Black Friday

Dinner was good (I ate myself silly, of course), had a nice day -- very quiet, and little dull, but still nice.

Got home from the in-laws and found the newspaper in the paper box. Had forgotten that our "Sunday" subscription includes the Thanksgiving paper with Black Friday ads. Looked at some of them (there were about four inches of ads!!) and decided that, despite the great deals and coupons, there was NO WAY I was shopping today.

I used to do Black Friday. I'd go to the craft stores, and maybe WalMart and Staples. I avoided the mall, but the satellite places weren't too bad. A few years ago, I stopped going when parking was obscene and it appeared people were ready to kill or die to save a few bucks. Despite being a super frugal person, the stress simply wasn't worth saving a buck or two.

What about you? Any of you shopping Black Friday?

Hope everyone had a great day!

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You Are a Special Dark Chocolate Bar

You are a deep and complex person. You don't let anyone get too close to you. You stay a mystery, and you're good at keeping secrets... especially your own. You prefer to stay on the outside a bit and observe. You find people fascinating. You seek to understand and appreciate the world. There is more to you than anyone will ever know.

What Miniature Chocolate Bar Are You?

Not only is that spot on, but dark is the best kind of chocolate. If I were queen, I'd outlaw anything below 70%, lol...

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Day Before Thanksgiving...

It's sleeting. I'm on the fence as to whether that's better or worse than snow. The good news is it's supposed to change to rain the moment the sun comes up. But DH may stay home -- it's a long drive in and when the roads are iffy, it takes twice as long. This will put a huge wrench in my plans for the day.

*sigh*

Today, I'll take the girls (DD's BFF slept over last night) to my Mom's house to swim (her apt has an indoor, heated pool). Then I'll brine the turkey, make potato salad and do some other Thanksgiving Day prep.

I miss the days when I was little and the entire family would come over for Thanksgiving. It would be complete chaos, people everywhere, guys outside tossing a football around, girls inside chattering and working on dinner, kids playing tag.

My DH's family doesn't get together for a meal. Everyone eats on their own, because, "We don't want to impose." DD has never known the tradition of a kid's table. She's missed out on the joy of chaos. The first year we lived here, I invited everyone for Thanksgiving dinner. One family showed and that was all. I thought it was fun, but after that year, it was always, "We don't want to impose." or "It's too much for one person."

I wouldn't have invited you if I didn't want you to come.

*sigh*

So tomorrow, DH, DD, Mom and I will sit down to a huge meal all by ourselves. There's a gathering at the in-laws after ... to sit and talk for hours on end (oh joy) but that's it.

It just seems odd.

What about you? How do you celebrate Thanksgiving?

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Your Color is Orange

You are a harmonious person with good communication skills. You draw people together. You have a strong sense of purpose, and you're a natural leader. You want to make the world a better place. You are honest and open. You feel like you can express your feelings and opinions without fear. You are organized and find it easy to concentrate. You are very productive.

What's Your Feng Shui Color?

Mostly right...

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The Tuesday Post Without A Title

Quiet, though busy day yesterday. Boiled a turkey for Dakota's meal -- and hopefully my next turkey will thaw by Thanksgiving! Did some last minute grocery shopping (bought two more turkeys ... yes, I really did) and felt like I was running around getting nothing done all day long.

DD has a Grandparents Day celebration at her school today. My mom will be going and taking here there. I'm so excited to have one less trip today! DD is off tomorrow through next Monday, so life will be out of routine again.

My friend, Michele, will be coming up with her family for the weekend following Thanksgiving, so I'll get to see her again! I'd thought the last time would be the last until spring, so this was a nice surprise.

Still no word from Samhain about my "Kitchen Matches" sequel ... I'm really starting to get both antsy and a bit nervous. *sigh*

Lexie is settling in very well. She's finally starting to spend a bit more time upstairs and is, as I write, laying sprawled in front of the wood stove. She's still being really good about not climbing on the counters and is seldom on the furniture (which I consider negotiable ... I'd rather she slept on the couch than on the dining table). She and Dakota are still working things out, but she's pretty much stopped smacking the poor dog in the nose whenever Dakota sniffs her.

Today will be spent finishing making Dakota's food (yes, it's a two day ordeal) and digging out my Christmas cards (yes, I do buy them the week after Christmas for the next year and then have to find them!). I like to get them mailed out right after Thanksgiving when possible.

