hello turkey hotline

Hello, Turkey Hotline. I have a problem. I hope you can help.

I was feeling a bit sorry for myself yesterday. We have been invited to B's Uncle's for Thanksgiving. Normally this means I make the turkey and drive it across the San Gabriel Valley. This year it seems his Aunt is over all the work (possibly because her adult children aren't coming home), and so it is the local Chinese restaurant for us.

I am really not much of a traditionalist, but I do understand why traditions are important. When you take away the people who were key to your celebration, traditions like food can make the holidays more manageable - bearable even. There are times when I just wish the holidays would go away because they are a painful reminder that I don't fit into the norm any longer. My mother and sister are dead, and my father has been out of the picture for over 20 years - honestly he could be dead, I have no idea.

My Aunt and Uncle, the only family I still have contact with, invited us to join them. Unfortunately this was at the same time B was confirming we were going to his family's festivities. My Aunt and Uncle are vegetarians, so that wouldn't solve the turkey issue either.

I know it isn't really about the turkey, although three years ago I about lost at the grocery store on Thanksgiving Day because the event we went to ran out of turkey. Ironically we had missed out on the turkey because we made something for the vegetarians in the group and arrived late. We ended up up having turkey burgers around nine o'clock.

I just want to get through the day. Please send help (or a turkey).

--turkeyless in LA




on the night stand :: The Giving Tree

so much for that turkey

Today went something like this:

1. Get up. Pack. Take Stuff out to car. {Requires three trips.}

2. Decide maybe a side trip to the Ferry Building in downtown SF isn't the best idea. We were about 2 hours behind schedule.

3. Head due east and then south.

4. Realize that we know someone traveling the same highway in the opposite direction. Decide it would be fun to meet up. Flashbacks of Algebra 2 as we figure out where two cars traveling in opposite directions will meet up.

5. Make plans to meet up at the In 'N Out. Only I thought it was Starbucks. Didn't realize it until B packed up his stuff and left the Starbucks only to return to the door and give me that look like, you really need to learn to follow.

6. Meet up with friends at In 'N Out. Friends also have another friend driving Interstate 5. She meets up with us too.

7. Continue on the drive.

8. Arrive at the house and realize the power must have gone out while we were away as the microwave oven is flashing.

9. Opened up the freezer to find it covered in ice! No idea how long the electricity was out or if the 18-pound turkey (the free one) inside is still good.

on the night stand :: Nini Here and There