Thanksgiving Day

I hope you all had a wonderful time with family and friends, or even if on your own you celebrated in your own personal way - even if it was a TV dinner and TV or shopping OR STITCHING!

I was at my sister's house with my Dad, she and her husband, and her 2 son's families making at total of 13. After some debate, I took mixed vegetables and added a package of frozen corn to them, and fruit salad. Since I only brought home a couple of servings of each, guess that was a good choice. Irritatingly, the beautiful red delicious apples I bought to include had almost no taste and had apparently been way too cold at one point as they were riddled with brown to the point I there was very little of it I could even use. My sister provided a quite scrumptiously tart Pink something apple to make up the difference and some blueberries. The other apples are going back to the store for $1.80 refund! The guys rushed through dinner so they could watch the Cowboys game, leaving my sister and I to do the clean-up. Her DIL might have helped had there been room, but did stay and chat. Dad wanted his pumpkin pie immediately following lunch (so he could eat it while watching the game), but she didn't even set the desert out until AFTER most everything else had been cleared and put away - to make room for the pie to BE set out. Good for her!  At her direction, Dad was first in line. She had made a him a separate no-sugar pumpkin pie, but I don't know why she bothers. He took an equally large slice of sugar-loaded cherry pie and drowned both with ReadyWhip. Her 5 grandsons, ages 12 thru 19 and have absolutely avoided all interaction with us since they were toddlers (a BIG bone of contention with Dad - I doubt any of them even know my name) rushed in immediately, jostling for position behind Dadm for more than their fair share of each pie with requisite heaps of ReadyWhip, and rushed out just as quickly. There turned out to be plenty of pie, but only because the women either didn't eat any or had much smaller pieces. I found the rush and pie-grab by her the non-interacting grandsons particularly irritating. Grandmother and and parents just brush it off as teenage male behavior. I call it totally spoiled, utterly undisciplined, and downright rude.  Because of the cinnamon and gingler, I couldn't eat any of the pies but did nibble what little cookie I could from around the embedded M&M's and added a dollop of ReadyWhip to a cup of coffee. My sister put together a couple of servings of turkey and dressing with some gravy for each of Dad and I. VERY APPRECIATED!! We left at half-time in order to be home before dark. It was still in the 3rd quarter when I dropped him off, and though by then definitely dark, the very last pink of  sunset was still on the low horizon as I turned in my drive.

Henna, who finally wandered out to see who had dared to enter her domain, was displeased I hadn't been home to feed her on demand and to use my lap as her favorite napping spot. She even turned her nose up at the bit of turkey I offered by way apology.

For anyone who read the originally posted version: the noisy motor on my fridge seems to have resolved itself. WHEW!!

DMC Thanksgiving Freebie

Give Thanks Sampler  Also check out their other freebies.

Happy Thanksgiving! (and a past freebie)

May we each be truly grateful for all the blessing bestowed on us this past year, and special prayers for and blessings to those who are no longer with us or are unable to be with us this year.

A freebie from 2009 (click on picture for link):

from LindaMc at Bits of Floss

New Freebie Link & Ro*tel Dip (No, not together :D )

Cute rabbit with scissors and thread freebie from Patrick's Woods at The DandyHare blog. Scroll down to October 3rd entry. Also check out Happy Harvest from The CrossStitcher Magazine, and my "Give Thanks" freebie as well.

*****

Cloudy grey day here with passing cold front stalling just south of us. Possible severe weather this evening and tomorrow. Maybe. Last promise of rain - none. Thanksgiving will be at my nephew's for the first time this year. My sister sent out a list for people to volunteer to bring food. I'm always the person who fills in what's missing at the last minute - as long as it's something I can buy prepared or make once I get there. Usually it's salad fixings or pre-dinner finger foods: usually veggies, Ranch Dressing to dip, fruit PLUS RO-TEL DIP and chips. ALWAYS have to have Ro-tel Dip! It's been a staple at informal dinners and parties for decades here in Texas. Thanksgiving dinner time at 2 is based on some football game starting at 3:15.

Classic Ro*tel Dip

• 1 pound of Velveta Cheese cut into 1" or so cubes 
• 1 can of Ro*tel Original Diced Tomatos with Green Chilis (you can use "mild" but it's hardly any different than regular diced tomatoes; use "hot" at your own risk)

• Melt cheese and Ro-tel together over medium heat until cheese has melted or put it in the microwave  on high power for 5 minutes until cheese has melted
• Stir as cheese is melting to smoothly blend
• Stir in a bit of milk if dip gets too thick as it sits or as necessary to reheat

Super simple and quick. "Heat index": medium - but for less "hot" use more cheese or less Ro*tel - if dip is for more than a couple of people choose more cheese. The dip goes fast and you'll want more anyway. Store left- overs, if any, in fridge for a few days and reheat as you like.

Yummy as a dip with chips, cold veggies, tortillas, etc. or spoon over baked potatoes, eggs, and hot veggies to give them a bit of a kick. Great on hot dogs and hamburgers, with cold or hot chicken ...! We prefer our Ro*tel Dip straight, but you can add ground beef, sausage, etc.  Google Rotel Dip for other ideas.

Happy Harvest Freebie

Happy Harvest Freebie from The Cross Stitcher Magazine.

Thanksgiving Freebie

Size: 66w x 32h

• 14/28 ct - 4-5/8 x 2-1/4 in
• 16/32 ct - 4 x 2 in
• 18/36 ct - 3-1/2 x 1-3/4 in

Stitching suggestions:

• Want a tiny bit quicker stitch? Try the variation below. Actually, I think I like the variation better! Click here for alternate chart.
  
• Lay your threads out on different fabrics before you decide which to stitch on and choose the most pleasing to your own eye
• Stitch with a single overdye or silk
  

A freebie to say thank you for visiting my blog. Happy Thanksgiving fellow stitchers!!