Had the family from San Jose, CA come into AZ yesterday for Thanksgiving. My brother in law already started the blood boiling with the comment, "Liberalism is causing all the problems in America today"! Luckily, my hispanic wife held me back from snapping retorts at him. Then I had to laugh, this comment coming from my hispanic, union working, brother in law. For the sake of my elderly parents I did not pursue the arguement. I will tear him a new rearend, though, when I have him cornered.
Posted by bbtb at November 23, 2005 04:07 AMDinner with my folks. We're all here in town, so very little travelling lunacy will be committed.
OTOH - my wife and I need to pack to move in 2 weeks. Bleah.
Posted by idiosynchronic at November 23, 2005 04:38 AMThankfully not traveling anywhere during the holidays...
As much as I despised the foreign policy of Ronald Reagan, I have to admit that he was a master of restoring national pride. What would The Gipper have to say about this text?
Has the corporate cronyism and deconstruction of the middle class put us in a state where we need charitable donations to take care of our own?
Posted by at November 23, 2005 04:43 AMDinner with family from both sides. All relatively liberal. All decidedly not Bush fans. All get along great together. We host. Everyone contributes. Hopefully politics will not be on the menu. Just football, good wine and great food.
Cheers!
Posted by snark at November 23, 2005 05:47 AMcheers and happy holidays....let's hope the coming new year will end this war that should never have been..and that bush and cheney end up on the dungheap of history for what they've done...snowing here as we head to stockbridge ma..the foothills of the berkshires..there is no place in the world like new england during the holidays
cheers
Posted by dennis at November 23, 2005 06:17 AMMoonbat stuffing:
1 and one half sticks butter, divided
2 cups water
10 cups crumbled home-baked cornbread
1 pound pork sausage, 1/2 inch dice
1 large onion, 1/4 inch diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks celery, 1/2 inch dice
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 cup chopped pecans
3 granny smith apples, cored, sliced
In a large pot melt 1 stick butter in water. When melted add dry cornbread stuffing, set aside.
In a large saute pan over medium-high heat melt 1 tablespoon butter and add saussage. Saute until lightly browned and cooked through. Transfer sausage to paper towels to drain.
Add onions to pan with the garlic, celery, thyme, and sage until onions are translucent and celery is crisp tender. Add pecans and saute for 1 minute. Add apples and saute for one minute more. Remove from heat.
Combine cornbread crumbs with sauteed ingredients and stuff turkey. Fill a medium baking pan with the stuffing and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven, covered with foil for 1/2 hour. Remove foil and bake until top is lightly browned, about 15 minutes more.
This stuffing has sweet, savory, and most importantly, fatty flavors; all of them tie together perfectly with the cornbread and the sage.
Posted by dj moonbat at November 23, 2005 06:41 AMUmmmmm!
Butter sticks!
[Wipes drool from chin.]
Posted by On a diet during the holidays at November 23, 2005 06:46 AMMy first Thanksgiving with my new family after just three weeks of wedded bliss! :-) We're taking the ferry over to St. Thomas for dinner with his family. I suppose I should bring something, huh? I hate cooking. *sigh*
Time to check the wine cellar.
Posted by ALadyWhoLikesToRead at November 23, 2005 06:58 AMZinfandel (red, not white) and Gewurtztraminer go well with a lot of the traditional Thanksgiving foods.
Posted by dj moonbat at November 23, 2005 07:05 AMI’m attending a weekend GOP policy and means session in Bucksnort, Tennessee. Some of the topics are:
- Indictments and your resume.
- Defense lawyers you can afford.
- Bribes: Too little, too late?
- Improvised Explosive devices (IED): how to detect, avoid and build.
- War: Risky investment or sure-fire moneymaker?
- Swiss bank fees: Are they gouging you?
- Twenty guys/girls you don’t want to be photographed with.
- Missile defense: This time it’s going to work.
- Christmas decorations (women only).
- Key Washington phone numbers (Nov. 2005)
- Presidential speeches and their meaning (includes Bush / English dictionary).
Looks like real fun. Al’s Booze Barn has a sale on too.
My feast will be similar to snarks'. No long distance traviling and dinner with the "blue" side of the family. I doubt they'll be any goppers there which is good because politics always comes up in my family and alwauys has.
bbtb,
It amazes me how many union workers think the Republicans are there friends, even now. If I'm not mistaken, it was Gore Vidal who noted how Americans consistantly vote against their better interest.
