Happy Thanksgiving, Jackals! Hope your meal prep is going well. My eldest niece in Pennsylvania just posted this to the family group chat with the caption, “somebody just learned he likes pie crust.”
Those ears belong to Red, the Blue Heeler. While I’m fond of dogs, he is the only dog I’ve ever loved. Hope you have someone similarly vigilant willing to test your desserts for you. Open thread.
If You Signed Up for the 2025 Pet Calendar, You Have *One More Day to Upload Your Pics
Chief Oshkosh
Happy Thanksgiving!
ETA: Sorry, this is LONG. TL;DR: Volunteering helps you more than it helps others! :)
It’s just me and my lovely spouse this year for Thanksgiving (not pouting – we had a GREAT vacay with her sisters in October and will be seeing them and their kids and SOs again for Christmas, then heading to my bro’s and mom’s places to visit almost all of my family right afterwards).
So, we decided to take the time that was made available by not having family activities to volunteer to deliver food to people facing a lot of challenges (I mentioned this in another post). It was overall a good experience, and we plan to continue doing this monthly in 2025 (that’s the goal, anyway). I have two take-home messages to share.
First, one of feel-good and hope. I’m writing about this today, on Thanksgiving, because ALL of the volunteer slots were filled for Thanksgiving. And by filled, I mean ALL of the food purchase, food prep, food delivery, overall organization – everything – had not only all the volunteers needed, there was significant “overflow,” with folks like us being asked to volunteer on other dates. In fact, there were three (3!) times the number of volunteers needed for yesterday’s activities; we were the last vehicle to leave the facility with food and recipient lists and other volunteer vehicles were still pulling into the facility. SO, take-home message #1: No matter what we’ve been experiencing of the last few weeks, we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that there are many, many people who want to help their communities and their fellow human beings, and that there are many organizations that provide participation opportunities (this one was not religious-associated, which is our preference, but I know that many religious-related organizations can be great, too).
My second observation is that there are a lot of our fellow human beings who are in dire straits. I’m sure that that is not news to you, but for me, these deliveries really brought home the depths and the variety of the needs and challenges that our fellow human beings face every minute of every day of every week of every month of every year. I grew up poor, but out in the country, where all of my cousins were just as poor or poorer. But I was a kid then. I really didn’t understand, or even consider, why things were as they were. Nowadays, I spend a lot of time considering why things are as they are. It can be paralyzing mentally and spiritually.
So, third and final observation: If you’re feeling a bit of that paralysis, consider making a plan to volunteer in your community in 2025. Maybe keep it simple. For me, I know that there are always hungry people and I know I have a vehicle and I can follow map instructions, so that’s where I started. :)
M31
lol we just learned that our cat doesn’t like shrimp and won’t eat one
but absolutely loves dried bonito fish flakes and kind of goes crazy for them
Scout211
LOL! I learned my lesson years ago when our black lab ate all the pies off the counter. After that disaster, I bought 3 Tupperware-style pie containers and then all pies were forever safe.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Phylllis
At our house, it’s the annual ‘who is that’ question asked by my husband regarding every featured performer during the parade. As if I have a clue.
comrade scotts agenda of rage
@Chief Oshkosh:
A thousand times this. Stating the obvious: volunteerism can take on so many forms in so many “venues”. If the first try isn’t a good fit, keep trying until you find a good fit.
Everybody wins.
brendancalling
I think I mentioned I’m working on kicking tobacco, and have discovered that my social anxiety really kicks off the urge. I’m dining w/mostly strangers today, and I want a smoke SO badly. I have my patch on, so that helps. I would like to take a walk and smoke some weed, but it’s pouring and windy outside. We’re staying w/my gal’s mom, so I can’t toke up in the house. So I’m waiting for the wind and rain to die down, I guess.
Thanksgiving used to be my favorite holiday, but I have given up on whatever our country is now, whatever gratitude I have is for the individuals who made dinner.
narya
Tell your niece that I just started reading that book. :-)
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone; I’ll keep you in mind when we eat the creme brûlée with some caramelized apples hiding at the bottom. One batch of bread didn’t come out; we’ll see what happens with the other. Pics later.
WaterGirl
@Scout211: Did your lab get sick? Or just a scary distended stomach?
I am trying to remember what Henry stole last year that made his midsection twice his size and instigated an emergency trip to the vet.
*remembered, he broke into the food tin and ate 100x his normal portion size.
WaterGirl
@brendancalling: Reading your comment set off a flurry of emotions for me.
Social anxiety and being with a bunch of strangers, oh no. then the thought that maybe you can take one quick toke out in the rain. Moving on to profound sadness at your comment about our country, then kind of laughing-crying that you are down to just being grateful for the people who made dinner.
Glad you are with people today.
