The meal that never ends

Maggie says:
Such lazy times over here. In classic Southern-girl-from-a-large-family fashion, I cooked enough food to fill up every m-pyre reader plus their entire family. Sigh. So here we are after the fact, lazily listening to Weekend Edition and devising a plan of attack for all the leftovers in our fridge:

• Turkey
• Ham
• Braised Greens
• Chestnut and Pancetta Stuffing
• Sweet Potato Casserole
• Kale and Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes
• Squash Casserole
• Apple Cake
• Pumpkin Pie

Overboard and completely ridiculous, I know. But it was my first-ever start-to-finish Thanksgiving solo effort, so of course I had to go all out. An amazing addition to our first live-in Thanksgiving was the weather: I had three dishes in the oven, four on the stove, and looked up and saw... snow! That's right: it was snowing, in Dallas, on Thanksgiving! I squealed like a kid and called my mom immediately. In classic Southern-girl-from-a-large-family fashion, remember?

Yesterday we strolled around the neighborhood watching the shoppers watch the merchandise, took in a pro hockey game, and celebrated all the perfect nothingness of this weekend with (what else?) leftovers. We have three big plans for the rest of the weekend: eat, catch "I'm Not There" at the Magnolia, and check in on a table we've been eyeing for the abode.

Oh, I didn't mention that Maggie's first solo Thanksgiving was eaten on the couch? It's true, and was one of those rare life moments where as soon as it begins to happen you just know that you're creating one of those quaint and romantic stories you'll tell a thousand times. And besides, who needs a proper table and chairs when you have food like this, companionship like this, and snow falling from the sky?

Furniture will come with time. But for me this holiday, what matters can't be found in any store with prices slashed for the holidays.

(That said, time to jump in the shower and go and check on my table that might be slashed down for the holidays!)