I still refuse to start celebrating Christmas until after Thanksgiving. One holiday at a time works for me. I remember when I was little watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade so I could see Santa for the FIRST TIME EVER. He never showed up in shopping malls or anywhere else until after Thanksgiving. Now? Meh...

It's too bad.

Have a great day!

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You Learn by Teaching Yourself

There's very little you can't teach yourself. You are a huge self-learner. You don't have one learning style that works for you. You try everything that works. You experiment with learning and figure out what works best for you in each context. Your most important attribute is perseverance. Even when it feels like something is impossible to understand, you don't give up.

How Do You Learn?

Mostly right!

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The Day After Thanksgiving

Gratitude is the memory of the heart. ~Jean Baptiste Massieu, translated from French

Had a remarkably decent day yesterday, but was pretty much forbidden to hop on the computer, so didn't get to visit anyones blogs. :-(

Hit the dog park early since Dakota was going to have to spend the afternoon alone. I was shocked at how many people were there! It was a Lab fest, too, so Dakota and her friend, Patience stuck out quite a bit. Even my friend's new puppy, Envy (a pit/lab mix who looks mostly lab except her square head) blended.

They had a pretty good time, too, though Patience is really struggling with having to share anything with her new housemate and it's lead to a few pretty teeth-involved tussles. Envy doesn't start anything, but she won't put up with being attacked (like Dakota does ... she just rolls over and gives up). My friend is worried she won't be able to keep Envy if this keeps up.

Thanksgiving afternoon at the in-laws went by pretty well, too, but that may have been because I was so exhausted I spent a good part of it sitting in a chair staring off into la-la land! LOL...

This morning, it's icing out. Happy Black Friday shopping to the folks here in New Hampshire. I'm SO glad I don't do that craziness... I'm a sucker for a bargain, but there are somethings (like my sanity and safety) that just aren't worth it. Plus I'm not that big into electronics, etc., and those are usually the biggies.

Today will be an inside, hang around the house day. However, since DH is home and doesn't have projects (deer butchering commences on Saturday) I don't expect to have a lot of computer time. But, YAY, next week we go back to routine ... at least until Christmas.

Hope you all had a fabulous day yesterday. I'll do my best go come visit later!

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You Are Kermit

Like everything else in your life, you take Thanksgiving pretty seriously. It's a time for reflection and gratitude. You also like to just sit back and observe the party. You love Thanksgiving, but having a huge amount of people around can be a bit overwhelming. As long as you're allowed some privacy and independence, you'll have a good Turkey Day.

What Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon Are You?

Yep... that's about right.

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Happy Thanksgiving!

He who thanks but with the lips
Thanks but in part;
The full, the true Thanksgiving
Comes from the heart.
~J.A. Shedd

Happy Thanksgiving!

We were awakened at 2:15 a.m. to our smoke detectors going off... sort of. They'd ring for about 45 seconds, then stop. After a few minutes, they'd do it again. And again.

DH and I checked all the detectors -- changed the battery in one -- couldn't figure out what was up. Finally called the fire department for help. The captain came over (it was about 3 a.m. by now) and went through them one by one, finally finding one that was broken and setting off the entire system.

So, around 3:30 a.m. we all crawled back in bed. Unfortunately, DH wanted to go hunting in the morning, so it was up at 5 a.m.!

However, despite the severe lack of sleep, it worked out okay ... DH just called and told me he got a deer. I was shocked, honestly, since it's "buck only" now and you can't take a doe anymore this season. I was also shocked, since he'd only been out for about five minutes. Right place, right time I guess.

So... we have much to be thankful for today.

I'm thankful that our smoke detectors weren't announcing that the house was on fire.

I'm thankful for the gorgeous buck who sacrificed his life so we could eat healthy, low-fat, no chemical meat for the year.

And, I'm thankful for all of you.

Wishing you a wonderful holiday!!

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You Are Mashed Potatoes

You are reliable and steady. People know that they can count on you each year at Thanksgiving, and you are never a disappointment. While you may seem simple, a lot of work goes in to who you are. You are a bit of an under-appreciated masterpiece. You are both decadent and indulgent, while still being accessible to the common thing. In some ways you are all things to all people. You get along well with other people, but you're also good all on you're own. The bottom line is that you're easy to love.