TBone
@Phylllis: lol
narya
So, sorta in the spirit, last week a consulting opportunity dropped into my lap. An org for which I used to work (which provides services for people experiencing homelessness, typically people who have mental health and SUD challenges as well) is Going Through It, for reasons that I won’t detail here, but which are not the fault of that organization. My last boss knows their CEO, who reached out to me . . . and it turns out that my 15+ years of doing nearly every damn thing at one or the other of the organizations is potentially quite useful to them. I wasn’t planning on working this much, but it sure feels like this is an opportunity to use everything I’ve learned and get paid for it. Bonus: years ago, the person with whom I’ll be working found some old work papers/spreadsheets that I had created and realized that was EXACTLY the info he needed, so he already thought well of me.
realbtl
My prep is almost done- ran dishwasher for clean plates etc, Pellegrino and sparkling cider chilling, chairs brought to dining room. Still have to do a final dog poop check. One of the benefits of being 75 is that the Montana family is bringing potluck.
narya
@brendancalling: Hey there–I quit cold turkey 36 years ago (2-3 packs/day . . .) and discovered that chewing on toothpicks helped a lot. Also: many folks apparently use cigs as an “excuse” to get away from the crowd; if you’re one of them, I’d say go ahead and just say, hey, I need to step away for a minute, just as if you were having a smoke. Sending good thoughts your way.
Scout211
No, she didn’t get sick at all. I think she had an unusually tolerant digestive system. She even ate a bunch of chocolate Christmas candies one year that had us looking up where the nearest emergency vet was located, but she had zero reaction. We made sure the chocolates were stored above the fridge after that, though.
Scout was so much bigger than Henry, though. That may be the difference in how they reacted.
ascap_scab
This seems like a good place for this Thanksgiving tradition.
All your base are belong to us! You have no chance to survive, make your time. Ha ha ha.
https://youtu.be/qItugh-fFgg?feature=shared
NotMax
@narya
None o’ them lights for James Earl Jones.
;)
Dorothy A. Winsor
@narya: Good! Sometimes you need a reward.
Ceci n est pas mon nym
Happy Thanksgiving, juicers.
I have been thinking a lot about maintaining a focus on gratitude, and there is really a lot to be thankful for, every day.
So this seems like the right day to come back out from under the covers and rejoin civilization, so much as “civilization” can be equated with “Balloon Juice”.
I have many thoughts, but they can wait. I love you guys. Happy Thanksgiving!!! Enjoy your food comas!
UncleEbeneezer
@brendancalling: Good luck with that. My wife gave up smoking years ago and I know it was hard, especially when she was socially around other smokers.
Been meaning to ask you, do you have a link for the heavy music playlist you shared awhile back?
TaMara
@Chief Oshkosh: Thank you for all of that… ❤️
MazeDancer
Had gluten-free Wild Blueberry Pie for breakfast. Which I made, sliced, and froze.
(Recipe: Pour bag of frozen Wild Blueberries into excellent store-bought gluten-free crust. First ingredient: butter.
Stir in an unmeasured amount of cornstarch.And sweetener if you like. Was out of maple syrup, so used, some chopped dates.)
Now eating the Smoked Wild Mackerel “pate” I made, because not going to friends.
So far, having a very good day.
trollhattan
@Scout211:
My tip for naughty food thieving doggies: the salt trick.
If Fido steals an entire chocolate croissant (an oddly specific example that in no way references our current doggie, who is perfect in every way, just ask him) toss a tablespoon or so of salt down his throat (you get precisely one try, so make it count) and take him out to the yard. In a few minutes you will retrieve the salt and the chocolate croissant.
Beats a trip to the pet ho$pital.
dlwchico
I also had a great ACD/Heeler named Jake.
I have been fond of all my dogs before and after Jake but none have matched him (though Maya, my current dog, is doing pretty good.)
trollhattan
@ascap_scab:
Most excellent. And oddly specific to the era.
Steve LaBonne
I just finished making the stuffing, which will go in the oven an hour before the turkey breast is done. My wife (the baker in our household) is about to get started on a pumpkin pie with her amazingly delicious lard crust. It’s just us this year. Happy Thanksgiving all!
Chief Oshkosh
@narya: Good luck! It’s nice to be needed. I hope it’s fulfilling.
TBone
Dang my convection oven cooked a 13 pound bird in two hours. I was planning on 2.5 to 3 hours, glad I kept an eye on it. No dry bird! The popper is popped so I’m going with “done.”
MCat
Thank you all for being here. I am a longtime lurker. This community has helped me to keep my sanity for years. I am so grateful for all you jackals. And for all your pets too.
The Pale Scot
@Scout211:
I marinated a London Broil and left it on a low table, walked away for a minute came back and found my friend’s hound dog trying to swallow it down whole like a python.
Rinsed it off and put it one the grill
trollhattan
@TBone:
The standard-to-convection time calculation is very murky. Glad we have remote thermometers with shrieky alarms.
Steve LaBonne
@The Pale Scot: When we got our first greyhound we had never before had a dog tall enough to counter surf. We learned quickly.
Kayla Rudbek
I managed to set four personal records for running this morning at the Turkey trot (1K, 1 mile, 5K, longest distance for the year = 5.09 miles). Now I’m home and having a quick lunch and some hot cinnamon tea, as it was wet/raining and I’m still drying out. Then a shower and off to my mother in law’s house for dinner. Second pie with my godson will be this weekend.
