An Almost-Perfect Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Table all set...
Flowers from Missy M

Ah.  The week after a Holiday is always an exercise in returning to normal, isn't it? 

We enjoyed a wonderful seven days "at home" with Missy M and our grand dogs, Ella Rae and Dixie.  We traveled to our favorite family places and did some of our favorite family things.  We ate all the traditional recipes on Turkey Day (photo, left), served in the traditional dishes (Meemaw's turkey platter; Mama Stewart's Haviland gravy bowl and cut-glass relish dish; Nana's cranberry sauce server; and our very own silver and china).  We toasted our good health and happiness with chilled Biltmore Estates Riesling (an new tradition...:).  We postponed dessert until Friday because we were too full from the feast on Thursday.  And, I almost made it through dinner without tears.  Almost.

The turkey had been roasting since early morn, causing the dogs...all 5 of them...to be famished and fussy by mid-afternoon.  So, while we were trying to enjoy a lovely meal at the dining room table, the Houndz were circling our feet like a shiver of sharks.  Someone remarked that they probably were looking for a push-over to share morsels with them.  I said they probably missed Nana dropping bits of her buttered rolls or bites of turkey like she used to.  And that's all it took...that one observation triggered a grief ambush, as friend LCM calls them.  I tried to control the flow...to no avail.  The tears will fall when the tears will fall...I should be used to this by now.  Up from the table...off to the bathroom.  Cry a bit, dry the eyes, rinse & repeat.  Sigh.

Let us speak of happier things.

Thanksgiving Cheesecake

As I said, we got a couple of day-trips into the week.  The first one was on Friday to Boone (mountains), where we usually shop a little at Mast General Store (Christmas sweaters, anyone?), enjoy a big family-style meal of fried chicken and fixin's at Daniel Boone Inn, and then go to one of the many choose n' cut Christmas Tree farms for "The One." This year was a bit different, since we neither ate at the Inn nor came home with a tree on top of the car...more on that later.  Still, it was a beautiful day, and we had a fun time.  And, by the time we made it home, we were all ready to try that cheesecake with fresh strawberries.  Yummy!  (Photo, right; recipe, below)

Next up, Raleigh on Saturday, for the NC Symphony's Carolina Christmas concert.  Beautiful music...the Cary Chorus....the debut of an original work...and even a singalong:  just right for stirring up the Spirit of the Season.  Then, post-concert, we indulged another tradition of eating Chinese food post-Thanksgiving:  anything but turkey!  We got our favorites at P.F. Chang's at the Crabtree Mall, then did a little shopping at the Container Store (which neither of us has "locally").  It was late when we finally made it home...but we elected to have "just a small slice" of cheesecake...this time with fresh blueberries for the topping.

We started Sunday off in leisurely fashion, making family fav pancakes for brunch.  Afterwards, we began the process of removing the Thanksgiving decorations, in preparation for some Christmas ones...to be added later this week.  Mid-afternoon, we were dressing to attend the Service of Memories when...

Do you know what a little, long-haired black dog looks like after a romp in the attic insulation?  It ain't pretty.  While I was putting the finishing touches on my make-up, Mr. T and Missy M were putting the boxes of Thanksgiving decorations away.  Ella Rae decided that was the perfect time to make a dash into the pink stuff just beyond the floored part of the attic where all the decorations are stored.  Of course, every time they tried to get her to come out of the attic...she just made another run-through...thinking they were trying to play-play with her.  What fun!

What fun, indeed.  Missy M stayed home to give ER several baths, to try to remove all the fibres from the little mutt-mutt's fur.  Mr. T and I headed on to the service, which is an annual Holiday offering by Cumby Funeral Home for families who have lost loved ones in the past year.  We were comforted by the words of the minister from Jamestown United Methodist Church, who took his message from the scripture: "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." [Psalm 30:5]  For most of us in the chapel, it was still "night"...for there was much weeping.  For me, the tears fell as before...and of course, I had forgotten to bring any tissues.  You'd think I would learn...



Service of Memories...
Gifts for the Grieving

 We were all given two gifts (photo, left) as we exited the service: a brochure on dealing with grief through the Holidays and a lovely ornament with our loved one's name.  Both will be helpful in the coming weeks, I have no doubt, as we follow the suggestions we were given.  I have already found some comfort in a quote in the brochure, Coping With The Holidays: The Road to Recovery:

"I thought I was doing much better.  The pain had subsided; I could laugh again.  I was beginning to spend time with friends.  My eating and sleeping patterns were back to normal.  Then, I had to face my first holiday without him.  I felt the familiar effects of grief wash over me and it was just like the healing process had never even begun."  -- Anonymous

While I don't feel that I am all the way back to Square #1, I do feel that I've been sliding back down the slope this last week.  More tears.  Less sleep.  That hollow, empty feeling of finality.  But reading that quote helped me see that I'm reacting to loss like others do.

