One Step at a Time - November 2015

[Lizann]

Aww Pauly, I miss them too! I wonder how they are doing.
Rusty, I finished my tree last night. I'm not doing as much decorating this year. I'm tired of the same old so I'm trying a little less this year. I usually put bows on my tree which Erin hates, they are oddly missing this year. Hmmm, Erin?
Rusty, just wondering if the family intervention is what caused you to stop drinking.
Anyway, off to run on the treadmill. Gotta burn some of those calories!
Happy thanksgiving guys! Enjoy!

[paulywogg]

Hey all,Happy Thanksgiving my peeps! Molly,thanks for stopping by got a pie in the oven and after its done I'll toss the turkey in,people think I'm weird for eating a thanksgiving lunch but I like to eat like a pig then eat later again,kinda trippy reading last years thread,a lot has changed in the year and I realize that I cuss a lot!! My dads girlfriend from Ireland is visiting him,she's one year older than me btw!she sent me a video of my dad and my sister dancing, so sweet I started crying, my sis has down's syndrome and loves music so it was cute when dads girlfriend told her to shake her ass and she did,I shared it on Facebook, off to shows,find food,cook,much love to all,have a great Thanksgiving

[fennel]

Thanks, Molly!

Rusty, all I can do is keep plugging away...sooner or later, someone's gonna hire me!

I'm going to transport mom and one of my cousins to the big family feast today...not far from where my cabin is. : ( Fortunately, my cousin is introverted like I am, so we won't have to stick around for hours and hours.

Liz, I wish I could have a tree this year. Hopefully I'll be in my own place next Christmas. I loved decorating the tree. Not looking forward to having to separate out the Christmas ornaments from Mrs. Fen's. I swear, no marriage ever again!

I hope you all have a wonderful day...and mama, I hope you will post that recipe when you get a chance. I LOVE cauliflower!

[fennel]

X post, Pauly! :happy2:

[paulywogg]

Why are we introverted Fen? I always explain to my family that I work with the public all day,I sure as hey don't wanna be around people when I'm off,family calls me stuck-up, hermit,antisocial, etc,I think I'm just me,hope your day is nice hon

[fennel]

Pauly, I think we're born either extroverts or introverts, with the majority of the population being extroverted. And really, it doesn't mean we don't like people- I LOVE people! It just means that we need alone time to recharge our batteries. Explain it to your family that way.

You have a wonderful day, too. :hug:

[Rusty]

Back for just a bit..I was visiting my neighbor, Laura, whose mother passed away a few months ago. Laura, like myself, is single and has never been married. I have only met Laura twice but I loved her mother, who was 94. Laura invited me and some other neighbors over for Thanksgiving dinner today. She didn't want to be alone so she reached out and decided to have a celebration. Good for her!!

Liz-I change around my decorations so I don't get bored with them. I add a few new things every year, or put them in different places so then it looks like I got all new stuff!! LOL. I am not a bow person either. I have tried them, but I prefer to use artificial red berries or holly in my trees. You can get them at Hobby Lobby/Michael's. I think you will love the look. They really add bursts of color and beauty to the trees. To answer your question, my drinking got MUCH worse after the intervention, because then not only was I suffering from extreme anxiety, but then I had the humiliation and shame of being crucified by my family all at once, in my mother's living room. My other brother and my sister's husband did not participate in the intervention. They wanted no part of it. I will always be grateful for that!! I think if they had been there, the shame would have been too much for me and I probably would have ended my life. I quit drinking when I found baclofen...it helped me stay sober for several months at a time because it knocked out the underlying anxiety. It also took away that compulsion to drink that I felt at the end of a day or on the weekends...and gave my mellower brain a chance to make a wiser choice, as opposed to drinking. Please feel free to PM me ...I would be glad to help!

Fenny and Pauly...although I am an extrovert, on my days off....MANY times I just want to be alone...a hermit, as you said, Pauly. It's because I HAVE to talk to people, interview them, and be around crowds of people...ALL day. Yup, I get it!

Now, I REALLY do have to get going.

I am so thankful for all of you here!!!

[mama bear]

Happy Thanksgving Loves!!!
I just the mac and cheese in the oven
Fen...here you go...
2 cups cauliflower florets
cooking spray
1/2 lb. curly pasta
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. all purpose flower
2 cups 1% milk
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1tsp kosher salt
pinch of cayenne
2 1/2 cups grated cheddar
1/2 grated parmesan
1/4 cup Boursin garlic and herb spreadable cheese
1/3 cup Panko crumbs

Heat oven to 425. Spread cauliflower on rimmed baking sheet and coat lightly with cooking spray.
Roast florets till they are brown...about 10 minutes.
Reduce oven to 375.

Cook pasta according to instructions. Drain and set aside.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, whisk olive oil and flour one minute . Add milk, whisking constantly. Stir in mustard, salt and cayenne. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture has thickened, about 8 minutes.
Remove sauce from heat. Add two cups cheddar, Parmesan and Boursin and stir until melted. Add pasta and cauliflower and stir to coat.
Pour into a 2 qt baking dish and sprinkle with cheddar and Panko bread crumbs. Bake about 30 minutes.