Happy thanksgiving everyone.
Well, it snowed here in Chicago last night and they're calling for the coldest Thanksgiving in 50 years. Oh, yay. I'll be going to the gym in the morning and a movie in the afternoon. I haven't decided which movie, though, it's a toss up between Walk the Line and Good Night and Good Luck.
Posted by ann at November 23, 2005 08:09 AMAs you may know, I'm a vegetarian and generally a vegan. Before this, I was overweight and had the general "metabolic syndrome" maladies that have become common in America, where we eat a high-fat and high-protein diet.
All of that went away in just a few weeks after I became a vegetarian. I changed my diet to center around whole grains, veggies, and fruit. And within 6 months, I went from 205 to 147 pounds. I didn't change my exercise pattern, but continued to walk for 40 minutes after lunch and dinner.
It is possible. This is a great time of year to start.
There are many wonderful healthy holiday recipes at the McDougall site. Follow the links there to their message board, where folks are making their journies and sharing favorite vegan recipes. You'll be amazed at the stories of folks who have lost weight, gotten off of medications, etc. Quite an optimistic bunch.
On the recipes? Try the tofu pumpkin pie. For crust, instead of what they recommend, I like to use Grape Nuts in the bottom of the pie dish. Works pretty well.
Posted by muckdog at November 23, 2005 08:29 AMSince I'm very particular about the stuffing and the pie, I always make the meal. I don't like to travel anymore, so I won't go anywhere. Besides, I love feeding people. It's my tradition since the military days that anyone who didn't or couldn't get home had a plate at my table. And went home with a pile of leftovers. I've discovered after many misfires that using one of those Reynold's cooking bags makes the turkey perfect every time. As cook, I get the crunchy bit of stuffing when the bird's done, and I don't do the dishes.
Posted by iamcoyote at November 23, 2005 08:30 AMmuckdog,
Congrates on the lifestyle change.
I too have shed some awful excess poundage recently. Cholesterol was 280! Weight 232 (at 5'-11" tall)! Made a decision that I had to make a change or risk not seeing my kids grow up. Since September 1st Ive lost 28 pounds. Hope to be under 200 lbs by my December birthday. Shooting for 180 lbs as a goal. No radical diets for me. Just a revamp of how, when and how much I eat. Cut out processed foods. Cut out excess pastas and breads. No sweets. Limited desserts. Increased salad, veggie, tofu and fish consumption and eat half the portion size I used to. Honestly I still eat everything I used too (except pizza and fast food. Haven't had a french fry in months). I feel great and have more energy. Going to the doc next month for a check up.
Again muckdog, congrates!
Posted by snark at November 23, 2005 08:42 AMLuckily, my family is here. I'll go to my mom's and best of all get to see my nieces. I'm going to take the makings of a little cooking project the girls and I can do together -- pecans from my backyard will be the main ingredient.
I wish you all a happy and safe Thanksgiving :)
Posted by dorita at November 23, 2005 09:24 AMNone of my family or friends who still, stunningly, support the junta have the balls to engage me in politics, so I'll have to settle for turkey, liquor, and football.
Perhaps one of the few Busheviks will drink too much, forget themselves, and step into the fray. I can only hope, because the Falcons-Lions and Broncos-Cowboys is not going to be adequate entertainment or intellectual stimulation.
Perhaps I'll treat myself to a viewing of Bad Santa.
Posted by God Of War at November 23, 2005 10:16 AMIn reading about the indictments against Jose Padilla and the fact that there was no mention of a "dirty bomb" in the indictment, I was reminded of something:
SEN. HUTCHISON: Tim, you know, I think we have to remember something here. An indictment of any kind is not a guilty verdict, and I do think we have in this country the right to go to court and have due process and be innocent until proven guilty. And secondly, I certainly hope that if there is going to be an indictment that says something happened, that it is an indictment on a crime and not some perjury technicality where they couldn't indict on the crime and so they go to something just to show that their two years of investigation was not a waste of time and taxpayer dollars. So they go to something that trips someone up because they said something in the first grand jury and then maybe they found new information or they forgot something and they tried to correct that in a second grand jury.