Also in the brochure:

"Writing...will help you express your feelings.  When writing, be entirely honest...; it will help you gain control over your feelings.  Clarifying your thoughts will help you feel less overwhelmed..."

So, here I am.  Writing.  Expressing.  Clarifying.  And, all after midnight.  Ah, well...it's a process, right?  No doubt, I shall sleep better tonight than I have in days.

Another reason I was so glad that we attended this service was that we got to see and hear Thom Gill, a volunteer who sings and plays guitar regularly at Hospice Home of High Point.  He is an angel, and I am glad I had another opportunity to tell him how special he and his music are/were to us.  I hugged him after the service, and we chatted for a while about his music ministry.

We returned home, thoroughly drained but with more peace...only to walk into the final chapter of Doggie Chaos.  Missy M had decided to give ALL of the dogs baths!  Since Duche$$ refused to get into the tub, she got her "bath" in the shower.  The good news:  all the dogs were clean and fresh-smelling.  The bad news:  all the dogs were still a wee bit damp...and I don't think there was a dry towel to be had.  A small price to pay, to be sure...

Cheesecake, anyone?

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*Thanksgiving* Cheesecake

Crust:
Graham cracker crumbs to equal 2 cups (about 1 1/2 packets)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pecan halves/pieces
1 stick butter, melted
Filling:
4 8-oz packages of cream cheese, room temperature
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 T. lemon juice
Toppings:
Fresh fruit (strawberries, blueberries, etc.), sliced and sugared
     or,
Canned cherry pie filling, chilled
Whipped cream
Chocolate sprinkles

A minimum of two days before you wish to serve the cheesecake, make the crust.  I use the Cuisinart to pulverize the graham crackers and the pecans, although you can put them in a large ziplock baggie and crush them with a rolling pin.  Add the melted butter to the crumbs.  Press the crust mixture into the bottom of a greased springform pan, pressing the mixture up the sides.  I use a greased glass for this part.  Place the pan in the freezer overnight. [You can do this step several days in advance, if desired.]

One day before you wish to serve the cheesecake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and make the filling.  In the bowl of your mixer or Cuisinart, beat the bars of cream cheese until softened.  Add the sugar, and beat well.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add the sour cream, the lemon juice, and the vanilla, incorporating well into the cream cheese mixture.  Pour the filling into the frozen crust.  Wrap aluminum foil around the base and sides of the springform pan, and place it into a larger pan (cookie-sheet size, but with sides of at least an inch).  Put into the oven.  Pour hot water into the larger pan, creating a "bath" for the cheesecake.  After 10 minutes, lower the temperature to 350 degrees; bake for an additional 1 hour and 30-40 minutes, or until the cheesecake has risen and has a lightly-browned top (which might be more or less time, depending on your oven). Turn off the oven, and allow the cheesecake to rest in the oven for another hour.  Remove from the oven. Let cool on a rack thoroughly before placing into the refrigerator (overnight).



Prior to serving, remove from the refrigerator 30-45 minutes ahead of time.  Run a sharp knife under hot water prior to making each cut.  Top the cheesecake slice with fresh, sweetened fruit; chilled, canned pie filling; or chocolate syrup, chips, or sprinkles...and a large dollop of whipped cream.  Enjoy!

Refrigerate any leftovers.  Yield:  10-12 slices 
[Don't even ASK how many calories are in each slice!]

*We have had this cheesecake almost every Thanksgiving at our house. 

Mountain Memories - Fall, 2011

It's Turkey Time!

We're home again...and getting ready for Thanksgiving.  I wanted to take a little break from all the preparations to say "hello," and post an update of our recent adventures.

As I said in my last post, Mr. T has been using up over 3 weeks of vacation days this month - "use 'em or lose 'em."  Of course, if we are in town...at home...near his office, he works anyway.  Taking calls, checking emails, updating information.  Whatever.  He's connected 24/7 and, without some distance between him and his desk, he works.  And, I stew.  Not a great combination.

Mr. T taking photos at
The Fish Pond - Biltmore Estate

Hence the reason we hit the road on Wednesday...headed back to the NC Mountains.  I know, I know...we were just there in October.  But I wanted to see the Biltmore all decked out for Christmas and maybe take a side trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway...and we did! 

Going to the Biltmore in the middle of the week was perfect:  the crowds were light and all the folks were unhurried and pleasant.  We also took a class on Designing Woodland Wreaths at the Garden Center on the Estate, saw the Tiffany Lamp Exhibit, and ate at Cedric's Tavern in the Antler Village...a first for us. It was a beautiful day all the way around.





