Clean

Thanksgiving was wonderful!  The tried and true menu we repeat year after year is quite the spread.  I'll copy our menu at the end of this post, but the picture above is the cleaned up version of the onslaught of food and it's preparation we had going on in my small kitchen. 

I've gotten the entire area clean.  Dishes are being taken care of in the dishwasher, and I have hand washed all the large pots, pans, and other paraphernalia that was used yesterday.  I've swept and mopped the floors, tablecloths are in the washing machine, and I even put out the recycle bin to the curb for pick-up.

Now, I have the entire day to enjoy the house in it's proper order with the thought of what a great get-together we had and all that we have to be thankful for.

There are a few other things I should probably take care of, but I will tackle the refrigerator a little later.

TT

Thanksgiving Day Menu

Crustini with Basil Pesto

Crackers

with Bacon Cream Cheese & Sour Cream Spread

Roasted Turkey

Cornbread Stuffing

Gravy

Green Beans

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes

Carrots

Collard Greens

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Cheese Sauce

Cranberry Sauce

Rolls

Lot's of Wine

Pelligrino

Pomegranate Juice

No onions

The Thanksgiving day turkey is in the oven.  It's a big twenty-three pounds so it will take about seven hours to roast.  I made all my preparations but now is the time in-between when I can relax for a spell before any real cooking starts up again.
I worked yesterday until 1:00 and then headed to the store to pick up my fresh veggies for today.  I managed that in all of 45 minutes.  Once home I was able to bake my cornbread and two pies.  I was also able to pull my turkey out of the fridge, give it a rinse and pull the neck and giblets out to cook.  This is all normal procedure.  I've done it so many years consequently that it is pretty fail-proof.
This morning, I rose and started to put together my cornbread stuffing.  I broke up my cornbread with crumbled french rolls, sage, thyme, rosemary flat-leaf parsley, celery.  Onion.  Where's the onion?  We have no onion!
I stopped what I was doing and opened the darkened door to the bedroom and announced to a sleeping Jay, "We don't have any onions!"
"What?" he managed to grog out in his sleep.
"You used all the onions, we have no onions."
At this he pushed himself up in the dark and sat up.  "ME?  You're blaming me?"
I didn't waste any time on argument.  "We don't have any onions for the stuffing.  There will be No onions in the stuffing."  I think I was trying to absolve myself of any complaints about the stuffing more than trying to point a finger of blame.  I had been to the store the day before and didn't think to buy onions.  We always have onions!
So the turkey is in the oven with freshly made cornbread stuffing  with no onions.  I am taking a short break now before starting any other prep for the feast.  I was going to make the pesto for the crustini appetizers but I thought this break might be a better idea.  You see, I went to start making the pesto and found I didn't have any olive oil!  What?
And I was so confident that this was all so very fail-proof.
TT

November 23, 1979

It was a Friday, and that year it fell the day after Thanksgiving. We both had the day off from work and we thought it was as good a day as any to take that next step together.

We were already living together. He had moved into my apartment a good 9 months before this date. He had asked me the question six months prior and I put him off. I wasn't sure this was the way I wanted things to go. I wasn't sure I was ready. I wasn't sure. So I put off the decision. He persisted, and after what seemed like an enormous amount of time I finally said yes.

So the day after Thanksgiving, a Friday, on November 23, 1979 we were married. That was 34 years ago today. We have never had the Friday after Thanksgiving off again, in all that time, so it seems we only had that small window of opportunity to take advantage of the situation.

Our honeymoon was a weekend get-away at the beach thirty minutes from our apartment. We stayed the first night then drove back home and bought furniture. I remember browsing the fancy furniture store, both of us dressed as beach bums, and getting side-ways looks from the salespeople. They didn't take us seriously, and I believe one or two must have cursed themselves silently for ignoring us when our final purchase was wrung-up and paid. Through the years, it's seems most of our major purchases have been made when we weren't dressed to impress. It might be because we have a knack of discussing these matters, letting some time pass in-between, and then spontaneously going out and doing it while we are in the middle of spending time on the beach or working in the yard. It's worked. We've worked. Thirty four years worth of work because I won't say there weren't times when both of us thought of pulling out that marriage certificate to check the expiration date. 

We could never have predicted all those years ago that we would still be here today, together. We hoped, and thought we had a good shot of it, or we wouldn't have done it. All that time ago it was okay to be unsure, and okay to put off the decision. All that time ago, he persisted. And we both have, for the past thirty four years. We're not planning on stopping now.

