First off, I need to thank those who have emailed and commented so gently and so encouragingly regarding my blogger-stranger-friend's choice to take her own life. I think the last time I felt this haunted was when Princess Diana died. Yes, someone we didn't really know in person, but someone we felt we did in some ways. It's a really odd feeling. When someone is just "GONE" in such a senseless preventable way. My thoughts and prayers continue to be with her real life family and friends. And I am renewing my efforts in focusing on my real life family and friends. I want to be more aware where I should be. There's just been a whole lot of thinking and regrouping going on.
I've just uploaded all my pics from my phone to my computer and there is a whole LOT of editing and uploading to be done! It's one of those "BUT WHERE DO I START!!" kinds of deals...so I'm just going to go with it! And if the posts over the next few days are a bit disjointed, you'll know why!
Today is my one day to get ready for this week. DH is having hernia surgery tomorrow bright and early (still don't know what time, and waiting on the doc's office to call and give all the particulars)and our whole week will depend on how he feels over the next few days.
We don't have any extended family here in NC, so Thanksgiving IS just the three of us this year. When I add in the cost of the food, the prep time, the clean up....we've had a better time going OUT for Turkey dinner and really enjoying the day, than for me to spend the entire day (or consecutive days) cooking to excess for 3 people. The one thing I do miss is the leftovers, so that is a toss up.
My dilemma? Not knowing how Dave is going to feel come Thursday, 2 days after surgery and maybe he won't want to get in the car and drive anywhere, so do I run out today and buy a back-up turkey? LOL! If that is the case, I should just plan on doing a low-key turkey dinner here, just PLAN it and do it.
Dave has lost 40 lbs. I've lost 30. We are in no way wanting to over do food in any shape or form, and the thought of making a big meal just does NOT turn me on. So if I do, it would be
*Turkey (no stuffing)
*mashed potatoes & gravy (Can't get by without them....)
*Baked yams (YUM)
*green salad
*fresh cranberry relish
*And a veggie of some sort....I'd opt for sauteed green beans at this point.
And yes, there would be pie, but I don't have to bake it. And I don't have to eat it.
As far as bread goes? If there has to be, whole wheat rolls can be baked or bought.
And that is about the simplest form of a Thanksgiving dinner that I can come up with, or have the desire for.
So..back to the pictures! I know I've shown great pics of inspirational quilts from my jaunts and haunts and I've got plenty of those to share, but instead, I thought I'd share some of the WEIRDER side of things you can find when traipsing through antique malls!!
You never know what you are going to find when you round a corner in a place with many booths, and this one really brought out the weird! Somewhere in PA..I don't remember which town or location this was but it set us off to laughing til we almost lost control!
Someone....had taken dolly parts, and assembled them with miscellaneous cans and tins and jello molds and all sorts of pieces and items. You wanna talk WEIRD?! It was like walking into that movie "Chuckie"....This stuff gave me the creeps! LOL!
How bout this little guy?! We just could not "GET" what it was supposed to be about..hmmm! It's like the little tin man in training? I suppose you "COULD" set him on your kitchen counter or on top of your fridge? :cÞ
THIS ONE?! I'm not sure if it is supposed to BE a functioning oil lamp or what. Opinions? All I could think of is when my brothers used to pull the arms, legs and heads off of my dolls and I was left with trying to find a way to put them back together. This is just plain weird..LOL! And SHE has no legs....just an oil lamp bottom set in a basin? She was sporting a price tag of $125.00 I'm not sure if that is a deal or a steal!
We rounded another corner and came
There were more delicious finds of the quilt-variety, and I'll show those to you next post. I just chose to go through these today for a good laugh.
So today's to-do list involves copious amounts of filling mail order, doing the grocery shopping, a bank run, a post office drop off, I'd like to get to the gym, but I'm feeling unmotivated (but would probably do good if I could just GO!) and other things.
I've unpacked the car. I'm putting stuff away...I'm going through the motions...but I really want to get back to sewing on my pineapples!
