*satisfied sigh*

Done since last post:

Cooked and packed up corn pudding. It's a little lighter in color and creamier than Mom's, but it tastes right. All it needs is a little more oven time when I get to NY.

Took a nap.

Peeled, sliced, slathered with butter, brown sugar, maple syrup and cider the sweet potatoes. They're currently in the oven. My fingertips are kinda stained orange.

Got most of the dishes I made washed. Will do the rest before I leave.

So barring me burning the potatoes, midnight thanksgiving cooking is a success. It's weird... this is the first time I've made anything for Thanksgiving besides the easy stuff. Here's hoping the army of crazed starving wolverines that await my arrival like my stuff.

Getting picked up in 2.75 hours, so I'm going to rest on my laurels until the potatoes are done and then run around like a headless chicken getting everything packed up. Soooooo happy I'm taking the train down to NY... after all this I need some kickback time. Think I'll take a couple of DVDs with me, since I'm taking the laptop. either that or I'll write... goodness knows I write better in the city anyway.

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all. *hugseveryone*

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Made my train with time to spare, and I'm watching the sky lighten over Springfield as we leave it behind. Wow.

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Hmm. I think I should start taking the 6:30 train more often. got into the city nice and early. :)

Of course, I beat everyone else here. I'd forgotten that colored people time applies in triplicate to my family. Ah well. The food got here safe too - only one minor leak with the sweet potatoes. How wise of me to wrap the Rubbermaid in plastic bags. :) Scared Dad when I came in, but he was happy to see me so we had breakfast and caught up. Not much news on either front. Currently up in Mom's room hiding from the Sara Brightman music Dad has been playing nonstop since Mom died.

Speaking of Mom - she's totally here, and has been bitching to me about the state of her house since I got in. Mostly about Dad's stuff spilling into her room and why I haven't vacuumed up the paper shavings left on her bedroom when I was hunting down collage material last month.

I'm kinda dead and a little on the low side... might take a nap for an hour before the clan descends upon the house. my celly's on and in my pocket, feel free to message away.

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the trouble with making food that everyone likes is that you get slated to make it every year. But that's fine. I like cooking for people, though I find that when I cook something for hours I'm rather ambivalent about eating it. Anyway, good food, good wine, and even though Mom's not here... the holiday seems surprisingly normal. The script of table setup, food jockeying, chowing, followed by lively political debate over dessert and coffee (this year's topic was guns, America's culture of violence, gun control and the second amendment) was still executed - and the interesting part is that it seemed a little more relaxed, people more inclined to speak their minds and be themselves than maybe in previous years. I like that.

Some people are still wenches though - Penuche wouldn't put sundart into the silent santa lottery cause "she's not family." Naturally I'm seething about that. But overall I've enjoyed the afternoon, was positively tickled by the praise over my veggies (it was never anything Mom ever let me do, so a good 90% of the siblings were rather astounded by the fact that I can cook), and wow, Dad is so happy to have us all here. Not to mention I'm stuffed.

I think Mom would have been pleased.