This is plan "B" - A much about nothing post of winter bouquets and cats sunning on window sills. Turkey and trimmings achieved for another year. I did not lay hands on the feral grand children, despite a deprogrammed television set and a smoke-filled house because SOMEONE closed the fireplace damper. (Plan "A" was a rant).
The visiting dog ran away with the oven gloves that were saturated in turkey goodness. I'm all in favor of a recipe that advocates turning a turkey during cooking; that's doable when it is cold. Try juggling a twenty pound bird that is oozing hot juices and slippery as heck. I flipped her once then renounced that idea and threw the mitts on the floor, which Enzo thought was a fabulous idea. Chase ensued.
Everyone was sent home with left overs and pies. The tables and chairs are back in place and the clean up is over. I have a whole weekend before me and for me.
It sounds like you had a wonderful time, all things considered, and I'm sorry you had to chase Enzo to re-claim the oven mits.
ReplyDeleteI had Chinese takeaway in my PJ's and watched a period piece about the Duchess of Devonshire.
Enjoy your weekend!
I'm right with you! So good to have everything back to abnormal.
ReplyDeleteAnd . . . by the way . . . when did you take a photo of MY CAT????
Sounds like an excellent plan! Put your feet up and bask in the freedom from cooking/dishes/misc. responsibilities.
ReplyDeleteAh, I cooked myself a quiet feast and sat watching TV as I ate.
ReplyDeleteI do miss the hustle and bustle of a grand family dinner but yours sounds a bit to exciting for me, although the thought of the dog running off with the oven mitt is too funny. Reminds me of the film "A Christmas Story," which I hope you have seen when the Bumpus' dogs run off with the whole turkey.
These are the kind of days that make for family legends. It shall be related in the future and perhaps expanded upon as well! *G*
Glad you are able to put your feed up, sip the punch and enjoy some quiet time. You deserve it!
An xmas present you can ask for.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/all-clad-stainless-steel-turkey-lifters/?pkey=cctlmetmet
Plan B's are often so much better for the executor. ;-)
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the pleasure of catching your breath.
ReplyDeleteI like the chase scene. I am always for the dog especially so he he has time to such the turkey juice out of the oven mitt. Ha. Your Thanksgiving sounds like fun. Enjoy your weekend. Have a bubble bath!
ReplyDeletee, I get as much enjoyment from the planning and logistics of putting the show together as I do from all the people stuff.
ReplyDeleteJune, Can you see that Slinkie's colors match the trees outside? She has that blue-gray and some orange. I think i was told it's called a recessive calico gene. She loves that sill for the sun and for it's proximity to the birds in the trees.
The Merry, I rarely get the house to myself. I slept in this morning. Luxury!
Jean, Yes we had the whole Dog & Pony Show (without the Pony)! Our group combined a Brit, some French, Polish, Philippine with some Hybrids and but a couple of "Real Americans". No one noticed that I diligently heated up the cranberry sauce. Can't get it all right, all of the time:)
ReplyDeleteSilliyak, Thank you, that does look practical. I don't "shop" so I am not up to speed on all these new-fangled inventions:)
ReplyDeleteSteve, I composed my rant in my head and then set it free.
Martin, Thanks Sunshine!
TechnoBabe, Enzo is seven months old so his owners decided that it was a training opportunity. They kept returning the mitts and saying "Leave-it'. It wasn't in my line of sight but every so often the crowd would roar at seeing him grab and run again.
I had to flip my stinkin' turkey too-- what imbecile came up with the idea?! I actually put my oven mitts into ziplock bags and lifted the turkey that way. I learned after ruining mitts last year I guess.
ReplyDeleteHappy no more Tday and only bouquets with cats on window sills to you!
A weekend on one's own is bliss ! A chance to relax and eat whatever one fancies , whenever , and not a flavoured cheese in sight. (Goat's cheese with honey doesn't sound nearly so eeeugh! as our local Gouda with cloves).
ReplyDeleteHostage, Silliyak put a link in his comment to some turkey flipping tools. You and I can both use this information, apparently.
ReplyDeleteS&S, Gouda with cloves? I have the feeling that chewing on mothballs might be a better flavor!
Honey with crottin chavignol is quite an ordinary combination, I eventually discovered. When MFB first proporsed it, I was horrified, but then found out that even decent restaurants do it.
ReplyDeleteGlad your dinner went relatively well and particularly happy to know that you are on your own and loving it. Being temporarily single is quite pleasing, as most women will agree. Do make the most of it, ER.
Cats like ours seem to like to pose in places where they are camouflaged, and there are quite a few places like that for them!
ReplyDeletePretty girl...
Sounds like a well deserved rest. Enjoy
ReplyDeleteI hope your post-'all of it' has been calm and tranquil as you gather momentum for The Big One in just under four weeks time.
ReplyDeleteI have those Turkey Lifters, I got mine off eBay. They work oh so much better than my usual balancing trick of a serving fork stuck into the neck end and a long, sturdy, wooden preserving spoon shoved indelicately up poor turkey's who-ha on the other end. OK, and since it's you, I'll admit to only once in my domestic career having to engage the 'Five Second Rule', but that experience alone was enough to cause me to buy the lifters online the very next day.
What happens in Kitty's kitchen, stays in Kitty's kitchen...
Here, in Côtes d'Armor, we have snow, and lots of it. The trees, buildings and hills look lovely and peaceful in their winter overcoats. And, wait for it, Leclerc was selling fresh-cut 'Arbres de Noël' on Friday, two days ago. Gah.
Sending you Seasonal Thoughts to hopefully help start yours off right. (Are those apples and oranges in the vase? Nice touch!)
Bisouxxx
(P.S. I want your yummy punch recipe, please?)
Mmm, rum punch and a free weekend... what more can one ask for ? Enjoy, enjoy...
ReplyDeleteHe's taking off to France ??? Happy traveling to him then, hopefully he won't lose passport, car keys, suitcase, or anything else...
And you didn't even speculate about who might have closed the damper... probably that naughty dog did, thinking to make a diversion so as to be able to get into the kitchen alone while the turkey was out on the counter...
Deborah, I am always open to new experiences. I even cut a slice and tasted it, expecting something good. It was anything but good.
ReplyDeleteJune, Slinkie has decided that the autumn leaves belong indoors. She is on a mission to carry them through the cat door one by one. I felt like one of the Babes in the Woods when I woke up yesterday covered in leaves and twigs.
Legend, thank you.
Kitty, now that I know such things exist, I will procure some and use them. Here also the traffic reports include Xmas trees that have fallen from car roof racks onto the roads, as of Friday.
Owen, This was an unusually peaceful and organized departure. We'll have to see how the rest plays out.
I don't know what it's all about but it sound marvellous. I'm late, I just hope you really did have that wonderful 'you' time.
ReplyDeleteooooh, another reason to shop Williams Sonoma, thanks Rdier and Silliyak!
ReplyDeleteFriko,The "Me Time" is ongoing whilst Hubby is in France. I'm trying to make the most of it.
ReplyDeleteHostage, I have to wonder how The Pilgrims got by without Williams Sonoma:)
You must forgive me for my tardy comment to this lovely post. For some reason I only read the part between the photos on the first go 'round...
ReplyDeleteI hope that your time alone has been refreshing and restorative and that, in the end, it will feel as if it lasted for a month!