Monday, November 20, 2023

Weekending 11/20/23

 Good Morning Everyone!

Wow!  It's Thanksgiving week which does not seem possible.  I've some things I need to prepare for our feast on Thursday.  We will be going to Bonnie & Zhongren's for Thanksgiving.  I am making my Mom's cranberry-orange relish and also Fletch's Mom's cranberry chutney.  Those two are staples that are demanded every year!  I'm also making a pumpkin pie and will try a new (to me) recipe for roasted Brussels Sprouts with leeks, toasted pecans and pomegranate arils.  Anna (Mailing's sister) is making an apple pie and green beans.  I'm pretty sure Mailing will be doing the turkey, stuffing, gravy and mashed potatoes.  I can't wait!!

And today is the last leg of Colin & Mailing's long journey back up to PA.  They left Saturday morning and drove to Joplin, MO the first day; Dayton, OH yesterday and they should land in Lansdale, PA sometime late afternoon or evening today.  Wishing them the safest and easiest journey.  I did make it over to their house again yesterday and cranked up the heat a bit, moved some homemade soup from the freezer to the frig for thawing and left some good, crusty bread on the counter along with a bottle of red wine and put butter in butter dish.

My weekend was lovely.  Of course Dee and I met up on Saturday morning.  We went back to Manhattan Bagel for the first time since we were under-whelmed with bad music that one time.  Guess what?  The same guy was playing from 10-12.  Fortunately we were at the opposite end and had a partial wall blocking the sound.  LOL  Just our luck.

That afternoon I was in the mood for gingerbread, so I baked some.  The house smelled so good (and the gingerbread was great for dessert).  I also left some of the gingerbread for Colin & Mailing.

Yesterday I decided to try a new-to-me Recipe for a whole roaster cauliflower.


Fletch said it looked like a delicious pastry!  LOL

I liked it initially and then it didn't taste so good.  Fletch didn't like it, so not something I will try again.  Oh well, you don't know unless you try, right?

Mabel has definitely mellowed - either with age, or with the experience of her "great adventure."  Yesterday I picked her up and held her for quite a few minutes with no crying or squirming on her part!  She just settled down and purred and purred.  She is still sticking close to home and is in all night.  She is also shedding and the white chair needs to be vacuumed daily!


Have a great Monday everyone!

15 comments:

  1. What a lovely mom you are! I hope that C&M arrive safely and are wowed by the little (big) things you have done to welcome them!

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  2. I cannot think of a warmer welcome. You even thought of the butter in a dish. That's LOVE.

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  3. What a great celebration you'll all have together! (And Mabel! She is probably so happy to be back home to "her people.") XO

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  4. I never knew that there was a name for the pomegranate seeds, so thank you for teaching me something new today! That recipe sounds delicious and I'll be interested in hearing what people think. I'll be thinking about C&M today and hoping they arrive safely. That is a long drive but I'm glad they broke it up and aren't contending with snow. I'm glad Mabel has learned and mellowed a little!

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  5. Gosh, I'd love to come home to those lovely, thoughtful amenities. You're the best.

    Mabel has learned the lesson of "you don't know what you've got til it's gone". That's a good thing, aside from the increased vacuuming.

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  6. Now I want some gingerbread. I don't have to cook any thing this year as we are going to Daughter's for brunch. I usually make fruitcake on Thanksgiving so it can cure by Christmas but I think I might be too lazy this year to go get the ingredients.

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  7. Oooh gingerbread. I might need to make some. Anyway--the TG menu sounds amazing! Safe travels on the last leg home to C+M.

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  8. I know that Colin and Mailing will appreciate all the things you've done to make their home feel warm and welcoming but I suspect the soup and bread will be the biggest treat! Fred & George don't really like to be picked up and held but hearing about Mabel changing gives me hope!

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  9. It makes me so happy to know that the kids will be back home and you'll all be together (including Mabel!) for Thanksgiving. C&M are going to be so happy to get home after all that travel and find that dinner is waiting for them, too.

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  10. I think she is happy to be home. Holly was half frozen to death when we found her as a kitten and she has never ever tried to escape the house - she has no interest in the outdoors EVER.

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  11. What a nice homecoming that will be for the pair!

    Mabel is just soooo darn pretty!

    It's funny - Relic, Rupert and even Lemmy show no signs of trying to escape (out the door - Lemmy has tried to escape the catio yard), but Burton - the most pampered of them all tries to run out under our feet any chance he gets. I'm constantly reminding Dave not to hold the door open for me because Burton will be lurking... waiting to bolt!

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  12. Happy to hear Colin and Mailing’s journey home has been a good one. Lots to be grateful for this Thanksgiving between their return as well as Mabel’s return home.

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  13. So glad the trip went well for your kids--it will be so nice to see them again!!!! I have had such an urge for gingerbread! I could almost smell yours!!! lol

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  14. Your Thanksgiving meal will be delicious with what you plan to make. I can’t believe it’s already that time of year …l where have the months gone! You are such a thoughtful mom for doing what you did. Enjoy your day!

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  15. Your Thanksgiving menu sounds delicious. I am taking a pear/pomegranate/spinach salad to my sisters. I am getting off easy. So happy to hear you and Dee had a meet up and that your kids are on their way home.

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