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cefreeman_gw

Week 27.5 What are your blessings?

CEFreeman
9 years ago

Had to do this.
Was just thinking about how lucky I am. Here, snug in my always-cold house. My cats around me, healthy, a job I don't hate, family safely in MI, all healthy and stuff like that.

I thought I'd ask what you're doing with your T-day?
Friends over?
Cooking for family - -or not?
In your new kitchen?
In someone else's new kitchen?
Is everyone crowded around your new island?
Sitting on your precious new countertops? (Oh, the butts!)
Kids all fat and happy?
Everyone trying to sneak the stuff for tomorrow, that's covered in the fridge?

I'm making myself turkey thighs, stuffing and green bean casserole.
I will have wine and Reese's cups for dessert.
and a nap.

I'm nut-crazy sometimes, and pretty much indigent. Am I the only one, though, that thinks she's the luckiest person in the world? Luck = blessings to me. :) Since we make our own luck! Yeah!!!

What's your moment of comfort? Your blessings that pop to mind?
What's your plan!?

Comments (24)

  • emma
    9 years ago

    My plan is home with a good book or movie or both. I have invitations, but prefer the quiet of my home. I did Thanksgiving for years and years and kind of like this when I think about the work I won't be doing. Someone is bringing (in spite of me trying to talk her out of it) leftovers for me. She feels so sorry for me being alone. LOL

    I am old as dirt so my blessings are pretty much behind me.

  • Bunny
    9 years ago

    My daughter's driving up after work and tonight will be our big turkey dinner. Just the two of us. My blessings include:

    My daughter
    My health
    A roof over my head
    All the material things I need
    No debt
    Family, esp. my in-laws
    Memories of a wonderful marriage and husband who went too soon
    Dear friends, old and new
    My kitties
    My abiding faith

    Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

  • christina222_gw
    9 years ago

    I've got family coming and will be cooking. I spent all day today cooking.

    Blessings - I've got my mom and she's doing very well at nearly 90 years of age
    A new great nephew, my first! I've got no kids so as close to a grandma as I'll ever be.
    I have a modest house that's perfect for me and I love it. I've been able to do quite a lot with it that last couple of years. Including a beautiful new kitchen.
    A good job
    A big, close family
    A few good friends
    A trip to Disney World with my mom and sister starting Sunday
    I suppose Disney World itself is a blessing! We love it and it's only 2 hours away.
    The sweetest kitty ever

    Some sadness. We lost my uncle this spring. He lived with me my whole life so this is our first holiday season without him. It was also the anniversary of my dad's passing on Monday. I keep wishing he was here to see we're doing ok and all the things I've done to the house.

  • rmtdoug
    9 years ago

    CEF - I'm thankful for your weekly threads, truly. You are a treasure!

    I'm especially thankful that my mom is still with us. She turns 93 in two weeks and still lives in her home. This is a great blessing to us kids and we are thrilled she is still healthy and active, although nearly blind now. She lives about 2 miles from where she was born.

    We will stay home this Thursday. Wife has not been doing well lately. I'm cooking this year. I have a nice slab of halibut that I will bake simply with some garlic and butter and will also make some very decadent mashed potatoes along with something vegetable, all washed down with a nice bottle of pinot noir. Pie for dessert, blueberry for me, cherry for the wife....er, blueberry and cherry for me. Quite non-traditional, but we got into having fish for Thanksgiving when we were home many years ago and just kept it up. Big football game on TV in the evening. Can't wait for that!

  • mgmum
    9 years ago

    My blessings are my boys, my health and my job! Though my job has been keeping me too busy to surf the 'net much this past week as I've worked straight through since Saturday. Friday will be my first day off since last Saturday.

    No Thanksgiving here, I had it last month. I am thankful my parents and siblings and their families are in good health and my brother has a new baby girl in his family, so I am thrilled about that.

    Doug, for the past two years my older son has had a birthday pie, rather than cake. This year I am attempting to make him a black forest cake (in my new kitchen, which I am thankful for!)

    I will be in the USA for a hockey tournament starting on Black Friday! Wish me luck! LOL I wanted to buy new tires but I couldn't get an appointment because apparently that weekend is the biggest weekend for new tires. I was like, aren't all the Americans going to buy electronics and stuff at other stores? Who's buying tires? They aren't on some kind of super sale. I just want my $800 exemption to bring them home tax/duty free. Maybe I can get some and have them installed the following week.

  • Terri_PacNW
    9 years ago

    Our Blessings are great...
    I was walking up the steps to our new house, past our new car today thinking how blessed we are.
    Our First grandchild will be here early in 2015. We are able to gift the family mini van freshly tuned up and running well to them. Our 2nd son graduates this year and will be heading off on his own journey, leaving us one son still in the nest.