This'll be my first holiday since 1996 that I don't have to travel 50+ miles to be with my mom and sibs. There's nothing like being "home" again, and not just for holidays.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
Posted by Sharon at November 23, 2005 12:06 PMI am THNAKFUL that we have a STRONG, NOBLE leader who is willing to stand up and do the right thing rather than the easy.
I am THANKFUL for a PRESIDENT who is willing to stand up against the cowards who are also known as LIBERAL DEMOCRATS.
THANK YOU GOD FOR GEORGE BUSH!!!
Posted by at November 23, 2005 02:05 PMRIMSHOT
Posted by at November 23, 2005 02:29 PMHappy Thanksgiving to all!
Posted by emal at November 23, 2005 03:40 PMI, for one, am grateful for Presidental Term Limits. - Peace to all.
Posted by Jim Hurt at November 23, 2005 05:14 PMTwas the night before Thanksgiving...
Everybody have a good Thanksgiving.
Posted by muckdog at November 23, 2005 05:22 PMBest wishes to all during this Holiday season. May your loved ones be safe and prosperous in the coming New year.
Posted by Bagley at November 23, 2005 05:28 PMMay we one day learn that war is nothing but war, and peace is our heaven.
Posted by tempus at November 23, 2005 05:47 PMI'm going on the annual Thanksgiving mountain bike ride that dates back to a few of my friends and I working up an appetite in 1974. It's the longest running annual mountain bike event in the world, over 30 years now.
800-1000 mountain bikers descend on Fairfax, California for the ride, which follows a traditional route of about 20 very tough dirt-road miles. It's such a big event that the commercial interests even show up to market to the riders, and the little town makes more money than on any other day of the year.
The coolest part is that the ride is not organized in any way, has no leader or direction. It just happens.
Posted by Repack Rider at November 23, 2005 05:48 PMWay cool, Repack.
Happy Thanksgiving, muck and Bagley.
Tempus, you have my heart.
Posted by dorita at November 23, 2005 08:00 PMWhile I sit here in a mild eggnog & brandy stupor.
Congrats muckdog on that diet, it's one the Dr. told me to go on. Feeling sorry for myself for not starting it yet, no excuse. Bagley, it would have been an honor to have served with you in the field, your politics suck, but I would have had your back, dude! That's what true soldiers do!
To my fellow Left Coasters, tempus don't lighten up on the humor, ann and Judith continue to keep us all honest. Rlp, dorita, Sharon and all you hell benders at the Low and Left, keep it up wild men, (good fucking writers also). Snark, snarkyshark, GOW, the TRUTH, emal, Mal Feasence, dennis and anybody I'm forgetting keep telling like it is. And to bloglord Soto, pessimist, eRiposte, Mary, Marie, homeboy Paradox and all the other contributors, this blogsite has been a revelation to me.
Most importantly, my step daughter would have been 28 today. It's been 11 years since she was snatched away in a drunk driving accident. My wife and I think of her everyday around Thanksgiving and how we wish our 9 year old son could have met her older sister.
Life is so precious. Your right tempus, heaven is her peace, as with so many others!
Happy Thanksgiving to All!!
Posted by bbtb at November 23, 2005 08:52 PMTo all at the Left Coaster: This poem is well known, but may the meaning transcend all.
-------------------------------------------
Desiderata
Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.
Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, Copyright 1952.
Posted by tempus at November 23, 2005 09:34 PMWell, off to my Sister's and my Brother-in-law's for Thanksgiving with the rest of my family. My Sister lives in a 180 year old 3-story mill, which sits on the banks of a river, and is such a lovely place for family gatherings. It's literally over the river and into the woods.
Politics will be discussed. My Sister and her Husband are more liberal than I am, my 84 year old Mother is a liberal, and my Brother, the flaming neocon Bush loving one, will not be present. Boo Hoo
All gatherings at the Mill are interesting because we never know who will decide to join us. Always friends stopping by to chat awhile, or share a glass of wine. Interesting conversations and lots and lots of fun and great humor. There is always extra places for those who have no family or place to go. It is always a wonderful day.
Happy Thanksgiving again to all of you.
Posted by Judith at November 23, 2005 09:51 PMWhat a beautiful open thread. It's got it all:
a little politics, lots of good wishes, a token troll, a recipe, a poem that's like a prayer, and lots of sharing.
I felt so lost this morning when I couldn't get online. But now I'm found.