Thanksgiving 2008

This Thanksgiving was a little different than usual.  I came in (by myself) around 11AM on Thanksgiving morning (usually I spend the night before).  We also didn’t have a single guest.  My folks have been known to have any where from 5 (just our family) to about 15-20ish people at Thanksgiving dinner (that was the year they wanted to get new furniture so they threw out the old stuff, and made room for tables and chairs on Thanksgiving day before the new furniture was delivered.)

This year was a rare, immediate family only event.  I played with my camera, taking pictures of the neighbor’s nectarine tree (using macro).

And mom reading (using infinity).

Some red berries (macro).

Of course, the turkey. You gotta have an oven baked turkey for making gravy.

And the second turkey.  It’s not Thanksgiving in our household without a fried turkey.

Dad carves up the turkey.

My favorite side dish, sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top!!

The wine I brought to try.  I liked it and mom did too.  Sis didn’t like it too much.

And I can’t forget the family pet, Baxter.

We found him around last Christmas when he was shivering and hungry on the front porch.  Sis and I fed him some ham, and he stuck around.  He’s a sweet dog, and doesn’t wear a retainer to bed. 

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving holiday!

I feel

….like crap. 

I forgot to fix my coffee this morning at home AND I forgot to bring a cup to fix instant cappuccino at work.  I know I could have bought coffee at the bookstore, but I didn’t. 

I have a major work deadline Monday and I planned on having everything done today, which may or may not happen, in addition to writing up some major documentation about a major problem. 

I don’t feel like doing anything but sleeping.  I’ve also randomly been bursting out in tears today, fortunately not in public or at totally inappropriate times. Thank goodness this a holiday weekend, but I have a sneaking suspicion that I will have to work some point this weekend.

I need to snap out of this.

Delicious Dish

Friday night I had a delicious meal of grilled cheese and tomato Parmesan soup.  The soup was from a jar and the sandwich was made to family recipe specifications.

Two slices of bread, buttered on one side of each slice

Two slices of Kraft Singles cheese

In a pan on medium heat, put one slice of bread, butter side down.   Add both cheese slices and the remaining slice of bread, this time butter side up.  After a few minutes, flip the sandwich to brown 2nd slice of bread and continue melting cheese.  Watch and listen to make sure you cook both sides to your desired doneness.  Enjoy!

I also tried a new wine called Pinot Evil, the title of which cracks me up!  It’s a little more expensive than the $4-6 bottles I usually buy…I can’t find the receipt but do remember it being around $8.  The wine connoisseur in me rates it as fruity tasting and possibly a repeat buy.

The List

When someone in my life seems to surface several times, I start to take notice.  For a while I’ve been thinking of things that I want to do or accomplish in my life, both long term and short term.  But of course, I didn’t act on actually making a list, because that would require A. work, B. sitting down to write it down and C. me committing to complete the items.

So a few days ago, my blog amigo Emily decided she needed a change in her life, and through my suggestion decided to make her own list of “25 things to do to while 25.“

Then yesterday at work, while sitting in on a graduate school symposium presentation, a presenter gave everyone the task of creating a list of 20 things you want to do in your life.  Not a bucket list, but a life empowerment list.  I’ve already got 6 or 7 things on there, and hope in the next few weeks to sit down with myself and finish writing the list and get started.  I’ll probably share it with you once it’s complete so I can try to keep myself honest in crossing things off.

Do you have a list, either mental or on paper?  Have you been successful at crossing items off?

With a little help from my blog expert friends

Can anyone tell me how to put a “badge” on my blog?  I use the web based wordpress and have a premade layout.  I don’t know much about HTML and I don’t know anything about CSS. 

Thanks!

Cool Stuff for the Holidays

I haven’t been very creative lately because things at work have been busy.  I’m preparing for end of year reporting at work and have also been very deep in thought lately due to something else going on related to work.  I really wish I could blog about it, but I just can’t.

So instead, I bring you cool websites for holiday and anytime gifts.

Moo.  If money and my own creativity were no object, I’d have boxes of these uber cute, super tiny cards around my house.  I’d be using them for wedding projects (which I still may do) and gifts to my fellow stationery hounds.

Uncommon Goods.  Not even kidding, this site has gifts for any occasion.  They also kick major butt by with their efforts to be environmentally friendly and socially responsible.  I mean who doesn’t need a chair made from NYC walk/don’t walk signs.

Gifts.com. Gift ideas from the depths of the internet are yours with the click of a mouse.  Shop for the personalities in your life including Domestic Diva and Mr. Field and Stream.

And in case you are wondering, if you want to buy me something from these places, I could make a list for you!