Thanksgiving

18.  Eighteen years.

That's how many times we've done Thanksgiving dinner here in Germany with our friends.  (Last year was a bit off-the-grid since I didn't cook it myself because of the broken foot, but still ...)

There are the usual invitees and one or two "guests" to round out the table.  It varies between 8 and 10.  Maybe we had 11 one time, but that stretches the table a bit. Back at the beginning we had to put together two tables to accommodate everyone but we have one table now - bought, oh, 10 years ago - that has two generous leaves that can seat them all.  How gemütlich.  I know that's a German word, but I've read recently that it's used in English too.  Who'dathunkit?

Several years ago we started having our dinner more like folks in the US of A - early in the day so there is time to recover from the feast.  That means buying the turkey on Thursday so it can be brined beforehand and we don't have to get up at 5AM to start cooking!

That also means finding place in the fridge.  The turkey takes up some space! (Note the Hellmanns's mayonnaise ready for sandwiches the following day.)

Thank goodness it is cool enough outside that all the veggies and pre-prepared stuff - cranberry sauce, gravy - can nest on the deck. 

We are so busy doing stuff, I forget to take enough pics, but here's the table, prepared for the feast.  And I have to excuse ourselves a bit since the bathroom renovation is still still not done and there was a teeeennny bit to do just getting something ready for guests to relieve themselves in gemütlichkeit!

Nevertheless it is always gemütlich at our little house.

Anyway, it's about food and friends and fellowship.  Of that, there is always plenty.

Mushroom soup to begin.  Werner got it in his head that he wanted mushroom soup, so it was. He gets to choose something!  Turkey with cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, brussels sprouts in cream sauce with garlic and basil (soooo good!), black-eyed peas. Ample gravy. Normally, we'd take a walk between feast and dessert, but the weather was so un-gemütlich that we just sat and talked longer and then had our coffee and dessert.

The pecan pie was to die for.  The ambrosia was heavenly.  The Key Lime pie had just the right note. And again, the company was just perfect.

Then clean up!  Lots of dishes to wash by hand.  So it is.

Afterwards, Werner and I settled down to the computer and bought the FSU-UF game.  Not bad, the picture.  Real bad, the result!!  Maybe I was a jinx!

But we still love FSU and the Seminoles.  We'll get 'em next year.