Holiday Meal Planning with Dad
frog's dad: So, what do you guys want for Thanksgiving? I mean, there'll be turkey, and I know your sister wants stuffing...
frog: Well, I thought maybe I'd make Aunt Melinda's Pie?
fd: you? you'd make? Or I'd make.
frog: um... it's just that the last time you made it, it looked like baby poop, and had a funny grainy texture?*
fd: I've gotten better! *mumble mumble* Nancy says they don't come out green any more!** I thought you guys would make Grandma Evy's jello salad?
frog: Oh, I don't think so, I mean, it makes a lot, and I don't want you guys stuck w/ leftovers til Christmas.***
fd: can't you just make half as much?
frog: then you'd be stuck with the leftover ingredients instead - half an orange, half an apple, half a can of pineapple...
fd: We've got plenty of fridge space!
frog: ... I don't even think it would have time to set all the way if we didn't make it til the day of - if memory serves, it needs to chill overnight.
fd: Well we could make it ahead of time - Nancy could make it!
frog: Oh, for the love of Pete, you are not having poor Nancy add that to her list of things to make.
Look, we both like the canned jellied kind, just pick us up a can of that. And none of that fancy-ass upscale whole-berry shit either, we want the really cheap, slice-able jellied stuff, okay? That's what we want for Thanksgiving.****
* I'm not just being mean, here, fyi, it was pretty much unanimously hailed as gross- he tried to "update" the ingredients: protip, dad, if the old-timey pie recipe calls for half-and-half, modern fat-free half-and-half is not an acceptable substitute.
** GREEN. GREEN. SWEET POTATO PIES ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE GREEN.
*** fun fact: my sister and I have actually used the leftover Thanksgiving cranberry mold for Christmas dinner, and it was still good - mmmmm, sugar!
**** And booze. Lots and lots of booze. In fact, maybe just pick up a package of cranberry jello and mix it with vodka. Just like the Pilgrims would have done, right?
In other familial news, talked to my mama last night. Her hubby is on his way out here to spend a week doing maintenance on my sister's house, because he has the time off work while he's recovering from knee surgery. This will be taking it easy for him, as he spent the last week of recovery finishing off their bedroom pod on their retirement property, and wiring their yurt for electricity.
After telling my mother earlier that they just couldn't afford the beadboard ceiling she wanted, he totally surprised her with one for her birthday. That's right, her birthday, which is still a month off. And he has hinted there may be more surprises awaiting her up at the land between now and then.
And, you know, don't get me wrong, I love my stepdad. He's a genuinely kind and thoughtful man, in addition to being, as evidenced above, really handy. But I think sometimes what I love the most about him is how he treats my mother. How considerate he is of her, and how appreciative he is of all the things she does for him, and of all that she is. He doesn't take her for granted, and he makes sure she knows that.
It actually makes me a little verklempt sometimes, because, IDK, it's like I'm finally getting to see my mama be treated the way she deserves to be, and I'm just so thankful to the universe on a regular basis that they were able to find one another.
frog: Well, I thought maybe I'd make Aunt Melinda's Pie?
fd: you? you'd make? Or I'd make.
frog: um... it's just that the last time you made it, it looked like baby poop, and had a funny grainy texture?*
fd: I've gotten better! *mumble mumble* Nancy says they don't come out green any more!** I thought you guys would make Grandma Evy's jello salad?
frog: Oh, I don't think so, I mean, it makes a lot, and I don't want you guys stuck w/ leftovers til Christmas.***
fd: can't you just make half as much?
frog: then you'd be stuck with the leftover ingredients instead - half an orange, half an apple, half a can of pineapple...
fd: We've got plenty of fridge space!
frog: ... I don't even think it would have time to set all the way if we didn't make it til the day of - if memory serves, it needs to chill overnight.
fd: Well we could make it ahead of time - Nancy could make it!
frog: Oh, for the love of Pete, you are not having poor Nancy add that to her list of things to make.
Look, we both like the canned jellied kind, just pick us up a can of that. And none of that fancy-ass upscale whole-berry shit either, we want the really cheap, slice-able jellied stuff, okay? That's what we want for Thanksgiving.****
* I'm not just being mean, here, fyi, it was pretty much unanimously hailed as gross- he tried to "update" the ingredients: protip, dad, if the old-timey pie recipe calls for half-and-half, modern fat-free half-and-half is not an acceptable substitute.
** GREEN. GREEN. SWEET POTATO PIES ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE GREEN.
*** fun fact: my sister and I have actually used the leftover Thanksgiving cranberry mold for Christmas dinner, and it was still good - mmmmm, sugar!
**** And booze. Lots and lots of booze. In fact, maybe just pick up a package of cranberry jello and mix it with vodka. Just like the Pilgrims would have done, right?
In other familial news, talked to my mama last night. Her hubby is on his way out here to spend a week doing maintenance on my sister's house, because he has the time off work while he's recovering from knee surgery. This will be taking it easy for him, as he spent the last week of recovery finishing off their bedroom pod on their retirement property, and wiring their yurt for electricity.
After telling my mother earlier that they just couldn't afford the beadboard ceiling she wanted, he totally surprised her with one for her birthday. That's right, her birthday, which is still a month off. And he has hinted there may be more surprises awaiting her up at the land between now and then.
And, you know, don't get me wrong, I love my stepdad. He's a genuinely kind and thoughtful man, in addition to being, as evidenced above, really handy. But I think sometimes what I love the most about him is how he treats my mother. How considerate he is of her, and how appreciative he is of all the things she does for him, and of all that she is. He doesn't take her for granted, and he makes sure she knows that.
It actually makes me a little verklempt sometimes, because, IDK, it's like I'm finally getting to see my mama be treated the way she deserves to be, and I'm just so thankful to the universe on a regular basis that they were able to find one another.