Wow! So thanks everyone for the help and advice on that last post! You guys should write an advice column. Now I know where to bring all my boyfriend problems. Ha!
Anyway, I sort of decided to mix everyone’s advice together and take it. I crossed Lori off of my friends list and just sort of gave her the mental boot. I talked it over with another sympathetic friend who lives out of state and she agrees there may just be some problems going on with Lori. And honestly, I REALLY do not need drama. So, poof, off she goes in ex-friend land. On to current and new friends out there! I plan to just be friendly as usual to her husband when he comes over (after all, he did nothing). I’m already getting pretty much over it. So thanks to all of you for your help.
Just wanted to make another note on that last post. I REALLY loved getting the comments. Comments of any kind help me know that someone is out there and is enjoying/ not enjoying the blog. I know there are a lot of people following and hitting the blog, but I don’t hear from a lot of you. I’d love to make “blog friends” or whatever they call it with you. So jump in and give feedback. Or just say hi. I don’t care. It’s just good to hear from you and know there are living types out beyond this keyboard. Hugs!
So Thanksgiving plans are in full swing around here this morning and I’ll tell you why. We have a lot of people coming so far including a co-worker of my husband’s and his girlfriend and this guy’s brother and his wife. So SUDDENLY, my husband has taken a big interest in the whole Thanksgiving process.
We have a living room with a pretty tall vaulted ceiling. YEARS ago, we got water damage on it from a roof leak. I had asked and asked to get this repainted. My husband’s stock answer was “Nobody notices that but you.” So I have hosted endless holidays, baby and wedding showers, teas, birthday parties, dinners, you name it, with my stained ceiling. The kicker to this is…the rest of the house is really nice. So to me it looked weird to have this fairly great house with an odd ceiling stain. But guess what? When we found out the co-worker was coming to Thanksgiving, we went into overdrive. We got a referral for a painter at four, called him right away, he came at five to give us a bid. He was back the next morning (yesterday) with paint samples and showed up this morning at seven to paint. OMG…it looks beautiful! So my dear husband finally ponied up and got it fixed. A miracle.
I have to tell you about the weird crew coming for Thanksgiving. We’ve got my husband, me, and my three kids. My best bipolar friend Dianna. (She’s on lithium.) Her daughter Casey (she’s on several meds) and her boyfriend. My friend Ron from the bipolar support group. (He’s on a bunch of meds like I am.) This co-worker of my husband’s and his girlfriend Samantha. (I have no idea if they’re on meds but this guy can be a jerk. He already told my husband he will not eat onions or Mexican food at Thanksgiving. Huh?) The brother of this guy and his wife. They’re probably on meds to deal with this obnoxious brother. My husband’s cousin Jim and his wife Linda. (She should be on meds…nice, but wacky.) My young bipolar friend that I mentor and her girlfriend (more meds). So that is 18.
Now you’re probably wondering how I have 18 people over for a big meal when I am generally psychotic and depressed. Well, I get organized and plan ahead. I have lots of helpers. I have my tablecloths washed and ironed every year at the dry cleaners. I taught my 20 year old son how to set the table, so he does all that which is really a chore. My husband is good at the last minute cleaning and all. And my super weapon for the food? The Crock-Pot.
This year we are having turkey, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, broccoli salad (cold), gravy, cornbread w/ honey butter, whole cranberry sauce, mixed vegies, pumpkin and apple pies, and a red velvet cake.
One thing I have always hated about fixing and eating big meals is getting everything to the table hot. And then eating second helpings and having them be hot….so voila the Crock-Pot.
The turkey is easy. You thaw it for about four days, pull out the insides and throw it in the oven. Sweet potato casserole….that morning smash a bunch of canned sweet potatoes, eggs, brown sugar, etc. Whip it. Into a Crock with pecans and brown sugar. Cooks all day. Mixed veggies. Out of the freezer bag in the Crock. A little butter and salt and pepper. Done. Stuffing. I use Stove-Top. In another Crock. Cooks all day. Mashed potatoes. Found a slow cooker recipe where you make them the night before and turn on the Crock Pot in the morning. I’m on it. The broccoli salad is a mix from the store. Whole cranberries are just boiled on the stove. I use jarred gravy in a smaller crock and it is piping hot. Bake two pans of cornbread from a great mix and throw some honey in some softened butter. Buy my pies and cake at Costco. And of course produce wine and champagne.
So my guests don’t exactly get a meal totally from scratch but it’s good and hot and has all the basics. There’s plenty to eat and hey, they didn’t have to get it ready or clean or do the dishes. (Although I must admit my husband’s cousin and his wife are always right on the kitchen work.)
I’ve got an odd assortment of little and tall candles, gourds, little pumpkins, and all sorts of junk we got at garage sales. I will artistically (HA!) arrange this mess down the table for a centerpiece look.
If I shower the day before and do those potatoes, I have this licked. What do you think? What did I forget?
love you all.
lily
