Timelies all!

Fairly quiet day here.

Everyone's still digesting?

I'm dogsitting for my sister's aging St. Bernard, and we're doing a second Thanksgiving tomorrow, so I just put a dish of the Smitten Kitchen Root Vegetable Gratin in the oven. [link]

Next I will nap, and read a bit, and then finish making turkey soup. Sadly I cannot find any gravy in the fridge, which is my usual shortcut for turkey soup, but I'm sure it'll be okay anyway.

I hope everyone is having a peaceful weekend, listening to Sondheim.

I have a turkey in the oven for no good reason (it was cheap! and small for a turkey!) and am listening to Sondheim!

Anyone know of a good & relatively simple recipe for molasses cookies?

I use the one from the side of the molasses jar with good results. Someone put in their blog so I don’t have to type it out. [link]

Timelies! Back from a quick trip to DC, staying with my brother.

Bro woke up on Thursday with a high fever, so SIL ran out to get COVID tests. Luckily was negative, but he wasn't up to cooking, so so I ended up making Thanksgiving mac and cheese (my recipe is very similar to the Wonkette recipe, just different cheeses), my niece made mashed potatoes and we basically had an all carb dinner.

Minor drama that my SIL texted my mother to tell her that Bro was sick and not to come for dinner, but didn't get a response. SIL was convinced that Mom had blocked her (turns out that Mom had changed her number and not bothered to tell SIL, so still not great, but not as bad)

Friday, Bro decided to smoke the turkey (he was going traditional roast for Thanksgiving, but decided to go rogue since it was the day after). It was really good.

Mom came over and dramatically declared that she had an epiphany, and she has not loved SIL as she should (yes, after 20 years of treating SIL like crap whenever she could get away with it) and that she was turning over a new leaf. Um, okay, we'll see.

Today, had lunch with two of my BFFs from college (her husband invited himself along, which I was annoyed by even though I like him a lot), and am now home. I have acquired pho and will watch some Hawkeye.

Also, Teppy - was there an announcement? Are they getting married/pregnant? I feel like you set us up for NEWS.

Vortex that is bizarro. Like yeah, it’s been 20 years, your epiphany is a little overdue?

I went on a hike with my friend and her gf this afternoon—it was not great as we didn’t communicate ahead of time enough what “a short hike not too hard” meant to each of us….it all worked out in the end but there was definitely 15 minutes or so where I was ready to murder her. Later we hit up the Korean spa. And then her gf got mad at her and stormed off and sent multiple texts and a voice message….and so friend and I watched a movie for a bit and when I came back to my room to go to bed discovered the gf has left me a 5 minute long voice message. Ummmmmm…..

Oh dear, meara.

We celebrated my mom's birthday yesterday. Today we're going over to my sister's to celebrate my niece's birthday, as she hasn't had a fever in days and she's allowed to go back to school on Tuesday. I'll still be wearing a mask since I'm getting on a plane in a couple of days.

I'm trying to focus my energy on encouraging COVID testing and handing out K-N95 masks like Halloween candy, since I can't control the behavior of the adults currently around me.

Ugh, shrift. I am sorry it has been such a fraught visit.

Also, Teppy - was there an announcement? Are they getting married/pregnant? I feel like you set us up for NEWS.

Nothing, dang it! The biggest news was that nephew made 2 turkeys.