Jewish Musings, Sunday, 11/20

[gazelle18]

Hi everyone,

i am doing Louise's week this week, and she will talk my turn next week.

sorry, I cannot do our regular opening ....i am on my iPad, and am unable to cut and paste from here. I'll do better tomorrow!!

i am currently suffering from a nasty cold, and not terrible coherent. So, I am going to give myself an easy subject to open with today. Please share a favorite thanksgiving memory from your past. A favorite anecdote, or just a general memory....

i have many, as I love thanksgiving. One year, when my kids were teens, I had a craving for pumpkin bread, which I'd never made before. I made a really basic one, with raisins. At thanksgiving dinner, I sliced it up and put in on a beautiful platter. It looked gorgeous, and tasted yummy, and I proudly encouraged my family and guests to take some. For some reason, no one wanted any. They were chowing down on everything else, but totally ignoring my pumpkin bread. So I took some more. And some more. OVer the next few days, I finished it off, and no one in the family had any. It turns out that no one likes it but me.

This began a tradition. Every year, I make a pumpkin bread. No one eats it except for me. But it is plated on my best China, and given pride of place. It's my little way of saying: " if I'm going to do all this cooking, I am going to make something I love, even of no one else thinks it's any good."

[peachymom1]

My first Thanksgiving after joining WW was particularly memorable, because I thought about what I wanted to eat, planned ahead, and came up with a reasonable, acceptable meal for myself. We hosted that year, so I knew exactly what would be on my table. This caused me to think seriously about what Thanksgiving foods I really liked, what I could do without, and how to figure out how to manage this kind of challenge. It was an eye-opener for me.

I'll be back in the morning -- I have to to warm up my bed. One of my sisters crocheted me a beautiful afghan many years ago, and it's time to get it out of the closet and put it on my bed. This is definitely an event in SoCal!

[hollygail]

I can't remember any really "great" Thanksgiving stories... The turkey has always been delicious, it's never fallen on the floor before it was cooked (or after, for that matter), I don't remember any dishes that nobody liked, zip! I enjoy Thanksgiving, always have. Now, it's family that I mostly think about regarding Thanksgiving. My son and his family are flying into LAX on Thursday afternoon (so my niece will serve late). (And I'm still waiting to find out more about my brother-in-law; he's home from the hospital, but I still don't know much about what happened... or what he and my sister will be able to do come next Thursday...) I have to find a motel, just in case we shouldn't stay at my sister's... and now there will be 5 of us (me, DH, DS, DDIL, and DGS).

Maybe something will occur to me by morning (it's 9:50pm Saturday here; just got home from a shiva house where I led maariv, the evening service).

[lee058]

Good morning everybody. Lynne, I hope you feel better. I have been up since 4AM, have had breakfast, and am ready to do laundry most of the day once H and DS wake up. I made a schedule for my pre-Thanksgiving tasks and baking, and am feeling very pleased about that. I think this will help me enjoy the holiday more because it won't seem like a blur.

I love Thanksgiving!!! I love having lots of good food, and it is important to me to think about what I am grateful for.

As for memories, I have plenty of them. My early Thanksgivings were at my grandma Goldie's apartment in NYC. She was such a wonderful cook! What I remember most is how great it was when she had the super bring up her two big folding tables and every seat was filled by family and friends. We had wonderful times. However, my 11th year was different. I got my period for the first time. It was SO embarrassing.

Other memories: One year, while I was in college, instead of going home, I stayed with friends and we had a vegetarian celebration. We made many, many dishes, and the food was wonderful. We danced between courses, and had a great time.

Then there was the first time H and I cooked our own turkey, and left the wrapper with the giblets inside. Enough said about that episode!

Another year, my mom stayed with us, and we ate an entire pan of spanakopita (H and I always make this) and a homemade black forest cake. The turkey and more traditional dishes were left for the next day.

That's all I can think of at the moment. Thanksgiving has always been important to me, and always will!

Have a peaceful day, Lee

[savtele]

Boker Tov All! I also love Thanksgiving! In our family, we have never used a "children's table" - so often the tables were set end to end to end to....through the dining room & into the living room, with half of the group having to walk around through the hall to get to the other side. Once my mom decided she had enough of that & set up tables in the basement! She hung sheets over the storage shelves, put a few rugs down on the floor - and there we all were. (I think that was the last year we were in that house)

Another year we were at Tanta Lena's house. The moms & tantas all put the meal on the table, and afterward we kids were supposed to wash the dishes. I think one of the older boys organized a mutiny - at any rate, while the tantas were still putting all the leftovers into the refrigerator, we kids disappeared over the river & through the woods. We came home an hour later - sure they would have done the dishes. But no. Everything nicely stacked in the kitchen, waiting for us! As we came through the door, ready for pie, we were simply herded into the kitchen & handed aprons & dish towels. (they had, however, presoaked everything for us - they couldn't help themselves, I think.)

Since marrying into John's family, one of my favorite traditions is lemon meringue pie - his sister makes one every year! Here in western OR, with the humidity, meringue is not an easy accomplishment. (mine always tends to "weep" after I bake it) They also make pecan pie - but that is on the "too sweet" side for me!

We're going to my DS's house this year. Looking forward to it - I will be bringing a vegetable side. No one likes green bean casserole, so that's not a problem!

Have a great day ladies!

[happysavta]

I lived in Israel for 10 years and there was no Thanksgiving holiday, of course. When I got married, I wanted to buy a gas range with a very large oven, explaining that I wanted to be able to roast a whole, uncut turkey in there. Everything in Israel is small, small apartments, small kitchens, etc. So when I expressed the desire to roast a whole turkey, eyebrows shot up and mouths gaped in disbelief. I remember exiting the appliance store and hearing a faint muttering, "Amerikayit meshugaat".

[happysavta]

I just got back from Houston today, said goodbye to my granddaughters. Such sweet lovies!

Now I have to get going on cleaning the house, do some shopping,and start cooking. I have no idea what I'm making, but it's going to be a lunch gathering, not dinner. Definitely no turkey, no candied yams, no mashed potatoes, no green bean casserole, no pumpkin pie. I don't like any of those.

FYI: If you don't like baking, Trader Joe's has an excellent Brooklyn Chocolate Babka loaf, great for company. Costco makes a good apple pie too.

[happysavta]

I came home from my trip to find that the dog had pooped twice under the dining room table. DH didn't notice. I'm sure she peed too; I just don't know where. DH swears he only let her run around the house one time, and that was only after he had taken her outside and she had done her business. We take her out at least 3-4 times a day. She sleeps all night in her crate, so I know she can hold her bladder. I just can't figure out why she keeps soiling in the house. I hate the fact that we have to keep her on a lease all the time inside the house. She is very energetic and should be free to roam around indoors, but she keeps soiling. I have to shampoo all the rugs before the holiday. Maybe I should just find her a new home.