a local locale, all across the country

on the news tonight, there was as story on about a pedophile trying to abduct a child at a wal-mart.

why does so much crap happen at wal-mart? is it now the hub where everybody's circle congregated. does the smiley smile hide a grimace of evil? has it replaced the general store has the town hang-out?

if wal-mart keeps rolling back prices, why isn't something free yet at wal-mart?

okay, rant over. back to real life.

i have asked my dil to bring cookies to the thanksgiving meal. i didn't ask her what she wanted to bring, i just asked her if she could bring cookies. yes or no. no dickering over what she wants to do. yes or no. she said yes. i put it on the grocery list in a section where i put the things other people are bringing, so i will know not to duplicate anything. if she brings them, good. if she doesn't, it won't ruin the meal. her ability or inability to being cookies will not affect my day, as i am trying to get through the holidays without gaining any weight, from halloween through new year's.

good luck to me!

i am trying to lighten up the dishes a bit, so that i can enjoy the meal (and left-overs!) without that oppressive guilt that can bum your holiday out. i refuse to feel guilty about anything i eat as long as i have looked at each dish and make it as diet friendly. if it's too bad, i will just skip it (au gratin potatoes, i'm looking at you! fish stink eye back at ya!) and i will make sure i have a good salad. i am planning a huge salad with rings of red onion, cherry/grape tomatoes, croutons, freshly grated parmesan, pepperocini peppers and i think i will spring for a bottle of the real deal salad dressing from olive garden. i made it one year and work and my boss kept messing with me, asking me "is it really a salad made of olives from a garden?' i just told him if he didn't like it, don't eat it and laughed like a maniac.

my salad was finished by the group in no time. and i make a HUGE salad in a big  bowl that could qualify as a laundry basket. well, almost. but it's huge.

i was also the deviled egg lady. i made them simple-egg yolks, mayo, mustard, salt, pepper- and i made a lot. i also brought in different garnishes, like bbq rub, dill, sage, chili powder and paprika, so the eggs would have the taste you like the best.

yes, a deviled egg bar. you can tell i am in mississippi. a deviled egg bar is such a mississippi red neck thing to do. try dill or chili powder instead of paprika sometime. it will rock your world!

i am also taking the focus off dessert  by making coffee and hot chocolate first, then offering tasting portions of the desserts on small plates. seconds will be available of course. i have a nice tea set and i'm ready to show it off.

i refuse to make that nasty green bean casserole anymore. just because there is one person who eats doesn't mean i have to make it. they can bring it. everyone is getting a menu ahead of time. if they want to add something to it, great. just bring enough for everybody. i ain't making it. what you see in black and white is what i am making.

this year, i made my normal list of items and ingredients. and proceeded to lose the notebook. i went through dozens of notebook, which tells me to stop buying so dang many notebook, and it's gone. so i bit the bullet and pulled out a really nice lined leather journal, 8" x 10" or so. it's red and has a black satin bookmark. it has 180 pages, so it should last several thanksgiving seasons. i plan on adding pictures.

i redid the lists.

i feel so martha stewart-ish. like my rituals and recipes are important enough to put into a book. i wonder if 20 years from now i am gone and itchy has her own family, will she continue writing in my thanksgiving journal? or will i lose it like i did the original notebook? or will chicky give it away to some stranger on freecycle? only time will tell...