Linville Falls,
Blue Ridge Parkway

 The next morning, we saw our first snow of the season on the Parkway, portions of which were closed due to ice and snow.  Wow!  We got to see several excellent exhibits at the Folk Art Center and then found other roads to get us around the closings.  That way, we were able to get to Linville Falls and Gorge (photo, left) before the sun went down.  It was cold, but the walk on the trail (about a mile and 1/4, roundtrip) warmed us up...and energized us at the end of our long day.

We then back-tracked to Durham on the other side of the state for our last Duke football home game.  Lost another close one to Georgia Tech, sad to say, but still had a fun Fall afternoon.  There's always next year, right?


But, first...



Graduation Day!
I made it:  EMGV






Before we left, we went to the Extension Center on Wednesday for the Annual Meeting of the Guilford County Master Gardener Volunteers...and graduation for the Class of 2011.  Yes, I'm "certified!" Call me EMGV. A long year (for this and all the other reasons), but well worth the time and effort, I would say.  Ahhhh...so glad that's done!

Since Missy M and my grand-dogs, Ella Rae and Dixie arrive this afternoon, I've been trying to get as much of the cooking done...so we can have a lot of time together while she's here.  She's had a crazy schedule lately...including 3 "days" of working at night for training video shoots (which they can only do in the restaurant kitchen, after the restaurant is closed)...so, she's exhausted and needs a recovery period.

Of course, I can't help myself...I've lined up some Holiday activities for us to do while she's here, including the NC Symphony's Carolina Christmas in Raleigh and the Lights at Tanglewood Park in Winston-Salem...and we'll have to visit Old Salem while we are there.  And, she wants to go to Boone, so we'll head the car back to the mountains for the third time this season.  She'll probably need a couple of days back at home to recover from her vacation here in HPNC!

I feel the need to celebrate in order to keep any sadness at bay.  We'll miss Nana/Momma/Edith...and no amount of activity can substitute for her absence.  We'll attend the Remembrance Service on Sunday to celebrate her life and honor her memory.  Indeed, I am so thankful for all the wonderful years and memories...that I just refuse to let grief overwhelm us. 

I did have a setback yesterday that could have knocked me back several steps if I would allow it.  I saw my ophthalmologist and learned why everything was so fuzzy:  cataracts.  Both eyes...which is normal according to Dr. T, who declared that "cataracts are like geese...always come in pairs."  Really?  So what's next?  Well, I "wait and see" he says...monitor any changes over the next year.  OK.  Knowing how much I like to wait, you'll understand how frustrating that was to hear.  But, what else can I do?  Nothing.  Period.

So, instead of settling for doing nothing, I shall do what I can.  I can be thankful for my vision.  I can be mindful of how quickly things can change in life.  And, I can just keep on putting one foot in front of the other...and moving forward.

We can have our Mountain Memories
every morning with our coffee...

I'm so thankful you are all on this journey with me.  Cheers!

From "Woe" to "Go" in Less Than a Week

What a beautiful way
to begin my day...
Oak Hollow Reservoir

What a beautiful morning!  I was up early, mainly because the Houndz are like Arizona and simply refuse to participate in The Changing of The Time.  Food into their bowls...bowls on the floor...by 8:00 a.m.  While they were eating, I slipped on a jacket, slipped my phone into the pocket, and slipped out the back door.  I grabbed my walking stix as I headed through the garage and was off on my very first morning walk since the time and the season had changed.  I selected the route that took me down to the lake, and I'm so happy that I did.  Check out that picture I took (left).  Could there be anything more perfect than a day that starts out looking like that?!

Hard to believe, but this time last week, I could hardly move without misery.  My back.  'Nuff said.  Lost almost a week of my life to the pain...and to the fog that the pain-relief pills put me in.  Mr. T was "in town," for which I was ever-so-grateful, as he stepped right into the fray to keep things running smoothly.  He's supposedly taking a few days of vacation, but he's putting in lots of work hours:  work-work as well as home-work. 

This happens every year at this time because Fuso's vacation "year" runs December 1 - November 30...I know, I know...seems goofy to me, too.  The upshot is that he gets 5 weeks of vacation a year plus a couple of personal days (yeah!); he can only carry-over 5 days from one vacation year to the next...no personal days (boo!); and he always, always arrives at November 1st with 15-20 days to "use it or lose it." And, if you check the calendar, there are only 20-22 working days in the month.  Sigh.  It's the nature of the beast.  So, he ends up "declaring" vacation days in November and still working those days...'cause he cannot NOT answer his d*mn Blackberry.  So, tell us how you really feel about this, Patricia? Ahem.

Anyway...


Elmo and Gus...
Supper at 5:00, in bed by 6:30

My back is better, thanks for asking, just in time, too.  Mr. T's off to a New Dealer Installation in VA he'd scheduled earlier (forgetting about that whole November issue).  Dogs are still on Summer Time, as they say in the UK, going to bed with the chickens (see photo, right, of Gus and Elmo last night) and getting up with the roosters.  And, I'm making up for those lost moments as fast as I can.

