We are ice and snowed in. Happily tomorrow is the day I spend with friends for Thanksgiving. Today we’ll just hang out and watch movies and stay warm. Although I am heading out to see if I can scrape a layer of ice off the car and sidewalks.
Open thread until Cole steps in with his post-in-waiting. Happy Thanksgiving!
Luthe
Where are you that you are frozen? We here in CT are having a nice 50 degree day.
Felonius Monk
Happy Thanksgiving to all of Balloon-Juice land.
Also, 50 degrees here in upstate NY. Expecting 60s tomorrow.
Sasha
Well I have the AC on here in Southeastern Virginia. It’s 71F and sunny and with the oven on, it just too hot. I’ve never been so grateful to my husband for leaving the AC in the window after I asked him to take it down three times!
Happy Thanksgiving and thanks, Honey!
raven
So, you are not supposed to thaw a turkey in water unless you do it in the original wrapped but it’s ok to brine it outside that wrapper???
SiubhanDuinne
It’s a beautiful, sunny, 66° day in Atlanta. Heading out for a fairly early dinner with my cousins. It’s just the three of us this year, so we’re having individual Cornish hens instead of a turkey.
Hope everyone has a terrific day despite any weather issues, strange relatives, or culinary mishaps.
debbie
@raven
Brining is in cold (ice) water.
raven
@debbie: Right and so is thawing in the wrapper. You are supposed to change the water every 20 minutes to make sure the temp stays below 40.
eta The google has been no help, the DO NOT WASH forces have taken over.
raven
@SiubhanDuinne: It’s gorgeous here but the NE wind makes surf fishing difficult. I am really beat up from the boat trip yesterday so it’s probably just as well.
benw
Happy Thanksgiving, BJers!
Just got back from a family fun run and 5k up in Burlington, VT. Now I’m scarfing down some spicy Thai food and coffee to tide me over until dinner!
Pogonip
Tamara, be careful! I broke my elbow (no, I wasn’t carrying a dog, or mustard, or anything except a scraper) in weather just such as you describe.
Botsplainer
An unseasonably warm 70 here in the People’s Democratic Socialist Kenyan Sharia Republic of Louisville.
redshirt
Overcast but warm here in New Gondolin. Winter has not come yet as it sometimes can by this time of the year.
I’m playing so much Fantasy my head is spinning. I have to root for everyone.
WereBear
@raven: It’s tradition, it doesn’t have to make any sense!
Mike J
@raven: Probably fear of cross contamination.
WereBear
Deep fry safely, people!
http://www.oregonlive.com/cooking/2014/11/12_all-time_deep-fried_turkey.html
Linda Featheringill
Happy Thanksgiving Day to everyone.
Mild weather in Philly [50s] but we’re lazing around indoors anyway.
Have a good one. And yes, Tamara, be careful. That ice can be treacherous.
Luthe
I forgot to add the obligatory, “But global warming is a hoax; Ted Cruz told me so!”
pat
Best thing for icy sidewalks: Traction Grit. Hard to find but way better than salt. Does not melt a hole and then sink into the ice, and you can strew it ahead of your feet on the way to the car or whatever. I have a bottle on the porch for that purpose. Also more environmentally friendly than salt.
raven
@Mike J: Exactly! After consultation with the boss we have decided that it’s not worth it to fool around with a $7 turkey when I have fresh caught red snapper just waiting to be eaten.When in doubt, throw it out. Snapper it is!
WereBear
@pat: Great idea!
Nice toasty 47 here today. Though we had our first snow.
Germy
@pat: Is it kind to concrete and wood? Last year I put out some rock salt and it ate away at my sidewalk concrete. It also tracked onto my wooden steps and didn’t do them much good.
I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet
@raven: Andrew at CloveGarden has lots of good information about roasting turkeys, including the various issues with thawing. Check it out.
I’m no expert, just passing along his info.
HTH.
Cheers,
Scott.
Steeplejack
Slightly odd Thanksgiving shaping up here in Las Vegas. My cold is much improved, but I am incredibly tired. Did go out to dinner with my friend last night, but that and a short trip to Vons (grocery) on the way home wiped me out.
Exhausted again this morning 10 minutes after getting up and feeding the dogs. I did a check-in call with my mom, and we mutually begged off on getting together today. I think it was a good choice, but it feels slightly weird.
It’s sunny and 48°—slightly colder than normal—and there’s a freeze warning for tonight. But a pleasant day nonetheless.
Thursday is garbage/recycling day. I didn’t know what the holiday arrangements would be, but I saw neighbors’ carts out last night, so I put mine out as well. And just a few minutes ago the garbage truck came by! WTF. Must be a private outfit. I can’t imagine that a municipal government would force its employees to work on Thanksgiving. Ah, the efficiency of the private sector.