What Thanksgiving Side Dish Are You?

That's me... easy to love. :-)

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude. ~E.P. Powell



Today we'll be spending our meal together as a small family: DH, DD, Dd, Dc and I but we will be seeing all of the in-laws later in the afternoon.

In the meantime, let me be thankful:

For my family, especially my mother (wish you were here!)

For my friends, including all of you in blogger-land

For my material blessings -- a home, clothing, food and luxuries like BOOKS!

For my health

For my fortune in living here in the United States

What are you thankful for?

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In the Kitchen

When women are depressed, they eat or go shopping. Man invade another country. It's a whole different way of thinking. - Elayne Boosler

I feel as though I'm going to spend this entire week cooking! Saturday, we processed the deer so I was in the kitchen all day. Sunday, I started dog food, so cooked two whole chickens and chopped a million gallons of veggies (okay, maybe it was only half a million). Yesterday I took all the chicken off the bones and ran all the veggies through my blender, mixed and put into containers for the dog. Today? I'm making dog biscuits for my agility class as a Thanksgiving gift. And Wednesday, I need to brine the turkey for Thursday. Thursday goes without saying.

Oy.

I'm tired of my kitchen.

DD and I spent a great deal of time reorganizing her beading supplies yesterday as well. We had been putting new beads and findings in the next available spot in her organizers, but it made no sense when trying to find something. So we got a few new ones yesterday and started putting things away in some logical order. All the metal spacers in one, all the findings in one, all the pink beads in one, etc. What a pain, and even now we aren't done.

I saw a bracelet someone else had done using eyepins and dangling the beads like charms instead of stringing the beads directly on to the wire, elastic or hemp and I like the idea, so that's next on the list of learning how to do for DD. She's also going to start adding charms to her book thongs, so that's cool. And we got a custom order for book thongs, so she's working on those today. My friend with the Etsy store does most of her business via custom orders IRL, so I wonder if that's how DD will end up.

Now I just need to get Distinctively DD out there more -- find some places to advertise, and I will probably start a blog and a Facebook fan page. Oy. I wish I could let her run amok online and take care of this stuff herself, but, uh ... no. And DD is disappointed at the way things are moving so slowly -- a few orders here and there, but I think she was imagining piles of orders coming in. I'm trying to learn the ins and outs of Artfire, but GAH, there aren't enough hours in the day.

These are my current fave earrings -- I love how dainty they are:



I swiped a pair very similar to these for myself, lol.

And, it's time to go wake up the house, so I'll stop gabbing. Have a great day!

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Monday Morning Meme and MONDAY!

Those who can laugh without cause have either found the true meaning of happiness or have gone stark raving mad. ~Norm Papernick

It's MONDAY!! It's DECEMBER!!! Life as we know it is back to normal (well, at least as normal as it ever is). WOO HOO!!!!!!!



1. Please tell us about your Thanksgiving day, don’t leave anything out! Please share some Thanksgiving photos with us! (And then submit the permalink to your entry in the Coffee Chat project for a chance to win a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate!)

Geez... it was quiet. My DD, DH and I (and Dd and Dc, of course) had dinner. It all went smoothly -- I didn't have to cut my 24 lb turkey in half (probably because I had a 13 lb turkey), all my side dishes were cooked without incident. We ate until we wanted to vomit and then our neighbor stopped by with her lab puppy for a play date with Dd. DH and DD went to visit the in-laws... I stayed home because Dd has been having digestive issues (**ahem**) and I didn't want to come home and clean up.

I watched four episodes of NCIS, worked on the website and went to bed.

**yawn**

I suppose I could lie and make it more exciting. Or, hey... next year, if Karen has the competition again, I'll make sure something odd or goofy happens!

2. How is the Christmas/Holiday shopping coming along? Has the economic crunch changed how much you usually spend for Christmas/Holidays? Why or why not? How have you adapted? Did you go shopping on Black Friday? Why or why not? What are your thoughts about how out of control some people behave on Black Friday?

I'm as cheap as always *G* ... so, nothing much has changed this year from last, economically. And, ACK NONONONONONO, I did NOT shop on Black Friday. Considering the list of fatalities from folks shopping on Friday, I'm glad. I think their behavior is absurd. Why is it worth killing (or even hurting) someone to get a few dollars off?? How can ANY of the people at this WalMart live with themselves?? Worse -- people were ANGRY THEY CLOSED THE STORE!!! Um, hello -- someone DIED. Sheesh.