Yesterday, I put nearly 60 miles on Lillie Pearl PTCruiser as she and I jitneyed all over Guilford County with Master Gardening volunteering activities.  I had a Speakers Bureau presentation on Containers for Curb Appeal to the Sumner Garden Club at Rehobeth UMC mid-morning...but before that could happen, I had to get to the Extension Center way-the-heck across town to pick up the projector.  Then, after the presentation (which went very well...I love this group of gardeners!), I had to backtrack to Burlington Road to return said projector for its next engagement.

While at the Ext. Ctr. the second time, I got to chat with a couple of EMGVs who are conducting the interviews for next year's class.  One of them is also a knitter, so she and I got sidetracked on my second favorite topic (well, this year at least...:); we're trying to make a yarn crawl happen sooner rather than later.

As soon as I got home, I received an email about volunteering as a mentor, and I responded in the affirmative.  Less than an hour later, I learned that I may get TWO interns to mentor.  How exciting!


New Fish Tank...
Getting it ready for goldfish

I spent the rest of my afternoon working on my fish tank (left).  I'm in the process of setting up a small, 10-gallon tank, getting it ready for goldfish.  I have missed my pond...and my fish...so much since we moved from Missouri to NC.  The back yard here just doesn't seem to hold any possible sites for a pond, so Mr. T's created a fountain on the deck to give us the soothing sound of moving water.  But fish can't survive in it, so I had to go with Plan B. I'll probably let it run for a few more weeks before I add fish...just to make sure all's well.

Today, I'll catch up with laundry...and decorate for Thanksgiving.  While Mr. T was changing the clocks...and the smoke alarm batteries...this past weekend, he also brought the boxes down from the attic.  I didn't do anything really for Halloween...just put the lighted pumpkin in the window...and I found that I missed it.  So, even though Turkey Day may be a bit difficult for us this year with one chair at our table vacant, I still want to make the house...and especially the dining room...festive.  It's tradition...and it's comforting, too.

Tomorrow, I'll attend my first MG Board meeting.  As an incoming committee chair (I've agreed to co-chair the Speakers Bureau Committee next year), I've been invited as a guest...so, all I have to do is show up and eat my tuna sandwich...and listen and learn.  That, I can do!

And, next Wednesday, is the Annual Meeting...and we of the Guilford County EMGV Class of 2011 graduate!  Since I've completed my classroom hours and my mandatory volunteer hours, I will get to exchange my temporary nametag for a permanent one.  Woo hoo!!  I'm all a'twitter!  Seriously, it's been a long year...but I don't know how I would have gotten rid of that Little Black Raincloud of anxiety and grief without having Master Gardening to focus on...and Master Gardeners to lean on.  I should be giving "them" something.  Honestly.

Pear Tart... and Vanilla Ice Cream

You may have noticed that I didn't mention "writing my novel" in all of the above activity.  Well, no.  Apparently, I must not be destined to complete the NaNoWriMo challenge, good intentions to the contrary.  When you are flat on your back in bed, just having taken yet another round of pain pills and muscle relaxers, it's difficult to be creative...or, just to hold a laptop and type.  Then, when you get up and going again, it's difficult to write...when you have so much lost time to recover.  I agree with a cousin of mine who observed that November wasn't exactly the best month for this challenge.  Maybe she and I should move ours to say, January?  At least we'd gain another day for writing that way!

This weekend, when I began to feel like a Human Bean again (as Momma used to say...:), I made us a pot of Brunswick Stew, along with a Pear Tart (photo, right; recipe below).  This was a new one for me, and it turned out to be a nice treat...especially topped with some vanilla ice cream.  Plus, it was pretty, don't you think?

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Pear Tart

1 unbaked pie crust
5-6 ripe pears (the riper, the better)
1 T. lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
2 T. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves)
2-3 T. cold butter, cut into chunks
Cinnamon sugar to sprinkle (opt.)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spray a tart pan with Pamr. Line the pan with the raw pie crust dough, and crimp the edges.
3. Peel and slice all except one of your ripe pears, enough to make 4 cups of thin slices.  Add lemon juice and toss.  Add flour, sugar, and spices and toss.  Pour into the crust-lined tart pan.
4. Cut the remaining unpeeled pear into quarters. Remove the seeds and stem.  Slice the quarters into thin slivers of pear, and use these to create a decorative topping to the tart.  Dot the top with butter.  Sprinkle with a dusting of cinnamon-sugar if desired.
5. Bake the tart for 30-40 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and the crust is golden.  The filling will thicken even more as it cools.  Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for 30 min.
6. Serve warm, topped with vanilla ice cream.  Yummy!

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adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book:  Country Pear Tart