Reminiscing

I started cooking my vegetarian dishes for Thanksgiving yesterday...I made ginger butternut squash soup...it is one of my favorites and it is so easy. Today we will make a wild rice with dried fruit pilaf...I can't decide if I want to serve that hot or cold, and mashed sweet potatoes with cheddar cheese and caramelized apples on top. On Thanksgiving I roast vegetables- this year we chose green beans...I love them roasted...you just put them on a cookie sheet with some salt and olive oil for 60 minutes at 375 - 400 degrees and they come out with sweet concentrated flavors...yum. Homemade bread and pumpkin bread (daughter#1 made that yesterday). And of course cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes (I don't eat those)...and then finally the desserts are all vegetarian.

I do most of my side dishes ahead of time so that I bake pies and bread in the morning and then the turkey goes in...it makes the day so much more relaxed.

I woke up this morning with a sentence in my head. It was a sentence that I could use to begin my research article...it was about pulling threads from 3 avenues of research, braiding them together to create our hypothesis...so I woke up and added it. If it comes in my sleep, it is usually better than something I toil with.

My boys arrive today. They drove into VA last night, through the icy mixture...and then stopped for the night. They should be here by early afternoon. My older son is pouting...he doesn't want to waste his time off with his family...he thinks this is punishment. He would prefer to stay home and just do what he wants to do, whenever he wants to do it. I hope that he isn't a "debbie-downer" the whole time. I want him to be happy...but I want him to know he has a family that wants to be with him.

I do remember the paper-bag turkey baking method, and cranberry glop from the can sliced...probably into just enough pieces for all of us....and I remember pumpkin pie. But I don't think those memories are solid until well into my late elementary/middle school years. The pictures in my mind are all of the Forge Road house and beyond.

I think the only two items that I duplicate are Mom's rolls and pumpkin pie...which I am not even making this year because I am the only one who will eat it...I end up eating a whole pie by the end of the weekend.

Husband's brother and his family will arrive tomorrow by early afternoon...I am looking forward to their visit. We haven't spent much time with them since their parents died. We used to do things regularly with them...from the time that we were dating. Once, before kids, they came up to our parents' home and we all went camping...Mom and Dad came too. We had 2 small tents, one I borrowed from a friend. That tent, when set up smelled like Limburger cheese...there was something funky growing in it. Well we women grabbed the non-smelly tent and made the men sleep in the smelly one...Mom and Dad slept in the bed of their truck. About midnight my brother-in-law came over and pleaded with us to sleep in our tent...once we caved and let him in husband came over too. It was so cramped...but we laughed and laughed.

I hope that you have a peaceful day. Enjoy the snow and the kids and grandkids.
I love you,
Maggie