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| This is one of my favorite movies |
I woke up at 3 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning a bit nervous that I wouldn't time the turkey roast just right. I followed the directions of the Cast Iron chef and debated his advice to cook the turkey at 250 degrees as the USDA recommends no less than 325 degrees. I went with the 325 degrees to be safe. I took the turkey out of the buttermilk brine, dried it, rubbed it down with parika, salt, and baking soda, then propped it in the already-heated 17-inch cast iron pan. Within 30 minutes, the house smelled wonderful. Then I proceeded to prepare the stuffing, squash, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts, green bean caserole, and apple crisp.
At 10 a.m. we had a ZOOM call with our extended family members which my 90-year-old dad later said was the highlight of the day. It was good to have a few laughs and see everyone who were getting together in small groups throughout New England.
We enjoyed the noon time feast and spent the rest of the day watching movies and sports games, playing games, and later having leftovers for dinner. I started my own Emma Stone film fest--she's such a bright and positive actress to watch and her movies are wonderful. All in all, we made the best of it and had a cozy day at home.We packed up a Thanksgiving-meal-to-go for a couple households of relatives and friends so they could enjoy the fixings as well.
Despite the COVID-19 precautions and preparations, one of our family members was knowingly in contact with someone who tested negative twice, but then received a positive test right before Thanksgiving. This demonstrates the fact that testing can be helpful, but can't always be trusted. So now we're all staying away from others for a short time, and we're getting tested again soon to see if we contracted the illness in any way. Hopefully that won't be the case. Similar contact seems to have been the case for many family members. Since March our extended family has stayed quite distant from the virus, but it does seem like it is closing in on us now. I plan to take extra precautions in the days ahead, and recommend that everyone do the same.
With Christmas and winter around the corner, we're hunkering down even more. We're going easy on gifts and hoping to save a few dollars for a special 2021 celebration and 2022 trip. I'll ready packages to mail to loved ones in the days ahead, make a few ornaments, and plan another intimate holiday gathering for those who can make it. Staying informed and having a flexible attitude truly helps at these times.
It will interesting to see how these pandemic days affect the holidays in the years ahead. One aspect of pandemic celebrations that I want to bring forward is the calm and warmth that intimate events bring. Onward.