So it looks like watching football and dozing on the couch are on tap for today. I have a bottle of Spanish bubbly to open later, and I can at least get in the ball park of Thanksgiving with a turkey sandwich, if I get hungry. Which so far has not been an issue. I just had a slice of leftover pizza, and that will hold me for quite a while.
Happy Thanksgiving to all Juicers and their loved ones!
Mnemosyne (tablet)
Sitting on the couch watching MST3K with a cat in my lap. And I don’t have to do any cooking today. It’s a good day.
FlyingToaster (phone)
It’s about 50 in my (undisclosed location) North Shore inlaws; the boys are in the basement playing video games after their older brother’s horrendous football loss. WarriorGirl is watching cartoons on the iPad. The
dinosaurturkey is finally on its back, so dinner will be anon.WereBear
@Mnemosyne (tablet): Me too!
Mike J
@Mnemosyne (tablet): I can’t believe they completely ignored “The Razzle Jazzle Dance Company” in the credits of Outlaw.
Eljai
I don’t fly home for Thanksgiving, but I will at Xmas. So today, I am eating a roast turkey sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy that I bought at an Irish pub yesterday. The waitress gave me an extra tub of gravy to take go! It’s a sunny 48 degrees here in northern CA, so I may take a walk later.
redshirt
FYI for those adventurous American souls: Traveling overseas during Thanksgiving is a fantastic idea, as there aren’t many other Americans doing it. I’ve traveled to London, Greece, Italy and Australia during Thanksgiving and each trip was fantastic. Empty planes, empty and and cheap hotels, and time off from work with no threat of emergency.
Suzanne
A beautiful 57-degree day here in Phoenix, AZ. We are all still in PJs or loungewear. I don’t expect anything to change. Still watching the parade—Daughtry just performed on the avocado float.
J R in WV
I have the front door and big Kitchen window open because I am cooking sides, everything but potatoes and turkey. Cranberry Chutney and Cranberry Relish, two diff flavors. There’s the bingbingbing the second flavor of Relish is done!
Happy Global Climate Change Thanksgiving day to everyone. Mrs J is watching the dog show. My next project is deviled eggs…
Is anyone else still getting ticks on their dogs? We’re gonna have to hit them with another dose of Revolution, or whatever our Vet has them on right now. While they appear to be dead when I pull them off a dog (or even a cat!) they’re still there… yuck!
Summer is supposed to be over now, but not yet. And no one thinks climate change is in effect? /snark …Just Republicans, I guess.
redshirt
@J R in WV: I had a really low tick season again – second year in a row. I have no explanation.
pat
@Germy:
It might do some damage if it is ground into the wood but it will not be chemical or corrosive.
Germy
@J R in WV: Our cat is using Revolution. I thought we could get away with not administering it during the winter months, but our oldest spawn visited after spending time with dog & cat cohabitating friends, and I think more fleas have arrived. We’ve been vacuuming, and I guess the revolution will be a year-round thing for our cat.
I had recently purchased a different over-the-counter topical flea medicine, but then googled it and saw a bunch of horrible stories about its danger. So I threw it away and the vet recommended revolution. They assure me its safe… I hope so!
Bobby Thomson
Iggles are stinking up the joint and screwing up Detroit’s draft. The only bright spot is this brings Kelly’s sacking closer.
raven
@I’mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet: We changed our minds!
Mike in NC
They had 20+ inches of snow in Boston last winter, so it was hard to get the wife to agree to come up for a family visit in late November. But it’s sunny out and fairly mild, and should hit 60 on Friday.
Beach weather back home next week.
gene108
Out to NYC to visit my brother and family. My mom is already there. My sister-in-law’s sisters family is also coming from Montreal.
The moral of tomorrow morning for me will be to grab a shower as quickly as I can.
imonlylurkening: The Sequel
The corned beef is on the stove, I start the potatoes/cabbage and the squash in an hour, and we eat at three. After all my self-discipline in not making another pie, my roommate brought one home. So we will have three pies for three people.
I’ve been making a concerted effort to NOT make so much food this year. I think I’ve got the right balance. Now if I can just shut off the part of my brain that is insisting there won’t be enough….
Germy
Associated Press:
Zinsky
Did the 5K Walk for Hunger at Mall of America at 7 am and came home to a bacon and egg brunch. Big feast is tomorrow when all the kids are home and niece and family arrive. Light snow and 32 in Minneapolis, which is normal for this time of year. Happy Thanksgiving to all and enjoy the time with your loved ones. I’ll bet Trump eats alone today, since he has no friends and his family despises him. No amount of money is a substitute for the love of your family.
