Life before 2008 25 Nov 2005 05:49 am
We named him “Jed”….
He was a relaxed looking bird, as if he was very resigned to his fate, simmering in pan juices, slow roasted over night….
turns out Jen put him in the pan upside down, but for her first real bird, she did a FANTASTIC job! He was very, very tasty and when I left last night, smelling his remnants simmering on the stove to make broth, I knew Jed had done his job very well.
Yesterday was cold and clear. I spent most of it inside, with glimpses and little gasps of air when I got out for bits…we took a group picture under the bare birch tree in the white, early winter light of a November dusk. The kids were scarce most of the day, running through the woods, playing in the barn, or chasing around the kittens.
Speaking of kittens, the Pierces have two little barn cats the rescued a few weeks ago…Jasper, a lazy, sleepy boy, a bit clumsy and slow, and Miss Bianca, who has a bit more pep in her step. Not, however, after turkey and a high dose of Triptipan! The girls fed them turkey from the table and those kitties just callapsed. At one point, Scott held Miss Bianca in the palm of his hand; she was completely folded over on herself, wiht her nose down between her tail end, asleep! They were like putty as we played and rolled with them and they spookily slept through it all.
In typical fashion, dinner took much, much longer to prepare than eat, but it was a good one. We had everyone’s favorite. The kids ate quickly, too quickly for us to have much order about the table. We all just looked at each other and decided to remain flexible. We enjoyed ourselves and the men sank deep into the couch cushions to watch the baby and process thier meal while the women…headed back to the kitchen! I’m thankful for my Daddy and my hubby who in years past have treated the women to a chance to sit. Jen and I had fun though and laughed much. There is something right and cozy about being sock footed and aproned in a warm kitchen when it’s cold outside and little ones are fed and happy, shrieking up and down the hills.
Leftovers, some much desired and some that will wait to rot in the fridge to be scraped out a week from now, soup on the stove, a hubby who had to work today, kids who are in stocking feet and pj’s watching cartoons and stealing sips of eggnog, a baby who is napping…this is Friday. I will sew hats and mittens, take the chickens to the park, check the paper for rentals, avoid the shopping crowds, and snuggle when day is done. If there is still snow in the mountains tomorrow we are going to play.
I miss my family. I’m thankful for provision and for the gracious, wonderful friends we have here. I’m hopeful for the future and the culmination of sacrifice, dreams, and plans. This was Thanksgiving 2005.