In fact, I just got off the phone with a lady who called to ask if the pattern was available yet! LOLOL!!!! I just laughed and said, no, it is a project in progress, and the quilt has to be finished first. She said "Oh! Well get on it then, I'm ready!" Thanks for the laugh, whoever you are! I needed that call and it came at the right moment!
I have a friend who makes those dolls. They call them DADA dolls. Do a google search and find out the history. It was some kind of arts movement in WWI. I find them weird, too, but very intriguing!
ReplyDeleteI think those dolls are a riot!
ReplyDeleteThis year we are keeping a fairly quiet Thanksgiving too...DH has to work sooo...I took the easy route and ordered a cooked turkey from a local restaurant. I'll make the mashed potatoes, the salad, and stuffing/dressing. Dessert is Pecan pie for him and apple for me (his I bake...mine is from a local bakery)
1. Instead of dessert, do your normal cranberry recipe but cut up frozen strawberries (so the juice gets into the cranberries as it melts) into them. Do roughly equal-ish parts and your berries will be naturally sweet. That's been my family's tradition forever.
ReplyDeleteOh, and when I saw "DADA" in the name of the dolls, my first thought was "Defense Against the Dark Arts" from Harry Potter...Defense Against the Dark Arts dolls? Sounds...useful?
Bonnie, we order our Thanksgiving dinner precooked from a local grocery. All organic. We did it last year, and it was great! So, we are doing it again this year. It was actually better than what we cook! We add a few veggie dishes of our own. Overall cost, less expensive than doing it all ourselves. Feeds 5 of us! with leftovers.
ReplyDeleteA local restaurant here has dinners that can be eaten in or taken out. The cost is a donation to Habitat for Humanity and the take out meals would provide enough food for one days leftovers. Maybe ther is a charity ,eal up there so not only could you not have to cook, you could do it for a cause. If your husband felt up to it you could eat out,if not you could take out. If only there were people as caring as these in every town. By the way all the staff volunteer their time and the tips go into a jar and are divided equally to cover the kitchen staff and those who aren't covered by tips and some of the servers and cooks donate their share to HFH. This is the 6th or 7th nytear they have done this, with different charities benefiting.
ReplyDeleteOrder a dinner from a grocery store or restaurant. We did that one year and it was fabulous. This year unfortunately it's at my house with 21 people so I'll be cooking.
ReplyDeleteWhatever you decide to do, enjoy! When I choose to go out for a holiday meal, I still make sure I pick up a small turkey so I can have the leftovers just the same.
ReplyDeleteMy son had the same surgery. My suggestion: Go out, buy the meal and bring it home. Then you can enjoy it in front of a good movie:-)
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving!
Hi Bonnie, our Thanksgiving is small also, I just cook a turkey breast. It works for us and we don't have leftovers for days! I hope all goes well for your husband's surgery.
ReplyDeleteJust had to comment on this post - I've had two hernia surgeries. One was the day before Thanksgiving, and I cooked the dinner the next day. It just feels a bit sore, and like pressure on that area. Our family has a weakness somehow. My dad has had a couple of hernia operations, too, and it was a really quick rebound for him, too. Thought I'd tell you about him since we are talking about a male here!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your weight loss! When you were in Crown Point, Indiana a few months ago, I thought you looked pretty trim then! btw, we had dinner together with Marilyn - the snooty waiter in the beautiful old house!
Happy Thanksgiving
One year, we had a quiet time at home, too. We just made Cornish hens. That was a lot of fun. I think you should make a dessert you can enjoy a little bit of. :-) Congrats on losing 30 lbs. I would LOVE to do that and hope to be "in a place" where I can get on it here soon. My life isn't conducive to attempting that right now... sigh. I know it never is, but I really have to be in a place where I can plan well, have time carved out for exercise, etc. I know you have to MAKE time for it, but there are times at work that are better for starting this and times when it's not a good time to start that...
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving to you!
Hi Bonnie - my condolences about loosing your friend/blogger - such things are always hard to cope with, but life goes on for the rest of us!
ReplyDeleteI finished my Step 1 pieces for RRCB over the weekend.