MagdaInBlack
@The Pale Scot: I had an Airedale who did that with an entire round steak. I was not able to rescue it. He then went outside and regurgitated it in the yard. Not salvageable.
WaterGirl
@Scout211: Could be. Henry was literally shaped like a watermelon for the better part of 3 days. Took him much longer to get his girlish figure backs, but at least his tummy wasn’t as firm as a watermelon anymore like it was for those 3 days.
The vet was worried about impaction.
Ben Cisco
Happy Thanksgiving 🦃 everyone.
Update: Mama Cisco is recovering and has completed her rehab. Turns out that she had a SERIOUS calcium deficiency which causes symptoms that mimic – wait for it – Alzheimer’s. Your Yo Gabba Gabba Word of the Day is hypocalcemia. Next steps: Assisted living, Memory Care Division.
In other news, my queen (b/c at our age ‘boyfriend and girlfriend’ sounds kinda weird?) got a new hip and is recovering.
Would love to be in on the Zoom call.
trollhattan
@The Pale Scot: @MagdaInBlack:
Put a 2-pound frozen Chateaubriand in the kitchen sink to thaw for grilling that night. At some point we quizzed one another “Didn’t we take that thing out to thaw?” and after a search, turned our gaze to Bruno the tall Dalmatian, who gave the “What, me?!?” look and sauntered off.
The wrapping paper appeared in the backyard, post-processing, the next day and thus, mystery solved. The bastard had somehow snagged it from the sink and gnawed his way through the entire lot, rock hard and paper wrapped notwithstanding, without us noticing.
When we remodeled the kitchen we had the counter height raised by several inches, and deepened by a couple. I learned the salt trick when another time, I caught him standing at the counter on two legs, hopping so as to reach to the very back and snag an item parked at the backsplash. After ordering him back to four legs, I showed him the agate rock he’d been trying to steal and he snatched it from my fingers and promptly swallowed the thing.
Christ, what now? It was too big to pass and emergency surgery seemed like a really bad idea. Perusing our pet vet book we came across the salt trick and thus, retrieved the rock ourselves.
Bruno cost us a lot of vet visits, bless his heart. There was the other time he ate psychedelic puffballs….
TBone
@trollhattan: no kiddin’! I wasn’t planning on serving food until much later today, so will simply pour hot gravy over the well rested, juicy meat later. Cook needs a well rest too!
I frequently put roasting chickens in that convection heater and it’s always a coin toss for how long, despite my best calculation efforts. I’ve had this newfangled contraption for six years now but still can’t get the times down to better than a rough estimate. I bought a fancy new stick-in digital thermometer just for this reason.
However, I love the oven even though it keeps me on my toes.
trollhattan
@Ben Cisco:
Wow, wonderful news! Blessings to Mama Cisco and the entire family.
Friend’s elder dad had an episode that put him in the hospital not in his right mind. Turned out after a week of copious testing he had been taking calcium by the kilo and that had flipped him out, spectacularly.
Parents.
WaterGirl
@Ben Cisco: Send me an email so i can reply with the zoom link.
WaterGirl
@Ben Cisco: Glad your mom is doing better.
I’m confused, though. If it was calcium deficiency and not Alzheimer’s, then why is she going to a memory care unit?
Snarlymon
Blue Heeler ears are so expressive. Still miss taking walks with Moxie, our Blue Heeler.
Eunicecycle
@Chief Oshkosh: probably a dead thread, but my husband and I volunteer for Meals on Wheels and at a food pantry (we’re retired). I was in a bad mood yesterday (just post-election stuff) and I did a route that snapped me out of it. The people were so grateful and cheerful, and every one wished me a happy Thanksgiving. I couldn’t stay grumpy after that. And yes, there are a lot of people with food insecurity. It’s going to get worse, I fear.
The Lodger
@Ceci n est pas mon nym: Thanks, Ceci. You’ve been missed.
arrieve
@Chief Oshkosh:
Thread is probably dead, but I just want to add– or at least as much. I actually get paid for teaching English to immigrants, but it’s so little for so much work that it basically counts as volunteer work. I’m retired, and lucky enough not to need the money. (The other teachers all have full-time jobs in addition to teaching in this program, FSM bless them.)
It’s been a rough couple of weeks, for the obvious reasons but with some plumbing emergencies that took way too long to sort out thrown in for extra stress. After class last Saturday I was heading for the escalators when I ran into two students from last semester’s class. Then I ran into three more in the lobby. It was so lovely to see them, and they all hugged me and told me that they miss being in my class. I hadn’t realized how much I needed a hug, and I got five.
Chief Oshkosh
@arrieve: Hugs are great. I’m glad you got 5 in one afternoon!
CCL
@narya: Same, only I chewed on a specific kind of coffee stirrer stick that was chewy. Might have been from DD – can’t remember now, but I do remember that the hollow stirrers were useless.