Our wedding anniversary is not the day after Thanksgiving this year. It's today, which is a cold, rainy Saturday and he is going to work. But when he gets home, we are looking forward to going out to dinner and drinks, and next week, we both made arrangements to be off from work the Friday after Thanksgiving. We are too far away now to drive to the beach, but who knows, maybe we will dress down and make some large purchases or some other such foolishness. But whatever we decide to do, we are certainly looking forward to all those next steps together. 
TT 

No way

There is evidence to the left that I have completed the very first step in preparation of the coming Thanksgiving Feast.  I have a copy of the menu, a handwritten grocery list, and the cashiers receipt of the purchases.
I have stowed the items I bought and will now begin to prepare the list of items I will need to return to the store and buy, at a date closer to the festivities, that are more perishable.  I will also need to purchase all the things I forgot in this first round...like Pelligrino.  How did I forget that!   And a number of other things.
But that is why this is only step one.  This is a process.  There is no way, no matter how many times I have done this before, that I can ever get this done in one step.  Impossible.  It's just too big a celebration.  There is just too much food and preparations and ideas.
No, wait.  That's not right.  There is no way this could ever be too big or too much.  Not when it comes to this...
TT

Misfit

I've been spending a lot of time on this writing.com site.  I've been trying to figure out where I fit within this massive virtual writing community.  There are so many different activities, contests, newsletters, works of fiction, reviewing groups, blogging groups, poetry forums.  I could go on and on.
I have been trying to figure out the best way to get involved within this seemingly wonderful place.  I've been trying.  I've been reading the newsletters, I've tried a few posts, I've watched and read and tried to do things to find a place where I felt comfortable within this writer's confines.
It finally dawned on me and I've come to the realization that I don't fit.  Again.  I don't get it.  I can't figure it out.  I don't know what I'm supposed to do to fit into this virtual land.  Then I realized I don't fit into any virtual land.  And I'm not sure that is such a bad thing.
The only reason I went out to this site, and the other I bailed on, was to get someone else to read what I've written and hopefully get comments in return that would help guide me along a better writing path.  I had to get some type of gauge to judge what I was writing.  I've done that with the few things I've posted and I've average fairly well with a 4 stars out of 5 for my work.  That should give me my gauge.  I learned some very good things and gathered some good information.
The problem is I get caught up in all the other paraphernalia the site offers.  I need to stay focused on using that site as a place to help in reviewing my work, and discard all the extra offerings that I don't actually need. It wasn't my focus when I joined to use all my time searching the site.  I wasn't looking to fit into a virtual community.  I was looking for input on my writing.  I got that.
TT

No Dashing

No Dashing

As much as I wanted to follow up my Sunday run with another Monday afternoon it didn't happen. I knew I had an appointment to take my car to get it's 35,000 mile maintenance, but I was hoping it wouldn't take as long as expected and I would be able to dash home in order to dash around my neighborhood before it was too late. The dashing didn't happen. Either variety. It took over two hours for the car maintenance to be completed, which put me into rush hour traffic to get home. It was already dark when I pulled into my drive and I knew the possibility of even a quick dash around the block was out of the question. It wasn't going to happen. I had a co-worker question me about the small amount of miles on my car. It's a 2007 with only 35,000 miles? The car already attracts it's own attention being that it is a small, compact, convertible two-seater. Then when you mention the current mileage people get the impression you are being pretentious and have a 'weekend car'. It isn't that at all. I drive the car every day. I have the luxury of having only an eight minute drive to work, unless there is traffic and then it's ten minutes. Really. This is the car I use every day. I just don't have to drive it very far. Unless it's time for maintenance and then I have to go across town. Then the co-worker very cleverly pointed out, "you run more miles in a year than your car does". Cute, clever. No. Yesterday, I was only going to dash three miles. The car is way ahead of me. TT

Double Duty

You might see four new posts below and one above with the titles in bold black lettering that re-iterates the same title.  These are posts I've written in my portfolio at the writing.com site that I have copied and pasted here.  I am not sure what might have possessed me to write up, start up, or try to post blog entries there when I already had something going here.  (I don't think I have anything going here, but let's all pretend for the sake of argument).

Anyway - If you were wondering about the posts below, or if you were wondering where I went, the answer is the same.  Nowhere.  I'm still in the same place I've always been.  I haven't gone anywhere.
TT

http://www.writing.com/main/profile/blog/tessat

Ready for the Week

Ready for the Week

It's Monday and back to work, but I had a great weekend. I woke up Sunday morning with my body screaming for some movement. It was a perfect morning so I laced up my running shoes and headed outdoors. I decided to change things up by heading in the opposite direction of my normal rectangle of miles. Instead of tackling mile one of incline, I went the other way, and that same tough mile became the last mile of easy, downhill running. I've done this before but it's been a very long time since I changed it up. I forgot how much easier it is to run it the other way with me coming down that mile instead of going up. I do get stuck in routines at times even when it doesn't make sense anymore. The run felt awesome. I lost myself to the pace and my own footfalls. My tracker, transmitting through my earbuds, told me I had completed another mile. I didn't realize another was covered. The ease of propelling myself forward had been forgotten as my mind was free and full of other thoughts. The movement stretched my muscles while my mind skipped along to this idea and that thought. When I was all done I completed 4.79 miles feeling better than I have in a long time. It was exactly what I needed. And now the week begins, and I'm feeling ready. Ready for another of those runs. TT

