Another Thanksgiving passed already. And with its passing came today, what’s come to be known as “Black Friday.” Although years past were laden with reports of Black Friday madness in the form of actual riots; this year seems calm by comparison. However, just to be sure the “magic” wasn’t lost, I went to Google to see if there were any fresh reports of crazy Black Friday fighting. Of course I wasn’t disappointed; but at least these incidents are fewer now.
Can’t help but wonder if the previous Black Fridays were a total set up. These days, Black Friday deals have been going on for what seems like weeks. So were we all used as stooges by the retailers initially? Maybe… but one could argue that’s still the case today.
Anyway, my Beautiful Girlfriend and our Beautiful Friend Mike’s Beautiful Girlfriend took a sojourn into Black Friday Land today. Sounds like they had fun hanging out together and saving a few bucks on stuff. Sounds like they didn’t have so much fun standing in lines waiting to get stuff; but hey, it’s all part of the Black Friday Fun.
I guess…
I celebrated Black Friday by going to the grocery store. Needed to pick up a few things for this Sunday’s 3rd Thanksgiving Dinner that my Honey Pie and I are fortunate enough to enjoy. The difference with this one is that I have to cook… which reminds me, I need to get the pies out of the oven!! Be right back…
OK… back now.
I make our Sunday After Thanksgiving Dinner modeled after my Mom’s recipes. Well, kinda. Her stuffing was simply the very best on the planet, and I’ve managed to make a pretty good rendition of her recipe that never existed; as far as I know. I used to watch her make stuffing, stale bread chopped up and mixed with milk, eggs, parsley flakes, celery, onions, and salt and pepper. She never used a recipe, but would toil over the mix and add this or that to the huge bowl to make the smell and consistency the way she wanted. Some was for the cavity of the turkey, some was for “stuffin’ muffins;” where she’d spoon in big dollops of stuffing into paper muffin cups all arranged in the muffin pans. Not only did these serve to fend off us hungry kids, the stuffing was always immensely delicious.
Anyway, there will be stuffin’ muffins, mashed potatoes and gravy, broccoli, squash, and of course the turkey. Pies are made ahead of time, and I make the punkin pie with grey hubbard squash instead of pumpkin because the flavor is so much more wonderful. And of course it will be served with homemade whipped cream. Pie making happened after the sun went down, which is happening all too quickly these days.
During the day I enjoyed the company of a wheelbarrow and a wood pile. I’ll probably be a wood slave for the rest of my adult life, or at least as long as I’m able to do it. Saves us money; gives me exercise, and the warmth that burning logs gives your bones is much more wonderful than natural gas or propane. Often I can’t help but think of the old adage, “how much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?” And very quickly afterward I smile as I recall hearing my sister’s answer from when she was very young: “woodchuck woodchuck woody woody woodchuck, woodchuck would chuck wood.”
Sounds good to me… and being a “woodchuck” makes much more sense to me than any of that Black Friday nonsense.
I wonder if our pets love turkey as much as we do…