Pie was a hit, it looked and tasted really good. I wish I'd thought to get a picture. My brother said that it was as good as my grandmother's. Which was quite the compliment.

It occurred to me that if ita and friend had made their beer run pantsless and flashing some boob, they might have gotten the beer for free. Also, less welcome attention, but ....

And a disfunctional family anecdote: I decided that, since my family refuses to call me, I'd stop calling them. I've called them on birthdays and mother's day ... got one call to tell me that mother was in the hospital again. The latest communication was a Halloween card, with pictures of the various witches in people's lives - co-worker witch, neighbor witch, etc. The picture of the sister witch was circled. sigh

Thanksgiving dinner was good, though a little sad at times since it was the first without Tim's mom.

And! I planned all week that my gluten indulgence would be the stuffing. I LOVE stuffing. THERE WAS NO STUFFING OH NOES.

However, everything else was really good, and there was a LOT of food, so there wasn't even room on my plate for stuffing. So I had a yeasty roll instead.

I am currently eating leftover turkey, as is right and proper. The cat is insisting that it is also only right and proper that SHE have leftover turkey.

Give the cat some damn turkey slivers. I gave some judicious leftovers to all the animals.

Ugh, I can't imagine the first holiday after a parent passes. My sympathy to you, Tim and his family. Such a missing piece.

D's stepdad made a turkey and stuffing, and my ham hating sister was SO FREAKIN' HAPPY.

Give the cat some damn turkey slivers. I gave some judicious leftovers to all the animals.

Oh, I did. I caved under The Stare Of The Black Cat.

Ugh, I can't imagine the first holiday after a parent passes. My sympathy to you, Tim and his family. Such a missing piece.

Thanks. It's sad, but it was also good for us all to be together.

DESPITE THE LACK OF STUFFING.

Dude, lack of stuffing is just tragic and wrong. And yeah, I know, thankfulness for all the gifts you have and being with loved ones and all that yada yada meaning of the holiday, but LACK OF STUFFING IS TRAGIC AND WRONG.

Teppy, I would have revolted. There would have been lots of armwaving and perhaps a neck roll or two.

Brackets to Toddson, and warm thoughts to Teppy.

The lack of stuffing is, indeed, wrong.

Not the NO STUFFING NECK ROLL!

Caesar would have quailed, Stalin wilted and Napoleon realized his tininess.

Teppy, stuffing is not that hard to improvise. If too late this time, note for future stuffing emergencies: Toast extra bread. let stand for an hour. cut into bits (no need for cubes unless you want to). Now make soup.

Ideally you use extra pan drippings or gravy to start with, but if not enough to use for this purpose, well not.

Dilute with turkey or chicken broth (or start with this if no pan drippings/gravy to dilute). Or boullion from packaged boullion if you have to.. Or a package of onion soup. Or cream of mushroom or cream of celery. Basically you want soup. Add a little honey or brown sugar. A few shots of rum or brandy if available and your host will let you. salt, pepper and whatever spices you like. Real butter is a great addition if host will spare. Mushrooms, celery, onions are good add-ons if available and your host lets you. ground sausage also. The giblits are good if they were not put to other uses, but not the liver. (for that matter gizzards and heart are not to everyones taste.) Cook in soup until everything is well done. Put cubed/crumbled bread in another pot.

Add soup until you can see that bread is well moistened but not too wet. Cook for 4 to 7 minutes. Let stand a bit and serve. Extra soup can be a base for an additional gravy or just used straight.