So How Was It?

This is how good it was. I always gauge the success of a holiday by how big a mess I have to clean up and by the look of my kitchen, we had a grand time. I love cleaning up after everyone is gone while reliving the day in my head so let's go back and start from the beginning.

On Wednesday, The Mister and I took not one but three trips to the grocery store to get everything we thought we needed. He still had to make another trip on Thanksgiving morning. In my defense, I have to cook for a vegan and someone who is gluten free. That is hard. I spent a good 20 minutes reading every margarine label in the store trying to find one that was milk free. Ditto for everything that may contain wheat.

 By Wednesday night the fridge was so full you couldn't find a thing. I could hear it groaning in the next room.

Since I couldn't find gluten free stuffing in a mix, I had to prepare the wheat free bread the night before. That involved mixing up corn bread and toasting gluten free bread cubes. It was quite a production.

 My wedding china had to be washed. After keeping it in storage for almost 35 years, I have just started using it. I am pretty sure Daughter doesn't want it so if I don't use it, no one will.

The Thanksgiving linen needed washing also. We set up 4 designated eating areas so that's a lot of tables to cover. The trick is to keep the cats off of them until the guests arrive.

Mom's ceramic turkey and Grandma's cut glass pickle and jelly bowls are also washed and ready to be filled. Whoever shows up first gets this job. This year it was Son #2.

I woke up at 6:00 on Thursday and started in on the vegan dessert. The first one went off the deck and into the woods as the apples proved too dry to make a decent crisp. The Mister was sent to find better ones.

Cookies were also made but I underestimated the time needed to pull this off. There was a bird that needed to go in the oven and I am now starting to panic.

 At 10:00 the bird goes in the oven and I am relieved. The rest of the meal is all downhill from here.

The calm before the storm. I set up every table I can find and begin to cover it with food.

But first we have some wine.

Back in the kitchen there was a lot of peeling going on.

Then like a flash, it was all over.

Snowplow Sam showed up to scare the bejeezus out of the little nephews.

Dear Daughter-in Law showed up with a work of art for dessert. It was as good as it looks. Maybe better.

I ate too much dessert but now I want some more. I am happy there are leftovers.

It was a lovely day-family and food, what else is there to be thankful for?