realized that chutes can be square, octagonal, round, different shapes. We had a ball the day he cut up and tried five different shapes for the rocket. He'd run up the deck stairs, drop it, shout hurray! or aw. and then race down and do it all over again. So this time should be really interesting because we're taking the rocket portion out and just testing the shapes. They'll be attached to weights. Kids are fun, especially when they're exploring.

I'm very excited, looking forward to a couple of weeks from now. A GW person coming to visit and mom and I will take off too, all for no good reason. It's sad when I am so excited over a two days off from work, but there you have it. I'm excited :)

Oh Diane - I would take your rainy and cold with a significant snow over what we have here in the Mid Atlantic. It is rainy and warmish, but there is a Nor'Easter threatening for Tues thru Thurs. Going to be hellish traveling anywhere.

I took the day off from work and have been running a few errands and prepping snacks. We invited a couple of friends for Happy Hour tonight and somehow 8 - 10 people has grown to about 40. The bar is stocked and
Snacks are in the making. Tomorrow the boys are swimming in a home meet, so I will spend 3 hours sweating on the pool deck trying to get a glimpse of them as they compete. Sunday is relaxing and gearing up for Thanksgiving. It will be just us this year - Older son has swim practice until 6PM on the night before Thanksgiving and then is back in the pool at 6 AM on Friday following. Varsity swim is a huge commitment!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Alexa

It's 66 degrees here, and so I wore a light jacket to keep warm. We have been having some drizzle, which I like because I don't have to water my herbs.

I guess I'll organize the freezers this week-end. Last week-end we bought a 7.5 pound turkey breast plus a frozen duck to store in the new freezer, which is working perfectly, but I have not yet moved stuff from the kitchen freezer into the garage. If it continues to drizzle (as it looks like it is going to do) we will not cook outside. Last week-end was quite warm, and last week was in the 80s, but it's much cooler now.

I need to make more room in the garage for storing overflow from the kitchen, and so maybe we will just get rid of a few things that are not being used. Some of them are valuable enough to sell, and so I might list them somewhere. Maybe we will drop in on Jimmy and Maartje and pick up some free frozen fish!

Hope everyone has a wonderful week-end!

Lars

This post was edited by publickman on Sun, Nov 24, 13 at 14:24

I'm going to eat ice cream from the box and stress out over Thanksgiving. I have no idea what to make.

John, have you considered making a turkey, gravy, stuffing sweet potatoes? Seems like T-day is the only pre-set menu of the year.

Not much planned. I have been stepping up my walking to try to lose a few lbs. Averaging two miles a day and also logging my food, which helps a lot.

The rest of the weekend is just doing this and that, hanging out with friends and Sunday night dinner with mom for the one hundred millionth time. Maybe she'll skip it with T-Day so close.

I'll try to get in a good long walk tomorrow, because as Alexa said, we have cold and miserable weather on the way, depending on which forecast you look at! Cold for sure.

Noooooo! Not turkey gravy stuffing! Not againnnnn!

TGIF indeed, I'm clinking with a cup of peppermint tea.

Johnliu, I really like turkey, although I'm not a fan of stuffing. In fact, we had smoked turkey for supper and will have turkey again next week. Are you having visitors, or only the family? I say make whatever they like best and they'll be thankful!

Rob, that IS exciting, mostly the visitor, I'll be watching to see who it is. I had to smile at the thought of The Boy, dropping parachutes off the deck. Ashley climbed up onto the roof and dropped eggs, her project was to make something that would protect the egg from breaking when dropped from varying heights. Yeah. Bubble wrap worked really well when I sent that dozen farm eggs to dishesdone in New York, and it worked pretty well for the project, but she eventually made a foam rubber "nerf" type container. What will that contribute to her knowledge as an adult? Darned if I know, LOL.

Dedtired, good luck on those walks. Of course, walking in snow up to your armpits does burn a lot more calories. (grin)

Lars, I'd definitely go for the free fish. I thought my herbs were finished here, we've had snow a couple of times. I knew the sage would grow through the snow and I'll have rosemary for some time, but parsley and thyme are both green and growing too, I didn't realize they were that cold tolerant.

Diane, the second week of deer camp is the most wonderful time of year. (With a big nod to Da Yoopers, LOL) It's cold here and we're supposed to get anything from an inch to 9 inches of snow this weekend. A woodstove would feel good.

Alexa is probably partying right now, I live a boring life...

Today we raked the yard and cleaned the house well, we have our first potential buyer looking at the house tomorrow. I have all my fingers and pretty much everything else crossed. So, we're going to the farm to check on the calves in the barn that are being weaned and we'll insulate the pump house before it gets too cold. I'm hoping to negate the problem of the pump freezing if it gets more than 20 below zero without running a drop light out there. I don't know if it will work, but if nothing else the insulation will help the light keep it a bit warmer. It's completely underground, it'd make an awesome root cellar if I didn't have a well in there.

Tomorrow we are projected to have a high of 24 and a low of 18, plus snow. I guess it's time to break out the hats and gloves...

Annie

TGIF, all. We're having a bit of a cold snap, but it's sunny, so can't complain.

I had my car serviced today. Stopped at Costco...the holiday frenzy has begun. Geez people are rude when there are samples.

Taking a vacation day tomorrow. It's a matter of principle...I never take a real vacation, and my vacation time stops accruing at a certain point. Can't have that, so I'll spend the day catching up on home stuff, watch PBS cooking shows, hike to the mailbox. Not as ambitious as your two-mile walk, Pam, but the half-mile back is uphill....every little bit helps!

Sunday I'll pick up The Kid and we'll head to a big craft show where I will (hopefully) find perfect Christmas gifts.

Not sure what's happening for TDay. Turkey/gravy etc. for sure (lol, Johnliu). Being traditional and working around the gluten free kid and fiance's food intolerances (no potatoes!) will be interesting. Happy to go with cornstarch in the gravy, but I'm thinking they'll be bringing their own sides.

Our family certainly has something to toast about this week (with home-canned tomato juice) because our Army combat medic youngest daughter arrived home for a visit after four years of duty in Germany and Afghanistan.

I have been cooking up her favorite food requests and we had a big family Welcome Home lunch at a steakhouse yesterday in lieu of Thankgiving dinner. I will be hosting my "Shop 'Til You Need A Tea Break" open house on Black Friday.

This year, our church is hosting our community Thanksgiving Eve community service with four local churches of different denominations so I'll be making cookies this weekend for the social hour and for the tea party.

I hope everyone's upcoming week is a good one.

Ruthanna, I love to hear that your daughter is home. I hope she's here for Thanksgiving with you.

Please give her an extra hug and tell you thank you, from me.

Annie