Dear heavens to betsy, what has happened to our society?

:::steps down off soap box:::

3. How many times a week do you eat fast food? (Be honest!) What do you think about this number? What is your favorite fast food restaurant? Do you think the food you eat there is healthy for you? Do you consciously make healthier choices when you eat out?

Um... lately? Once. Maybe twice, but usually once. We go to Taco Bell after dog obedience class. Sometimes we'll go to Wendy's, but not once a week. I think you can make healthy choices, and sometimes I do, and sometimes I don't. I think it's easier to eat healthy at a "sit down" restaurant, but I seldom go to those either.

4. Fill in the blank: Can’t talk to you now, I’m just too busy _____________________.

Can’t talk to you now, I’m just too busy working on the LASR website.

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We decorated the tree yesterday. I'll have pictures tomorrow -- they're on the camera, but the dock is upstairs, and DH is still sleeping.

DD had loads of fun -- we let her do most of it. I also took her shopping for her annual ornament yesterday, and tried to steer her away from the 8" gold glitter snowflakes. Dear heavens. She ended up with an angel, still flashy but not quite as gaudy. My DD has a thing for flashy, gaudy stuff. If it has glitter or rhinestones, it's for her.

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You Are 72% Likely to Survive Another Great Depression

Even though you may not be expecting the worst, you're the type of person who prepares for the worst. You live a relatively modest life. You don't overspend, and you aren't very materialistic. You are also quite self sufficient and independent. You have many useful skills. You can take care of yourself and those you love... which is crucial to surviving another Great Depression.

Could You Survive Another Great Depression?

Honestly, I'm surprised the percentage isn't higher.... lol...

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Happy Thanksgiving

I didn't use a quote today, because I think that picture says it all!

I hope all my American friends have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I'll be busy most of the day, cooking and cleaning -- but it'll be oddly relaxing, I think. Then, it's time to get serious about Christmas.

And to get you ready for the Christmas holiday, a video I stole shamelessy from Shauna because it made me laugh:

Monday Morning Meme... and Miscellaneous Mumbling

What we're really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving? ~Erma Bombeck, "No One Diets on Thanksgiving," 26 November 1981



1. Thanksgiving is this week! Where are you going? Besides eat, what do you do on Thanksgiving? Do you have any family traditions you’d like to share with us? Don’t forget to take pictures! (You’ll be asked to show them next Monday! This will also prove handy for Coffee Chat!)

We'll eat... just the three of us, which -- even after nine years here, I still find odd. My inlaws all have dinner at their own homes, and then gather for an hour or two somewhere after eating. My memories of Thanksgivings past are of utter chaos, zillions of family members, the "kids table" and just a lot of fun. Not so here. It's sad and I miss the chaos. I'm sad my DD won't have those kinds of memories.

The only tradition we have is getting the tree the day after Thanksgiving. We used to go cut one down, but the inlaws have decided that the Friday following T-Day is too early, so THEY all go in mid-December. So, last year we went to Agway and bought a tree, and this year I imagine we'll do the same.

I'll take pictures, but -- sorry Karen -- I won't post them here. No photos of family faces on my blog. Sorry. Only mine and the dog's, and you're probably sick of those! LOL...

2. What is your favorite gadget? Why is it your favorite? If money was not an object, what gadget would you buy for yourself?

Unless I consider my laptop a "gadget", I don't have one. No iPod, no Blackberry... my cell phone doesn't even take pictures, nor do I use it to text or email (shockingly, I only use it to, yanno, make PHONE CALLS).

I'd probably buy a Wii, because my DD wants one so badly (but DH is opposed to gaming systems), or a treadmill (which isn't really a gadget... but...) for the dog. Yes, the dog. How the heck am I going to wear her out this winter without one?

3. You’ve been chosen to be a contestant on “Survivor” and you leave in 6 weeks. How will you spend the next 6 weeks to prepare for the challenge?

Well. Hmmm... I've never watched "Survivor", but I imagine I'd need to be fit. And I think the chickies wear a lot of revealing clothing. I wonder if I could lose 35 lbs in six weeks? Could I go on "The Biggest Loser" first?