Some guy
Happy Thanksgiving to one and all. Trying out TaMaras sweet potato and Apple casserole. Two more hours before the bird is done.then with the feasting
Eric U.
@Steeplejack: we have private garbage companies, and they get all holidays off. In Central PA, this includes the first day of hunting season, so we’re a day late next week
Germy
@Zinsky:
You mean he won’t be volunteering in a soup kitchen this year?
SIA
@Steeplejack: Hope you feel better soon. Lingering fatigue seems to be a constant with the current bug so many people have had.
Denver is very unpredictable weather-wise. I travel there for work a few times a year. Once forecast was 70s and mild, and I woke up to 3″ of snow!
Germy
Frank Gifford’s brain was donated to science. They’re saying he had CTE.
Mike J
Ross WeidnerVerified account @RossWeidner
NEW: Dash cams capturing the #LaquanMcDonald shooting didn’t record audio because each camera’s batteries were put in backwards
feebog
About 60 here in SoCal with a nice breeze. Going to the in-laws for dinner, which I really like. Going to meet our new niece for the first time and catch up with people we rarely see. Saturday we are flying down to Cabo San Lucas, that is if hurricane Sandra has moved out of the way. Happy Thanksgiving BJers!
ruemara
Still baking. Did a crazy variant of a challah dough but used chocolate stout instead of milk or water. Filled that with harvest fruit cranberry sauce. Basically, cranberry sauce made with real cranberries, a diced apple, then mixed with half a cup of roasted acorn squash. roll out dough, sprinkle with ground & chopped pecans, smear with cooled cran stuff and cut. put in pan, let dough rise overnight, bake. Very tasty, looks like you murdered something though. Now I’m getting ingredients together for a vermouth & blackberry cupcake. I think I will also take in a workout, since I’m eating like a normal person today.
NotMax
@Steeplejack
Municipal trash pick-up doesn’t stop for holidays here. (They came by at 5:13 this morning.)
Landfill is closed to the public on holidays, though.
Debating whether or not to mow today. Grass and weeds approaching jungle height. Rained the past three days and more rain expected very soon. Don’t want to disturb the neighbors on Thanksgiving, but then again today may be the only window of opportunity before it gets to machete time after the impending rain.
Steeplejack
@Eric U.:
It’s kind of weird. I’m housesitting for my brother and trying to fit in “when in Rome” style. Brother didn’t leave a lot of info, just said get the carts out early (preferably the night before) and take them back in promptly, because Nazi HOA. I just went by what the neighbors seemed to be doing.
I’ll check later to see if both the garbage and the recycling were taken (separate carts). I saw only one truck go by, but I think my brother said the recycling truck comes very early. I’m not producing a huge amount of waste, and the carts are big, so I can tough it out until next Thursday.
Adam L Silverman
I’m off to make cornbread for stuffing and the pies. We’ve pushed everything back a day because someone isn’t feeling well. So I’ll finish getting everything prepped today, then stuff and roast the turkey tomorrow AM while I’m at the gym. Then home to do the sweet potatoes. And then we’ll eat.
So everyone have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving today. And enjoy your leftovers tomorrow!
SIA
Who is more oppressed than Christian shoppers?!?
http://www.wnd.com/2015/11/is-there-anyplace-left-for-christians-to-shop/#OJvHP307j5mMlzci.99
HTML link not functioning on iPad
ETA In moderation? Weird.
Mike J
@NotMax:
Stockbridge, Mass?
Adam L Silverman
@ruemara: Do you normally eat like an abnormal person? Also, did you get your project done? I sympathize: I’m in the process of drafting out a report and I need to start writing, but its really not done percolating in me noggin…
Steeplejack
@Germy:
I caught the tail end of a story on TV about that, and it mentioned that 96% of the brains they have analyzed had CTE. Oof! And some expert repeating that it could be one blow but is more likely the repetition of less severe blows.
Adam L Silverman
@Steeplejack: Didn’t Minnesota just recommend eliminating high school football because of this problem?
jeffreyw
All this talk is making me hungry, let’s eat!
Steeplejack
@SIA:
Thanks. At dinner last night my friend was saying that the current cold going around lasts about a week and has a long “tail” of fatigue. I realized that because I get a cold so infrequently I can never remember how it went last time or what I used for medicine. My medicine cabinet is so bare that I usually have trouble finding the Aleve when I have a (very rare) headache. So for a cold I definitely never have anything at hand.
Adam L Silverman
@Steeplejack: Emergen-C powder in water and zinc. Plenty of fluids and rest.
