Thanksgiving dinner revised

After a conversation with our good friends and neighbors Lost NYers, we decided to chuck our Thanksgiving dinner plans, fabulous as it was, to celebrate together. This is their first Thanksgiving in C'ville without family and we always have a great time together, so it only seemed natural to combine the three of us with the three of them!

So, Lost NYers are providing barbecued turkey, stuffing, and apple pie. We are bringing Brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, some other (root?) vegetable, and pumpkin pie. We'll both contribute wine and we'll bring along the port. Although I was excited about the duck, I have to admit that I am really looking forward to a celebration with another family. It just feels more like Thanksgiving.

On another note: I always have the best of intentions when I decide to do something home related, but I nearly always go way overboard. (yes, Big J, I am admitting it right here....but don't bring it up or I will delete this entry and will never utter the words again.) A coupe weeks ago we went to the Virginia Vintage Apple Fest, a yearly event for us, and I brought home about 10 pounds of apples with the intent of making and canning apple sauce. Well, you know how busy things get and so I hadn't really gotten around to it. So I decided today was the day. I bought an apple peeler, borrowed a jar lifter thingy, and bought a bushel of apples. That's right, a bushel. So that makes 50 pound of apples. I'm on my first pot of apple sauce (10 pounds). It's nearly 4 in the afternoon. It could be a long night!