4. How many times a week do you visit the ATM machine? Do you normally carry a lot of cash? How often do you use credit cards? Are you pretty good at paying off your balance every month? How do you control your credit card spending?

I use the ATM for deposits, mostly. I seldom carry cash -- it's too easy to spend thoughtlessly. I use the CC for everything and, yes, pay it off every month. We're big believers in not carrying debt and living within our means (unlike half the rest of the world... but don't get me started on irresponsible people who expect other people to bail them out when they get into trouble, okay?).

Your turn!

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Today I get to sweep, mop and dust the area that will be my office. I bought the scatter rugs and felt pad thingies yesterday, so will start moving in the furniture again. Hopefully I'll have some pictures for you tomorrow. I took a picture of the tile in the bathroom (it's actually stone (!!) and turned out really well).

We're having a heat wave today -- 47 degrees. I'm going to get out, run the dog, scoop poop and let the fire die since the chimney guys are coming today to install the cap. Good timing on the warm (HA!) weather.

That's about all that's happening in my exciting life, other than trying to get to Tractor Supply Company today to buy DH's birthday present -- his birthday is TODAY. Nothing like waiting until the last minute... I might pick up a new bird feeder while I'm there. My birds need something bigger -- they're eating me out of house and home.

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You Are a Siamese Cat

You are a very communicative creature. You're eager to express yourself - and do so often. You are very dependent and love attention. You will complain if you are not getting enough affection. Even though you are very loving, you can seem aloof, unpredictable, and stubborn in relationships. A relationship with you takes a lot of patience.

What Breed of Cat Are You?

That first part? Totally wrong... but the second? Yeah... that's kind of right on.

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Leftover Woes

As a child my family's menu consisted of two choices: take it or leave it. ~Buddy Hackett

So... DH had the audacity to ask me what I was making for dinner yesterday.

HAHAHAHA....

Since we have NO room in the fridge because of the piles of turkey and ten pounds of mashed potatoes, what do you think?

He made himself hot dogs.

*sigh*

I am apparently the only one in my family who does't mind eating the same thing a few times in a row. I love it. I probably wouldn't mind having one or two things for dinner for the rest of my life.

I'm the kind a person who always gets "the usual" when I go out to eat. Going to new restaurants always stymies me.

But now I have to figure out what to do with all the leftovers, because I can't eat them all before they spoil. And, you can't freeze potatoes.

How about you? Are you adventurous when it comes to food, or do you typically stay with the things that work? What are you doing with YOUR leftovers (if you have them)?

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You Are a Gingerbread House

A little spicy and a little sweet, anyone would like to be lost in the woods with you.

What Holiday Food Are You?

Happy Thanksgiving

It is literally true, as the thankless say, that they have nothing to be thankful for. He who sits by the fire, thankless for the fire, is just as if he had no fire. Nothing is possessed save in appreciation, of which thankfulness is the indispensable ingredient. But a thankful heart hath a continual feast. ~W.J. Cameron

Funniest Turkey Craft -- EVER

You MUST go see Eileen Cook's blog today for a very interesting Thanksgiving craft.

Pre-Thanksgiving Post

The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving. ~H.U. Westermayer

What I will be doing today:

Turkey Brine

INGREDIENTS:
1 gallon vegetable broth
1 cup sea salt
1 tablespoon crushed dried rosemary
1 tablespoon dried sage
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried savory
1 gallon ice water

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large stock pot, combine the vegetable broth, sea salt, rosemary, sage, thyme, and savory. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to be sure salt is dissolved. Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature.

2. When the broth mixture is cool, pour it into a clean 5 gallon bucket. Stir in the ice water.

3. Wash and dry your turkey. Make sure you have removed the innards. Place the turkey, breast down, into the brine. Make sure that the cavity gets filled. Place the bucket in the refrigerator overnight.

4. Remove the turkey carefully draining off the excess brine and pat dry. Discard excess brine.

5. Cook the turkey as desired reserving the drippings for gravy. Keep in mind that brined turkeys cook 20 to 30 minutes faster so watch the temperature gauge.

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I will ALSO be reviewing my galley's for "Don't Fence Me In".

You remember, the story with the GORGEOUS COVER!



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You Are The Stuffing

You're complicated and complex, yet all your pieces fit together. People miss you if you're gone - but they're not sure why.

What Part of Thanksgiving Are You?

Oooh... complicated. Nifty.