I recommend betting takeout (Boston Market, for one) for Thanksgiving - altho if you want to go out... there is a buffet place near us that does a terrific Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings! I'm sure there is one near you, too.
Enjoy your holiday and family time.
Hugs & comfort to you all.
Thea in PA
I feel sad and creepy at the same time looking at those poor dolls. Yike, I would never wnat one of those in my house.
ReplyDeleteThis year we're ordering a "turkey to go" from a turkey farm that specializes in cooking complete meals. It will be a lot easier on everyone, including my elderly parents, who won't have to drive or cook and my daughter who's a new mom this year. I'm still going to buy a small turkey or turkey breast so I'll have my own leftovers.
Have a wonderful thanksgiving Bonnie!
As suggested, order a 'meal' for your family and put your feet up and enjoy the day... maybe with some sewing! I'm looking forward to Christmas as I asked my MIL to get me one of your books. Thanks so much for your website, sharing of the wonderful patterns and inspiration and for doing your mystery again this year. I think I'm going to pull my fabrics (dark blue, light blue, green and brown) and join in for my first Bonnie Hunter mystery starting this weekend!
ReplyDeleteWe had our "Thanksgiving" at our Church last Saturday. DH is my Turkey Chef. Our 34th Anniversary is that day and I told all- "I'M NOT COOKING". It's snowy here and I don't have to leave. Those dolls remind me of Toy Story, not Chuckie.
ReplyDeleteI lost a Quilty friend last week too. Brain cancer- We were Co-chairs in our Local Guild a few years ago. Glad I knew her for real. Happy Turkey Day and Good luck with your re-cuperating DH. NO fun- Hernia sugery. Been there, done that with my DH too.
Well, I would be tempted to rescue those dollies and turn them back into dolls!
ReplyDeleteHave you considered just a turkey breast to roast? Nice for sandwiches. Or the Cornish hens sounded nice.
It is hard to hear on anyone taking their life or dying tragically. To have some glimpse of their life makes it worse, because we can never eally know the details. It reminds me of the time I found my grandma crying because a cousin she had never met had died. She said, "but now there is no chance of knowing her!". I didn't understand it then, thirty years later I am just starting to get it.
OMG, when I saw that first doll picture the first word that popped into my head was "Chuckie." What do you DO with something like that???
ReplyDeleteWe had our Thanksgiving yesterday at our daughter's so T-Day will be just the two of us. I'll roast a nice big chicken, make my doctored up Stove-top stuffing, mashed potatoes & gravy(gotta have that turkey gravy), dinner rolls I'll bake from frozen, veggie & pumpkin(squash) pie & whipped topping. It is, after all, Thanksgiving and calories be damned. LOL
Way to go on the weight loss!
ReplyDeleteThose dolls make me think of the neighbor kid in the first Toy Story movie!
I'm ready to give up the Turkey dinner! We have it on Thursday and then my DH and DSons have a full turkey dinner at the hunting cabin on Sunday to kick off hunting season and I'm left with all those leftovers. I ended up throwing a lot of turkey away. This year I'm going to just get a smaller one and see how that goes. I do love stuffing and gravy though!
Take away the yams and you will have my Thanksgiving menu. Of course, it is all about proportion. The dolls are very edgy, aren't they? I am more into the traditional, representational art. Well wishes to you and your family.
ReplyDeleteSo I do see another possibility.....order one of those full Thanksgiving dinners from Boston Market or even your grocery store. My bet ( as a nurse) is he is going to be darn sore still and could go out to eat but would rather not put anything more on himself then sweatpants.
ReplyDeleteI have this dilemma at Christmas time too......how much food to cook for 3 of us.
In any event have a blessed Thanksgiving and remember we are all thinking of you and grateful for all you give to us quilters every year.