    Life is good!
    Our menu for tomorrow is presalted roast turkey, peanut butter dressing, garlic mashed taters and gravy, brussell sprouts in cream sauce with bacon, southern green beans, roasted sweet potatoes and honey wheat rolls.
    It will be us 4 plus my mom. Later in the day our friend and her two boys will be over for desserts.
    I have a 2 layer chocolate cake sandwiching a cheesecake layer covered in Salted caramel buttercream and to be added tomorrow a ganache poured over. I will also bake a pie or two. Sweet Potato Bourbon and possible a Kentucky Derby. Tossing around the idea of eggnog ice cream as well.
    I always have bigger plans than time. :)

  • mudhouse_gw
    9 years ago

    We plan a pretty simple Thanksgiving meal, turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, nice big salad.

    I'm going to use a set of 70's Mikasa dishes I scored at a flea market (because the Paprika color reminds me of pumpkin pie.) Mixed with some American cut glass pieces that belonged to my great grandmother, and a stoneware bowl that belonged to my DH's grandmother. Simple and informal.

    My blessings include my wonderful DH who enjoys cooking for us, and my mother who will join us, with one of her wonderful pumpkin pies.

    Also, our health, our neighborhood, our family and friends. We feel blessed to live in this country, too.

  • Texas_Gem
    9 years ago

    I host Thanksgiving every year so today I did all my prep. Tomorrow will seem weird though since a lot of the normal attendees can't make it so it will be just my parents, brother and his wife plus my family.

    I'm thankful for my kids and parents but most of all, my husband. He is my soulmate, a wonderful father, he provides so much for us, our family wouldn't be what it is without him! He has made it possible for me to be a SAHM to our kids and STILL gets up every weekend and cooks a big breakfast and let's me sleep in. Good lord, he spoils me.

    I'm cooking my first Thanksgiving in my new kitchen which I am also grateful for. In fact, tonight I had to stop in the middle of prep to snap a picture.

    Doesn't that just look beautiful? I love all the colors, if I had been thinking and planning ahead I would have chopped and arranged in a rainbow order.

    Our menu is brisket (we aren't big turkey fans so we usually do ham or brisket)
    My hubby did decide to smoke a turkey breast and some Cornish game hens this year though
    Sweet potato casserole
    Herb roasted potatoes
    Fruit salad
    Cheddar and chive bisquits
    Stuffing

    Appetizers:
    Fajita wraps
    Turkey spirals

    Dessert:
    Apple pie
    Pecan pie
    Chocolate pie
    Pumpkin pie
    Cherry cream cheese pie

    I did make a joke that we were going to have a pie per person, not quite but we do have 5 pies for 10 people. Is that overkill?!? ;)

  • rmtdoug
    9 years ago

    MGM - I'm sure he will love the cake. I would certainly enjoy eating a black forest cake and in our house cakes usually end up being given away or thrown out or, even worse, stuck in the freezer until they resurface 10 years later and then thrown out).

    Texas - Overkill??? No such thing as too much pie. The chocolate pie sounds yummy. I'm sure it's been 30 years since I've had one and now I want a piece. Will have to beg the wife to make one for Christmas perhaps.

  • desertsteph
    9 years ago

    "I'm making myself turkey thighs, stuffing and green bean casserole.
    I will have wine and Reese's cups for dessert.
    and a nap. "

    my day will go much like yours - minus the wine and with a chicken breast instead of turkey leg.

    I'll try to call my kids and I have a planned phone 'catch up' call with one of my best friends back home that I haven't seen in 16 yrs.

    I always try to watch some of the TG messages from our troops to their families that Fox runs and maybe later watch a holiday movie on tv.

  • christina222_gw
    9 years ago

    It's fun to see not everyone does turkey. We're not fond of it either, though I love all the sides. Now that I host a big crowd most years I do turkey. It's economical and it's what most people expect and want. My parents didn't care for turkey and when I was little we always had lobster! I grew up in Boston so this wasn't crazy expensive and my parents felt the odds were good that lobster was just as traditional as turkey in terms of pilgrim fare. It wasn't until I started school that I learned people generally had turkey on Thanksigiving.

  • christina222_gw
    9 years ago

    Duplicate post

    This post was edited by Christina222 on Thu, Nov 27, 14 at 9:00

  • schicksal
    9 years ago

    Kids? What are those?

    Things I'm thankful for...
    Doug and the door handles
    A day off from work
    Being essentially done with the kitchen + other rooms in this project
    Pantry doors coming in tomorrow!!!
    Coffee

    Today I am not working on the house much. Just putting in more LED lighting and ordering stuff online from Environmental Lights.

  • laughablemoments
    9 years ago

    There are so many!

    My wonderful husband, our houseful of children, a dear extended family, our encouraging church family.

    The one that really stands out to me right now is that my dad is still around. He was diagnosed as having stage IV rectal cancer a few years ago. After having watched his father and two of his brothers slowly and painfully die of cancer after "traditional" treatments of surgery, radiation, and chemo, he decided to research alternative options for his own treatment. (His doctors did convince him to have surgery and some radiation, and he did a brief round or two of chemo before abandoning it.)

