The day after

Thanksgiving for most of the country, or Black Friday, but here in my little section of rural Indiana it is Thanksgiving, we are a having the family on Friday to avoid conflicts with children's Significant Others. And it gives me an extra day to make sure that everyone gets something that they like a lot. For Amy and my Mother honey baked ham. For the rest Turkey, except some years when the vegetarian shows up Nutloaf, no vegetarians expected this year so no Nutloaf.

I have not been posting because my Mom and I were in Virginia, staying in Chesapeake, with my Aunt Helen, and running over to Va. Beach to visit Ewe Knits, and my Brother Bryan, and go to My Uncle's 70th birthday party.

My uncle Jimmie is 11 years older than me. When I was 2, I followed him everywhere, and I do mean everywhere. He taught me to tie my shoes, probably because he was tired of having to tie them for me. I followed him to the pasture to get the cow, and rode the cow back. I helped him milk the cow, (by holding on to her tail for as long as she let me, and then trying to catch it again).

I am absolutely sure that a 13 year old boy was just thrilled to have a 2 year old girl tagging after him everywhere, but he was unfailingly kind and I loved him more than anything.

I am glad that I could be at the party, he was so surprised, and he cried. And he wore his socks all day the next day.

All but 2 of the remaining 7 of my mothers sisters and brothers were at Jimmies party, so my Mom got to see all of her younger siblings, (she at 83 is the oldest). That made her happy, so my mom is happy with me for taking her.

And I was glad to see all my aunts and uncles, and my brothers and their wives and girlfriends, and my crazy cousin Robert. It was an amazing turnout like only a very large family can manage. There was dancing, and drinking, and much laughter, and hugging.

On Sunday, Mom, Helen, Jimmie, Jimmie's wife Kathlene, my brother Robert, his wife Cheryl, and I went over to my brother Bryan and his girlfriend Lori's new condo and had dinner with them and Bryan's son Mark. Bryan is a great cook, and had made oysters, and pears with goat cheese, and he served Gumbo that I could not eat, because he made it before he knew that I was coming and it had pepper in it. Everyone else said it was wonderful.

We left Monday morning, and had a great drive home, unlike the trip to Virginia, when it rained the entire way.

We got back home on Tuesday night. I got no pictures of the socks once they were finished, even though I had the camera with me(bad Anita). I will get pictures of the progress of the knitting after today.

I have been baking for 3 days. There is Mincemeat Pies, Pumpkin pies, Persimmon Puddings, Fruit cake, and Coconut custard. There is turkey, and Ham. Yams, mashed potatoes, and turnips,
broccoli, possibly green beans, and rolls.





The coconut pies are in the oven now and when they come out in 5 minutes the Turkey goes in, and the ham an hour after that. The potatoes in 3 hours, and the stuffing out of the bird back in to the oven and the sweet potatoes, and turnips back in the oven (or top of the stove) to heat back up, while that turkey is resting and being carved and the gravy is being made. Then the cranberry sauces come out of the fridge, and we will be ready to eat.