Thanksgiving.

WSG 49

Happy Thanksgiving week! The Holidays are upon us! I have not heard a single person say they feel on top of things. Is that a thing this year? In this post Pandemic world where we now have meetings in person and can go to parties, are we in fact less ready? I’d say ‘yes.’ Maybe we just skip the presents and enjoy a really great party. We can use the money we save to heat the house and keep the lights on!

I just came back from the grocery store. With two people and a dog in the house the cupboards are pretty bare and the kids are returning for break. There were complaints to management last time they came home because it was stocked like an abandoned house. So, I went to the store with four empty bags. I returned with six filled bags.

There was a time when I didn’t hate grocery shopping. But I do now. It is expensive. It is time consuming. And it means I have to drive.

There was a time when I didn’t hate grocery shopping. But I do now. It is expensive. It is time consuming. And it means I have to drive. I wander around the aisles and wish I had a list. At Whole Foods, one has to dodge the Zombie Bag Fillers. It’s a strange hangover from the Pandemic. Apparently, other people order their groceries and bypass the whole shopping process. Smart. But, I can’t claim to be smart about time management.

I suppose I should order the groceries. But, I have this weird animal like thing where, despite how much I do not want to be there, I must seek and discover. I must gather like a little squirrel. A female gathering squirrel. No, I don’t stuff it all in my mouth, filling my cheeks to capacity. I use a cart. But, the idea is the same. I’m not sure which is worse: me going grocery shopping and seeing all the nifty things there are to acquire and place in my big metal cart. Or, ordering online and finding things at the click of a button.

One of the reasons for my aimless wandering in the grocery store is that I don’t plan a menu for the week. I like to find items that inspire me to cook them. Like, hmm. Artichokes! How 70s. Sure, let’s do artichokes tonight. Then I build the rest of the meal around them. Or, more likely, I get led to items by the clever marketers of the grocery chain. Hmm. Look! There is a pretty Fall display with leaves and burlap and cake mix and cans of pumpkin stuff. I’m inspired to make pumpkin cake!

As for recipes, I have a collection of cook books. I have a few of my grandmother’s and they are really telling of a time in America, post war. The book, Betty Crocker’s Picture Cook Book was published in 1950. This country was quite a different place for all of us. I’m including a few photos of their advice to the ladies.

True dat

This next visual is disturbing…Is the police officer going to whap her with his ruler? Why does he have a ruler? Is the officer her husband? I did not know measuring pans was a thing.

For what it’s worth, there are a number of great ideas in the book as far as organizing one’s kitchen and home, nutrition and how to keep upbeat. I left the chapter on happy pills out. Just kidding.

A Recipe You Won’t Hate: Gravy

I figure why not post a useful Thanksgiving recipe! But, meanwhile….I tried to make popovers last night:

They started out promising. But…The became pop-unders instead of pop-overs. What did I do wrong…? Anyone know? They tasted just fine. I may try again tonight!

Cooking a meal like Thanksgiving leaves a path of destruction that oozes beyond the kitchen permitter. Not that I know first hand because I haven’t made a thanksgiving feast. My rotation is Christmas Day. I am a grateful guest at my parent’s for Thanksgiving. What is your Thanksgiving tradition? Do you cook? Order? Travel?

That’s all for now. I hope you have a happy, healthy Thanksgiving.

xo

k