It's Been quite A Year!
Page Created: 11/26/2000 Page Last Updated: 11/29/2025 07:25
Mary has helped me recover from a major bowel obstruction surgery where I was in the hospital two solid weeks in late October. I had no idea my recovery time would be so long. I wanted to be "normal" by Thanksgiving but Mother Nature had different ideas!
I mostly sat and watched all the activities plus visit our family and friends. Mary was a whirling dervish marking sure everyone was taken care of; she is quite the hostess!
Mary suggested we go to Marie Calendar's for lunch and place our order for Thanksgiving dinner. Another excellent idea.
Marie Calender's offers Thanksgiving options in the form of precooked, prerecorded holiday feasts that serve families, and individual frozen "Thanksgiving Pie" meals. You can preorder holiday feasts on line for takeout during the week of Thanksgiving
Every year our guest list gets smaller as the kids do their own celebrations and that is a good thing. This year we have only nine people joining us (we ordered for twenty so we will have leftovers!!):
- Paul & Mary (Us)
- Bob & Robin (Nick is staying in Texas)
- Crazy Greg & son Robert
- Bill & Sandee Capps
- Dianne & Fast Eddie
Joe is having dinner with his in-laws at his home and Zack's family is doing dinner with Becca's family. Sydney is out of town this year and Bob & Donna are going to Donna's sister's home in Los Alamitos for dinner. We are a small but dedicated group!
We decorated a few days ago as we only have five boxes of Thanksgiving decorations.
Our son Joe and grandson Charlie came over early thanksgiving morning and took down Christmas from the attic. Thirty boxes of Christmas decorations. Then, he make a mistake; he asked if there was anything else they could do while here.
Mary grabbed Charlie and had him moving things while I gave Joe four boxes of roll-around caster which needed to go on the kitchen chairs.
If that weren't enough, Joe and Charlie went to the garden and pulled out 90 gallons of "summer remains" which was helpful since Paul can't lift over five pounds for a while. They got everything done except for the large garden so that will have to wait until our gardener, Juan, arrives tomorrow!.
All smiles; we so love and are proud of our son/grandson!
We have our work cut out for us!
Robin brought her famous charcuterie board.
Did You Know? - A cheese board can be called a cheese platter, charcuterie board (if it includes meats), or a cheese and charcuterie board. The name depends on the contents; a classic cheese board focuses on cheese, while a charcuterie board is a more inclusive term that traditionally includes a variety of cured and prepared meats along with cheese and other accompaniments like fruit, nuts, and crackers.
This turkey will loose weight fast!
We sat the tables for ten people using a mix our Mary's and my party decorations. The silverware and plates are probably 25 years old.
(p.s. we counted the silverware before anyone arrived)
Fast Eddie got his Nikon out
Directly out of the microwave!
Dianne taught a class in how to make REAL whip cream (nothing out of a can for his lady!).
She added all sorts of goodies to the heavy cream and then readied for he trusty sidekick, the hand mixer!
Her suggested retail price was $1.38 per student.
The lights dimmed as more vanilla was added to the ever growing bowl of whipped cream!
The whir of the mixer could be heard from blocks. We were visited by the local Firehouse and two sets of Orange's finest - they let us off the hook!
Bob does a final check before the serving table is filled!
Everything is warmed up in the trusty microwave.
What's the opposite of a microwave? A tsunami.
I thought the "platters" was a singing group!
"Yep, the oven is at 350 degrees... all is good!"
"What do you mean I have to "stand" for ten minutes?"
"You're a real cut-up"
The surgeon prepares her instruments!
Sandee and Bill stand a safe distance away!
Saw in hand, Bob prepares the turkey platter. As Bob always says, "Spontaneous turkeys just wing it."
Dianne double checks the stuffing.
My Thanksgiving diet plan? Stuff the turkey… then stuff myself.
Final touches before the dinner bell rings!
Everything has to be just right!
Fast Eddie and Crazy Greg exchange stories....
Those things that NEVER happened were sure a lot of fun!!
"I think I will stay in the corner and watch my figure!"
Mary Jane "Mae" West (August 17, 1893 – November 22, 1980)
"I will stay in MY corner and watch May (since we have the silver out)!
William Claude Dukenfield (January 29, 1880 – December 25, 1946)
Bill races to the front of the line!
"Oh my, this turkey is red on the inside!!"
No Bill, that is the ham!
Why was the turkey arrested? He was suspected of fowl play.
Why did the pie go to the dentist? It needed a filling.
The plates are filled and the conversation level drops significantly.
Robert makes room for just a little more!
Everyone in their seats! Gobbling is about to begin!
Why don't turkeys flirt? They don't like being buttered up.
What do you call a turkey on the day after Thanksgiving? Lucky.
Robin and Bob also brought amazing cranberries and apple sauce!
Bob was carded to make sure he could have wine!
Empty plate number one.... but who is counting?
Round two is underway
Dig in, there is plenty for everyone!
Just us (and presents from Bob and Robin)!
One can tell I have lost a load of weight!
We continue visiting after dinner for a while.
