Last year’s Thanksgiving was a bit stressful. When my friends asked what we were doing this year for Thanksgiving, they howled with laughter. Last year I ended up with a packed house for Thanksgiving- thirteen guests, all of whom stayed over, some of them stayed three days. It included cleaning and stocking two houses, and cooking and serving meals and snacks for days.
This year’s holiday SOUNDED more stressful, but it actually wasn’t. Last year we hosted my family. This year was our turn for my husband’s family. I was hoping to have dinner at my sister-in-law’s house, but she asked if we could have it at mine. I haven’t had them for Thanksgiving for years- she’s usually happy to do it at her house, and I’m always happy to accept. I cheerfully agreed though- it was my turn, and no one wanted to spend the night, so there was only the one meal to prepare for- sort of.
We told my family that we wouldn’t be attending the dinner that my brother (true to his word from last year) planned to host on Thanksgiving day. Since we (and another family member- the one with the BABY) couldn’t attend, he changed the date from Thursday to Friday. So now we were having TWO Thanksgivings. And then my son called and asked if he could bring his girlfriend for Thanksgiving, and to stay for a couple of days.
It was fun! I prepared a few dishes for the dinner at my house, and the other guests brought a few dishes including a gorgeous (and delicious) red velvet cake. Everything turned out well. Everyone stayed and chatted and enjoyed each others’ company, and lingered over desserts and coffee. When everyone left, I put a few sweet potatoes in the oven along with one of my decorative pie pumpkins.
When I woke up Friday morning, I made pumpkin puree (for the freezer) and a sweet potato casserole, plus an appetizer to take to my brother’s and off we went to their house. He had prepared a whole roasted pig- so we didn’t even have the same exact dinner two days in a row. I got to meet my sister’s new boyfriend, who was very nice, and see my nephew’s new baby again. We enjoyed visiting with everyone for the day, and then went home. My son’s girlfriend (who is very nice and no trouble at all to host) stayed a bit longer than I expected, but was happy to help us eat all of the delicious leftovers, so I didn’t even have to cook much.
I guess it was the three days of guests PLUS hosting a dinner that was so stressful last year. One or the other seems to be fine- just not both.
My favorite retirement activity of the week was painting! My son chose a very bright electric blue for his room when he was 8. Now that he is in college, it needed an update. I painted his room a smoky blue gray color. I really like it- he does too! I completed the look with landscape photographs, and other black and white artwork. Then I painted my room a deep peacock blue. Its very daring and I love it!