Calling Out My Procrastination

Calling Out My Procrastination

I woke up early this morning. I followed my usual routine by getting up and making coffee. That is when I noticed it was 4:39 a.m. Ah, well, that's a little early. But there is nothing like starting off my weekend. I figured I could use the extra time to get all the things I want to get done, like working on my story. I poured myself a steaming mug and headed upstairs to my space. I clicked on my desk lamp and waited for my laptop to make it's connection. I started by checking emails, entering the book I just finished into goodreads, checked out some writing sites. I checked out more writing sites, and then another. What happened to my writing? I realized I'd spent an hour wandering through short articles about writing that contained information I already knew . How much more information do I think I need to acquire to continue writing? This has turned into a new method of avoidance. Did I think because I was using my time with writing specific sites that it counted towards words on a page? I believe I have come to the point of using these searches as a way to procrastinate the actual process of writing my own pieces of fiction. Of course, that is what it is! I am using my time for everything except actual writing and then claim I don't have time to write! Nothing like an early morning reality check to get myself back on track. Now it's time for another cup of coffee. But before I go downstairs to fetch it, I'm closing this window and opening my word document that contains the story I am writing. Yes, writing. No more reading articles about how I can do it, and then not having the time! TT

Then comes Friday

Then comes Friday

Good Morning, Friday! I know I will be able to shuffle through this work-day without a single misstep. I expect to wind down the clock of my day until quitting time. It might not be the best approach, but I'm sticking with that idea. One idea. One goal. I need to keep busy getting things done all day so the time speeds by and I get my free time. Then the time is my own! My own schedule, my own work, my own free time. Good Morning, Friday! TT

Reminders Can Be Good?

Reminders Can Be Good?

I received a reminder this morning that I needed to update my blog. It told me it had been 4 days, 16 hours and. I don't remember all the specifics, but there was an entire string of numbers telling me how long it had been since I hadn't done something. I had reset the reminder before when it was popping up every day! I knew I needed to be realistic about how often I would be able to write here so I set it for every 4 days. That's when I got the reminder this morning. It must have worked because here I am, blackening a page with alphabetic characters. But it didn't take me long to realize I needed to make a change on how often I wanted that reminder. I've gone through his wonderful delusion before, where I have set reminders, and notices, and used tools to keep me on track, thinking I will get things done more often or on a more timely basis. It didn't always work out as planned. I've figured out that way isn't always the best to motivate myself. It can backfire pretty quickly. It can turn into another reason to feel bad about not achieving something I wanted to do when it hangs out there undone. I'm a pretty self-motivated person as it is. Adding notices and reminders can be a good thing. It's only when I use them to push myself too far, when I have too little time. It's as if when I am the busiest, I will use these type of tools which only set me up to be defeated - by myself. Ah, it's a horrible game of push and shove I play on myself, like nothing anyone else would push me to do. But, ah well. This might have been a good post if I had the time to sort through the ideas I presented. As it stands, it's just a way to be able to delete that reminder out of my inbox, so I can move along to the next notice, reminder, and tracking tool that is ringing away at me at the moment. TT

*sigh*

I need a massage.

I don't really care for massages.  I'm not thrilled with the idea.  I don't think it's the soothing, relaxing experience some people look forward to having done.  I would rather do without.

Unfortunately, I also know that the muscles in my upper shoulders and neck are starting to go beyond the point of being able to un-kink on their own.  They have gotten to the point of the constant ache, and no matter the stretching and prompting myself to relax these spots have eased the feeling of tension that has built up.  I think I have no choice but to surrender to the obvious.  *sigh*

Maybe I can get away with only 30 minutes.  I don't think I could stand an hour.
TT

Friday 'fess up

It's Friday, so it's time for me to 'fess up about my goals. Yes. 

I just posted how I did with the weekly goals I posted on Monday. It turns out, I didn't do as bad as I thought I might. Here are my original goals and how I managed this week.

1)-Arrange to take Friday off from work  
2)-Continue writing on my current short story by committing to:
-Two (2) - 1 hour sessions after work between Monday and Thursday (halloween?!)  
- One (1) - 2 hour session on Friday when off from work  
3)-Run 3 times between Monday and Friday for a minimum distance of 3 miles each time.  I only ran twice for a total of 7 miles (But, I still have the weekend!) 

I had to break down my first writing session into two 30 minute sessions instead of a full hour. I was having terrible trouble getting the words to flow and by the time the clock ticked over to the 30 minute mark I was pretty much toast. I wasn't feeling particularly good about what I had written when I finished that session. As it turned out, I was able to put in another 30 minutes (to complete that hour) early the next morning, and found what I slogged through the day before wasn't too bad. My next attempt went really well and then today, while I was off from work, I skipped through two more one-hour sessions like I was chasing butterflies. There wasn't a thing to worry my silly head over. I must remember this as a testament to keep the discipline, even when I think I need to stop. Hang in there, do the work, even in shorter increments, as long as I consistently keep at it. It's amazing how many written words I have to show when I actually sit down and write them instead of thinking I should. What a concept! 

So, Friday 'fess up wasn't too difficult. I managed to get what I set out to do done. Well, mostly. I did skip one run.
I thought too hard about it.
TT