Preparation commences

Here on Francis Street, we are pretty much fixated on Thanksgiving. We have to pick up the turkey from Sam the Organic Butcher this afternoon and then do a big grocery shopping for all the other goods. Meanwhile, we're also figuring out stuffing and pie crusts and things like that. Up until this year, the only thing I prepared for Thanksgiving was green bean casserole complete with fried onion rings on top, which could prove itself daunting. But am looking very forward to the familiar scents wafting through the apartment when the oven gets going and Haydn is totally in the cooking zone.

There is, of course, a part of me that misses the excitement of the holiday at home. That feeling of a short work week, packing bags and hustling to the complete madness of Penn Station to head up to Ann's in Boston for the annual gathering of East Coast orphans, and then the official ushering in of the Christmas season. Or there is the Madison celebration too, with my grandparent's stuffing of all ages with raisins in it, maybe a late afternoon trivia showdown, and of course, the kids table.

It's a bit grey and overcast today, a bit autumnal actually, so this should further help us get in the spirit. And of course, it is good to know that the Butterball hotline is 24 hours a day, what with the time difference.

And that's about it from this side of the world...

--tara