Phylllis
@imonlylurkening: The Sequel: Same here; I keep thinking ‘we need something else, we need something else’. But it’s just me and the hubster–we have a 10 lb turkey, with dressing, mashed sweet potatoes, steamed brussel sprouts, gravy, rolls, and a pie. It’s more than a gracious plenty for two people.
Steeplejack
@NotMax:
Maybe it’s the same here. Maybe I mistakenly assumed my (local) experience is the norm everywhere. Eek! Does this mean I’m a Republican?
NotMax
Dang, but this looks festive and extra good.
Orange Glazed Cranberry Bread
Adam L Silverman
@efgoldman: And if you’re going to do it get it organic and free range if you are willing/able to spend the extra dollar or so per pound. It makes all the difference. The taste and flavor is so much better.
SIA
@Steeplejack: We keep colloidal silver on hand and it seems to stop whatever bugs start up. The only other thing I think helps is ibuprofen or aspirin. Everything else makes me feel weirder.
Suzanne
Now I’m watching the dog show. Holy adorable.
Steeplejack
@SIA:
FYWP is not down with “naked” links right now. Dress it up with the link-mo-tron above the comment box. End up with something in this form:
<a href="URL">DESCRIPTIVE_TEXT</a>
SIA
@Steeplejack: I tried that several times and it ate my blasted comment! :(
Steeplejack
@Adam L Silverman:
Doing fluids and rest. The one thing I forgot to get at Vons last night was cold medicine. D’oh.
Thanks for the reminder about Emergen-C. I have used that in the past.
Adam L Silverman
@Steeplejack: I find it helps. And, of course, it has electrolytes…
Felonius Monk
@jeffreyw: Yum. Keep it warm, jeffreyw. I’m on my way. Directions?
Steeplejack
@SIA:
In these uncertain times, copy your comment to the clipboard before posting. (Ctrl-A, Ctrl-C, or Mac or tablet equivalent.)
NotMax
@SIA
Be sure to use the full URL and also be sure to include the quotation marks.
Steeplejack
@Adam L Silverman:
That’s okay. I’m working my way through a case of Brawndo.
ruemara
@Adam L Silverman: I got the pitch done, but I was never happy with it. I say normal person, because I’m usually very rigorous about what I eat: lean protein up to 120 grams in raw form, 2 cups of cooked veggies. Today, screw that, eating taters & baked goods. Of course, this means I have to visit people and force baked good upon them.
Adam L Silverman
@Steeplejack: that’ll work too
Elie
Hugs and Happy Thanksgiving to my valued friends here at BJ. Enjoy!
Will be going to friends house later today but must first make our contributions: Carmelized shallots soup with gruyere cheese and chestnut topping, ham, salad and butter mashed rutabaga (something I always do in memory of my grandmother).
NotMax
@jeffreyw
Serving butter as a side dish? What a timesaver! ;)
SIA
@Steeplejack: a quick google search on iPad clipboard helped me understand that! I’ve done that on my PC but the ways of Apple are strange and mysterious. Thanks.
SIA
@NotMax: So insert quotation marks for a link?
Steeplejack
@SIA:
No, you can’t just slap quotation marks around a naked link to get it to work. What NotMax meant was that in the form I gave you—
<a href="URL">DESCRIPTIVE_TEXT</a>
—you have to leave the quotation marks around the URL. And the URL needs to be a “full” link:
http://www.destination.com
FYWP does unpredictable things with partial URLs.
ETA: Example:
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com">New York Times front page</a>
gets you this: New York Times front page.
SIA
@Steeplejack: I replied and now that comment is gone…oh well. Thank you, sensei. :D
Steeplejack
@SIA:
Wax on, wax off.
I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet
@raven: :-) Best of luck!
We just got back from our semi-usual Thanksgiving buffet dinner at an ancient hole-in-the-wall. Lots of good food in a comfortable atmosphere. We’re stuffed now. :-( Thank goodness it’s only once a year!
Cheers,
Scott.
Steeplejack
And now another garbage (type) truck has passed down the street. The opposite (garbage/recycling) of the one that came this morning, I presume. So I guess holiday pickup is a thing here in Henderson, or at least this ’hood. (Don’t know if the trucks are private or municipal.) Live and learn.
Wayne
TaMara, your spatchcock turkey recommendation was awesome.
Thanks.
SIA
@Steeplejack: Thank you sensei. :D
bk
@Steeplejack: When I moved to Las Vegas 11 years ago, I was stunned to see garbage picked up on holidays, but Republic does that. They came to our street yesterday at around 7 am (usually the pickup time is mid-afternoon), so maybe the schedules were adjusted because of the holiday.