A Thanksgiving Meme

I borrowed this from Elizabeth Bienas blog.  http://elizbienas.blogspot.com/  Sad that I'm so lacking in the writing dept that I have to steal! lol



1.What are the traditional favorites?
turkey, stuffing, mashed taters, squash, green beans, gravy, cranberry sauce, and black olives.

2.What new recipes will you try this year?
None--keeping it simple. I will be trying out my new 5 burner range though--woohoo!

3.What part of the meal do you never compromise?
It's basically always the same.


4.Who gets to carve the turkey?
Around here it's not 'who gets to,' it's more about 'who can mess it up less?


5.Family style around the table or buffet style and everyone sits wherever there's room?
Family style since there's only 4 or 5 of us.

6.How many will be at your table this year?
Five, the four of us and ds's gf.

7.Three best pies for Thanksgiving dessert?
Apple and custard--that's it.

8.Cranberry sauce...yeah or nay?
Yaay, but only jellied--no lumps.

9.What time do you eat Thanksgiving dinner?
This year will be early, about 12:30 or 1:00. I like to eat mid-afternoon, like 2-3:00 but ds and his gf have to hit her mother's for a second meal so we're bumping ours up.

10.Favorite leftover?
All of them!

I'm drained.

I visited Dad in the hospital today. He has cellulitis in his leg (his good leg) but it's responding well to IV antibiotics and he will likely be released tomorrow. It's very hard to see him in the hospital. The big, strong hero who used to take care of me is now an elderly, fragile man (at only 71) who becomes scared and almost childlike because of his fear of hospitals. We did have a nice visit though. He told about his time in the Air Force, and some stories of his childhood. Dad was usually off working when I was a kid and when he was home he was very quiet, so I never felt like I really knew him at all. Ever since his stroke several years ago though, he's become more talkative. I love hearing all of his stories, but it does make me feel a little sad and scared, since my father-in-law started telling me all his stories over the last few years of his life. It must be a natural thing, to want to pass on your story and legacy before you die. I need to write them down to preserve them for my children and grandchildren.

It just boggles my mind

I cannot understand how some people can be so clueless, so selfish and self-absorbed. I think that if I ever had to call an ambulance for a stranger on the street I would probably climb into that ambulance and go with that stranger to the hospital just so they wouldn't feel as alone and scared. I can't even fathom someone sending their husband of 46 years, the man who worked 3 jobs, 18 hours a day to provide for said wife and family, who is now elderly and handicapped, off in an ambulance to sit alone in the ER for five hours before bothering to call any of the children. How could you let someone feel alone and scared like that when they are ill and in pain? I don't understand. My stomach is sick just thinking of it. And yet, according to my God and his Word, I am supposed to honor this person. Well I can't.

Almost There

5 and 1/2 more weeks of student teaching. Not that I'm counting or anything! I can't wait to get back to my regular school. It's so much more fun there. This school I'm at is so business-like. No one every laughs. The kids can't catch a break...literally...they have to work right through their snack break and just have a short recess and lunch. They have no social time at all. They're not even given any time to go to the bathroom, poor things. I feel so mean but I have to uphold the rules of the teacher I'm working under. She even made them do work during their Halloween party! They had to get a plate of food and go back to their desks and keep working. And for all of it, I don't think their test scores are any better than the scores at my regular school. All that said, I have learned a lot, especially about teaching reading & writing, but I'm ready for it to end.
I just got an order of Shimmer yarn from Knitpicks and am going to cast on today for a Clapotis shawl for a Christmas gift. I hope I can finish in time! It's supposed to be a very easy pattern and most people seem to complete it in a month, but when it comes to knitting I am not 'most people.' Why do I frustrate myself like this? Every year it seems I wait for the last minute and then decide to start some big project with a looming deadline. I drive myself crazy!
On the family front, ds seems to be doing great living out on his own. We used to see him a lot, but now we hardly ever do : (  I'm happy for him, but I miss him a lot. Looked at a college with dd this weekend. She liked it well enough but still mentions joining the service sometimes. I'm praying she'll change her mind herself so that dh & I don't have to lay down the law and tell her we're not signing permission for that. We have to get going on that college application soon so she can get a dorm. We took a bunch of pics the other day hoping to get a good one to use for her sr photo. Here are a couple of possibilities. They haven't been cropped yet, or photoshopped, so just a preview...