George and I are preparing the house for Thanksgiving. Michael and Michelle will be here on Wednesday evening. By the time they arrive, the house and some of the dinner should be ready. While I plan the menu, shop for the food, and make their bed with crispy sheets and fluffy comforters, I keep in mind that I would like the Thanksgiving holiday to be simple and fun. No rush, no fuss.
While this is my goal, I'm also busy planning the menu: Artichoke Dip and Crudities with Greek olives, turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes & gravy, green beans almondine, homemade cranberry sauce, jellied cranberry sauce out of the can (for George), mashed rutabagas, butternut squash, rolls, Texas Slaw, which is a recipe my mother sent me from the Oklahoma Journal and has two types of cabbage and jalepeno peppers to spice it up...sounds perky..., spiced cider, apple pie, pumpkin pie with whipped cream and an apple walnut bundt cake.
Simple.
Okay, so Thanksgiving isn't so simple, it will still be fun. I am not daunted by the fact that I don't get out of work until 5:00 on Wednesday. I am not daunted by the fact that my grocery list is two pages, single-spaced. I am not daunted by the fact that my dining room is also "jewelry central" and needs to be reamed out of all things jewelry. I am not daunted by the fact that our bedroom needs to be converted into a temporary quiet space with desk for Michael, so he can work on his book. I'm not...no, I'm not. Somehow it will all get done, and it will all be fun too! Actually, Thanksgiving dinner is one dinner that I have made so often I don't need any recipes. I have done it all before, many times, and with great success. No worries!
Thanksgiving is going to be loaded with fun and friends, loaded with really good home-made food, loaded with laughter and good times. And there's nothing simple about it!
Have a great day.