OK...gotta shower and head to Mom's.
Pauly I miss K9 and Sunny and Kradle too. I texted K9 again last night.
Oh...Fenny, for the recipe, I expect one free skwerl porn DVD in the mail!!
I love you all and am SO Thankful for each and every one of you!

[NoraC]

Happy Thanksgiving!

Had to get up at 5:30 this morning and go buy a roasting pan. I had 2 but hubby decided it was a good idea to throw one away. LOL Anyway, Wal-Mart didn't have any of course. Stopped by a Hispanic store right by the house and there was one left. I cook my dressing in a separate pan (a full roaster pan) than the turkey so that the dressing is vegetarian. That makes everybody happy.

Mom has been having a few really bad days. So confused - it just breaks my heart. This morning hubby and I ran to the store - probably gone about an hour. I had woken up my son to listen for her but I was sure she wouldn't be up that early so I didn't leave his door wide open. Well, we got home and I opened the door and she was sitting in her chair, with her blanket all wrapped around her - even her head, and she had the saddest, confused look on her face. I just wanted to cry.

Anyway, I knew it was going to be rough and I did expect this. But...........that doesn't make it hurt any less.

Ok - enough sob stories. I am so very grateful that my Mom is here with us. I am grateful for all of my friends that I met on this site.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful day.

[Rusty]

Oh Nora, I am soooo sorry and sad for you!! Cry away. You have that right, for sure, dear friend. We are so grateful for YOUR friendship and STRENGTH. We can all learn a lesson from you....to stay AF if we are faced with your kind of pain. HUGS to you!!

[paulywogg]

I hope everyone is enjoying the day my neighbor is just barely putting her bird in,we already ate 3 hours ago Hahahaha! Nora,yourmom has a sweet daughter,hope you ended up with a happy day,Louie became obsessed with whipped cream in a can so he wouldn't eat,turd!he'll be hungry later though

[fennel]

OMG...Louie had whipped cream for Thanksgiving? :welldone:

[fennel]

Nora, what on earth was hubs thinking when he tossed that pan? I know two roasters are not commonly used on a daily basis, but when you need two, you need two! Thank goodness for the hispanic store.

I'm so sorry about your mom. That has to be so hard...hang in there. Maybe with a memory book that you can all help make, and some time, things will get better. Your place is so much better for her in terms of getting her basic and beyond basic needs met. I'm thinking of you...

[fennel]

Happy Thanksgving Loves!!!
I just the mac and cheese in the oven
Fen...here you go...
2 cups cauliflower florets
cooking spray
1/2 lb. curly pasta
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. all purpose flower
2 cups 1% milk
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1tsp kosher salt
pinch of cayenne
2 1/2 cups grated cheddar
1/2 grated parmesan
1/4 cup Boursin garlic and herb spreadable cheese
1/3 cup Panko crumbs

Heat oven to 425. Spread cauliflower on rimmed baking sheet and coat lightly with cooking spray.
Roast florets till they are brown...about 10 minutes.
Reduce oven to 375.

Cook pasta according to instructions. Drain and set aside.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, whisk olive oil and flour one minute . Add milk, whisking constantly. Stir in mustard, salt and cayenne. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture has thickened, about 8 minutes.
Remove sauce from heat. Add two cups cheddar, Parmesan and Boursin and stir until melted. Add pasta and cauliflower and stir to coat.
Pour into a 2 qt baking dish and sprinkle with cheddar and Panko bread crumbs. Bake about 30 minutes.

OK...gotta shower and head to Mom's.
Pauly I miss K9 and Sunny and Kradle too. I texted K9 again last night.
Oh...Fenny, for the recipe, I expect one free skwerl porn DVD in the mail!!
I love you all and am SO Thankful for each and every one of you!

Okay...would you like "Hot Treetop Action", or "Naughty Threesome"? Those are the only two I've cranked out. I had to hire a chipmunk for naughty threesome, so there's some bi-species action as well!

[fennel]

The recipe sounds great! Perhaps I will make that one for Mama Fen's Christmas experience.

I did manage to survive Thanksgiving with thirty of my relatives. Loud, Irish farm folks with many chill-blains (children) running around. The older chill-blains were probably drinking spiked punch in the basement, LOL. Just remembering my younger days with my cousins.

We left after three hours and ten minutes to visit my mom's dying cuz. She lights up when we visit! She's really going quickly, now. Just so sad. I am to be one of her pall bearers...I didn't know this, but she is having all female pall bearers. Interesting woman.

Anyway, today I am reminiscing about the Holidaze with STBX Mrs. Fen. Last year, she decided that not only should we celebrate Thanksgiving with our friends, B and A (whom I am now living with- TG was a long standing tradition with us), we should also drive down to Chicago's North West suburbs the following day for another celebration with her mom. So, if I were still with her, I'd be driving us to either Chicago or Burlington, WI, where MIL's lake home is located. Weekend home is a pokey, onerous drive from here, since only half of it is highway, while the other half takes place through a series of tiny towns (speed limit 25 mph.).

Unlike my family celebrations, which are blessedly brief, the Mrs. Fen family celebrations typically last 10 hours...we never arrived back home until 10:30 or 11 p.m.

I know I've been griping about her family celebrations for ages...but I need to have this final vent to celebrate that I will NEVER have to do that again! For the first time in 16 years, I'm not dreading the holidaze.