Catching up on your blog. So sad about your cried, I'm sorry. I wanted to assay that my saad took his own life and it's the most selfish thing a person can do. It's a moment of deep depression that leaves their loved ones with a lifetime of grief, they have NO idea. Happy Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteI agree that ordering a turkey may be the way to go this year! Personally, I like how I make my own sides, so maybe I would just order the bird and gravy! Or shoot - the whole kabang! Good job on the weight loss! My grocery store sells pie by the slice so maybe it is less temptation if you just buy a few slices of pie instead of the whole thing. I am thrilled to be in the USA this year for my all-time favorite holiday and will be celebrating with my family, although a bit sad that my little son and husband are in Austria. When I was little I had a doll just like the middle one (tin can).
ReplyDeleteCheers! Evelyn
I think I would like to be your personal secretary, Girl Friday. valet or whatever the currect term would be for today's world. I read about the things you need to do when you get home and I think I could do that for her...like filling mail orders, etc. Living on your fringe I guess. LOL I also like Kim's comment of the Boston Market idea.
ReplyDeleteThere is a really good recipe for a mixture of mashed cauliflower and potato that is low WW points and you can get fat free gravy, no points, delicious! I always make that at Thanksgiving these days.
ReplyDeleteOMGosh! The dolls are an absolute hoot! I think it's called grunge art, Bonnie.
ReplyDeleteYou have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I hope all goes well with Dave.
I am thankful for your friendhsip. Sure wish it was possible to get together this winter in Sunriver. Remember all that crazy snow we had?! Good memories.
Well...I was getting ready to post what Kim did above me. More than once we have gotten them from the supermarket...they were well worth it!
ReplyDeleteWhatever you decide, have a good thanksgiving!
We are also only 3 for dinner Thursday - We buy a turkey and have the butcher cut it in half - On half will go into the freezer for Christmas when we havee a much larger group and cook a rib roast also.
ReplyDeleteThe dolls are definitely weird imho. Hope hubby's surgery goes well.
How was the surgery? Hope everything is well, and wish you nice thanskgiving time and rest for all your family! I enjoy so much your blog and energy! Thank you! Sophie
ReplyDeleteI would certainly opt out for "eating out-in" and buy it already cooked. Cracker Barrell currently has a really good family feast for take out. Whatever you eat, have a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and no where to go. Priceless combination.
ReplyDeleteI actually make those weird dolls and am also an art teacher. I first started making faces and flowers out of found objects and was then introduced to a book called "Who's Your DADA" and asked to do a workshop with a summer art honor group of middle and high school students. If you will read further about the DADA Movement you will find that it was a time protest about the war and many other things. They took things that did not seem to be art and called it art. Check out Marcel Duchamp's "The Fountain" among many others. You are welcome to check out my blog at: www.lovelyl36.wordpress.com. One thing I tell my students is that everyone looks at things differently and when my sister first saw my dolls she thought I had lost my mind, but the one she thought was so strange is now the one she has begged me for. I explained to her what each of the pieces represented to me and she fell in love with the piece. If you go to my blog it is called "Measure of Success.” I hope this sheds a little light into these weird dolls and hope they don’t seem so weird. A friend told me about your blog and asked me if they were the same types of dolls I make.
ReplyDeleteLovelyl36 (above comment) explained the dolls, but I still think they are a bit creepy! I do, however, like the idea of making "art" with what is available. If I was a High School art teacher, I'd like to give the kids $5.00 and make them buy all the supplies and materials at a thrift store. That would surely unleash their creativity!
ReplyDeleteI intended to buy a turkey breast for Thanksgiving, but spotted a duck instead, and being in an adventurous mood I brought that home. It's something I only tasted once, and never ever cooked, but it's just DH and I so I thought "what the heck"!
During the Summer Art Honors we did take the students to the rescue mission and let them sellect their own materials. They did an awsome job and the dolls turned out wonderful!
ReplyDeleteYikes! How scary is that? Can you imagine if a little child saw those? They would be having night-mares for weeks! I did used to have the actual baby doll (including the body) of the 2nd one... I suppose there are some that just need some type of diversion... sad... weird. But I suppose to each there own. Maybe the person doesn't like dolls? Loving the new background for the blog! I need to catch up reading!
ReplyDelete