Black Friday and Thanksgiving wrap up

I did a very minor bit of shopping today.  I bought one item at 5 am online (I went right back to bed - shopping in my nighties is the way to do it) and a few items at 2 stores, not the big box kind. And I put things back - I spent less than $100.

Yesterday was good.  The only really interesting thing happened during preparations.  I use a brown-in bag for the turkey - I swear by them.  I don't try to carve at the table, so having the look of beautiful bird is of no importance to me.  I'm nore interested in the taste of the turkey and how juicy it is.  That, and all the yummy juices which I use in the dressing and giblet gravy.

Anyhow, the 23 lb turkey was removed from the oven and allowed to rest for a few minutes.  I called DH to help me drain the precious, delicious juices.  I was pretty distracted because I was running behind.  I got a bowl and DH hoisted said fowl and got the juices running into the bowl.  All was good.

Until the brown-in bag that DH was holding the turkey by broke and the turkey - and its juices - escaped.

(You saw that coming, didn't you?)

The good part is the turkey did not hit the floor.  It hit the counter.  And the bowl I was holding to catch the goodness.

Most of the yummy juices went on the counter and the cabinets and the floor.  Some hit my clothes.  (I fortunately was still in cruddy clothes that I had cooked in all morning.)

DH immediately went about cleaning up the mess, calling for towels and lots of them.  He wisely sent me upstairs to change clothes and take a breath.

I did not have a fit.  I thought this was pretty adult of me.

I came down in company clothing, put the remaining turkey juices in the gravy, and used organic commercial stock for the dressing.  I was so rattled by all of this that I was late in putting my rice on, so folks had to wait until they went back for seconds before the rice was ready.

The turkey was slightly damaged, but not much.  It stayed together, and carved up nicely.

All things considered, things were good.  Everyone enjoyed the meal.  My friend S brought some wine, hors d'oeuvres, 2 pies, and squash casserole.  I fixed turkey, rice and giblet gravy, dressing (a ton of it), fresh green beans, steamed brocolli with a sauce, sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce, and rolls.  And it was all good.

There was no fighting, no biting.  The table conversation was pleasant and did not veer into the dangerous political relm. DH sweetly cleaned up after the meal, bless him.  We laid around for a while.  Then we ate pie.

It was a good day.

Also - here is the latest necklace I've tatted, a present for a sibling.

Hope your weekend is good....