Dougsgiving

Doug recently told me that Thanksgiving is his favorite holiday. I actually didn't know that about him but it makes sense. 

He comes from a big family on his mom's side. Every year his uncle would host everyone at the house. He had a full finished basement with extra ovens. Like. Four professional big ovens, and several stovetops for cooking things in pots. There were always two sittings, an early and a late, and to be honest, the folks who came to early sitting were usually always there for the late. 

When we moved here to the DC area I was excited. Finally. After a million years of being with him, we'd go to Harry's for Thanksgiving. 

But we didn't get the chance. Harry decided to sell the house before we could get to go to one, and he moved in with Kathy and Frank (the kids). He sold the land the house was on for an apartment/condo complex and donated the house itself to the fire department to set fire to and practice on. Shame really, it was a perfectly good house! But I love the idea of him donating the place so the fire department could learn from it. Kind of amazing, really, when you think about how people fight over property and everything. 

I never got to enjoy a Thanksgiving with them, it was just too far for us to travel with the kids, and Thanksgiving from Boston to the Ohio Border is not a fun trip. So we never did do it after the kids were big and we could have just gone. 

Since we've been here in Maryland, we've hosted Doug's aunt and cousin for Thanksgiving or Christmas, we went up to Massachusetts once. The pandemic kind of put a crush on us having people over, but my old boss and her kids are nearby and one year they came over for dessert and card games. 

This is year five.  

And this may just be the year it all busts open and we ... entertain. Here's the possible lineup:

I asked Jess if they'd like to come down, they said yes and will leave MA on Tuesday, stay in NJ at a friend's house for the night, and then come here during the day on Wednesday. Go home Saturday maybe split the trip up again. 

Linda will be here on the weekend, and then Monday and Tuesday we'll go see Guster in DC. She's not sure if she's staying here for Thanksgiving or beating feet home because it is her mother in law's first year without her husband... there may be a necessary gathering of that side of the family this year to love on and support her. And then on Friday there's Guster at Carnegie Hall in NYC, so she'll either go home for the family thing on Wednesday, or, leave here Friday morning to go up (and it's almost at her house, so she'll be home). Sidenote, shockingly, I think I'm passing on that show. Especially as Jess will be here and all. 

Ginger might be here for the shows in DC, and then Linda's plans will impact her. Her niece and other family are all on Long Island, so ... she's got a place to be for Thanksgiving and she'll go see Guster too. 

Our friends M&M are moving down here, the moving truck leaves NH on November 4th. I asked her last night if they were going to go back up to NH for the holiday and she said probably not. It'll be too quick a turn around. So I invited them. 

My friend Sara hates thanksgiving. She hates turkey. She really hates the fuss. But. I think if she came here for dinner OR dessert, she'd have a blast. We can have her, her husband, and her son (my best friend) come down. 

I'll have to see what Janeen is doing (my old boss) to extend love and invite in case they're home with no plans. She's been spending a lot of time with her cousin who lives down south of DC in Maryland, so, they could have plans. 

My house is a little messy right now, but in my head I've moved the dining table against the wall. I'm looking at chairs. I know I have a little sideboard table that right now is in Geoff's bathroom - I can get that from him to put in the kitchen against the wall. We have buffet trays left over from when Jess moved out and they didn't take the set with, so we could put stuff out. 

Coolers for beer, check. Plates, so many. An oven that can handle a full ass turkey and two trays of something? Oh yes. Pies can be baked the day before and I can safely store them downstairs in the basement. 

Part of me is thinking about Cambro heaters, and another cooler. I'm borderline gonna go overboard.

Weather? Hmmm. If it is nice, we've got patio chairs and the fire pit. I would love a Maryland Thanksgiving Fire... with our friends and our drinks and cookies and all that. 

I imagine if I'm motivated enough I'll pre-bake sugar cookies and we can decorate, all at the table, just have at it. Make a huge mess on Friday or Saturday. And just love it. 

Doug said that it breaks his heart that people hate Thanksgiving. He understands the Indigenous National Day Of Mourning, he knows people hate turkey, and he recognizes that people have been hurt by their families. But the day itself is for reclaiming in your style to celebrate  everything about love and live, and being thankful to God if you believe in him, and for each other, and for our lives and our fortune. And to remember those who do not have these things and hold them in our hearts. 

So. Dougsgiving. Could be a thing in a few weeks. We'll see what we end up getting ourselves into. 

Digits below. 

digits

exercise: none again.

blood glucose:
8:15am: 173
4:45pm: 146
9pm: 184

food:
coffee, water
10:30: slice of rye toast
11: 2 good yogurt
noon: Metformin
1pm: 3 leftover sausages in sauce and cheese
6pm: big salad (butter lettuce, tomato, goat cheese, cucumber); sliced chicken breasts grilled with spicy dry rub. Bleu cheese dressing. Wine. 
9pm: low carb fajita wrap with peanut butter