    Since then, he's been following Gerson Therapy methods with lots of juicing, daily organic coffee enemas, green drinks, and supplements. He's doing fantastic! He's been able to go back to work part time, which just amazes me. He looks great. When he tells people his story, they can't believe he "has cancer." He honestly looks the healthiest he has in years. So thankful for this.

    I'm also thankful for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I can't imagine trying to get through life without it being a walk of faith.

  • practigal
    9 years ago

    I am thankful to find that others are thankful too. It is a pleasure to read these threads.

  • Terri_PacNW
    9 years ago

    TG, that is definately a pic of beauty.

    I pulled the bird out the fridge at 7:30 to take it's chill off..threw the "icky" bits in water and they are still simmering away..how does just water and turkey bits smell so good? Lol..
    I also put hubbies Maple Bourbon Sweet Potato Pie in the oven. I think that with the simmering bits made T-Day come alive so early. :)

    The turkey is now in the oven on 450 for a few more minutes and the aromatics plus herbs are making my mouth water. I'll drop it down and let it go for 3.5 more hours....it really is torture. :)

    The sun is peeking through the clouds giving off that golden haze.
    What a beautiful day it is.

    Oh and Shick..Kids = expensive...stick with critters, cars and house remodeling. ;) you may financial come out ahead.

    However, I wouldn't trade them in..even though I threaten now and then. I would give up a few of the battle scars/heart break of parenting though.

  • carree
    9 years ago

    I am thankful my boys are home from school and we will gather with the cousins, my parents and sister for our traditional feast. Just finished preparing a bunch of sides and desserts to bring along. I continue to marvel at the pleasure of my kitchen renovation and So I am grateful for that.

    But most of all I am grateful for the reasonably good health of my family. Dad had a stomach cancer diagnosis this summer but we are fortunate to have access to good medical care and he is in great shape, albeit thinner. We found it very early stage.

    All in all, I'm the luckiest person :). Thank you for asking the question.

  • sherri1058
    9 years ago

    Thanksgiving was last month, so no turkey today, but still thankful. I am truly blessed - the short list: good health, physically fit, financially secure, wonderful hubby, sweetest cat and my neighbour who, for the last 8 years gets up and power walks with me every single morning rain, shine, snow, etc..... just like the postman lol.

  • desertsteph
    9 years ago

    "I'm also thankful for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I can't imagine trying to get through life without it being a walk of faith."

    the greatest blessing of all!

  • beachlily z9a
    9 years ago

    Thanksgiving at home for just the 2 of us. Hubs went to the Turkey Rod Run in the infield of the Daytona Beach Speedway. He does that every year. He'll be there the next two days. I cooked and enjoyed myself immensely. What I'm most thankful for? I still have Hubs with me. In 2004 he had 3 types of cancer from Agent Orange in Vietnam. I had an appointment with our GP on Monday. He admitted that none of the doctors believed my husband would survive. He said they shut up when I appeared because I expressed my belief that there was no way he would die. I couldn't even think that thought. He's still kicking and I'm grateful for every day!!! So is he!! We've been married 40 years.

  • Aamich
    9 years ago

    After a year of construction, I'm thankful that the end is finally in sight. Demolition for our house addition began a year ago. A *year* with no kitchen and living in less than half a house. DH and I were able to escape this weekend for a much needed break from painting ceilings and staining wood trim and go to a friends cottage in Northern Mich. I cooked Cornish hens, stuffing and vegetables for dinner tonight and we are sitting here reading and listening to jazz, eating pie and looking out at the lake. A weekend of respite before we get back to the grind. Fingers crossed, we hope to move things back in just before Christmas and host family for Christmas dinner.

  • CEFreeman
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    aamichz5, where in N.MI?
    It sounds lovely.
    Are you eating Traverse City Pie Company pie?
    I am hoping my sister brings me a cherry pie when she returns from E. Lansing!

  • brightm
    9 years ago

    I'm thankful for DH, MIL and FIL. So thankful. And the house, critters, and both jobs. Also all the other people in my life.

    First big meal with the new kitchen. I really enjoyed prepping and cooking the past couple days. It makes me want to do more and more.

    That being said, lots of lessons learned. I think my oven is still running low (though the guy came out and calibrated it and said no...but we'll have to check it again). And I am looking forward to putting my own spin on things next go-round.

    We had the two of us, MIL, FIL, MIL's brother and his wife.

  • Aamich
    9 years ago

    CF,

    Sorry, we have been on the go and I missed your question. We are at a cottage on Old Mission peninsula. DH's BFF owns it and we get to borrow it occasionally. It has been lovely and relaxing. I hate to go home and back to the construction zone. My pumpkin pie came from a vendor at the AA farmers market, but we have Grand Traverse pie company in AA too. Some of my all-around favorite pies! They have wonderful pot pies too. Don't know if they ship, but hopefully your sister scores a cherry pie for you.