Giving Thanks

My Thanks Giving (intentionally spelled that way) started in a wonderful way--with good friends. 14 of us gathered at Dunn Bros. South for a run through SW Rochester. (One of us didn't want a photo taken. :-) Nice sized group for a last-minute run. I was happy.

 For the first time in a while, we had a wind chill. Marilee said she'd heard it was 30 degrees with a 17 degree wind chill. Kinda felt like it. We went around the Baihly Hill clockwise and when we got to 2nd St/County 22 (Randy and Jim) ...

(and Tom ...)

 we got on the Cascade Trail which we took east to 52, then headed south back to Dunn Bros. It was about 7 miles. I went back a couple of times to make sure everyone made the turns (I hadn't gone out early to mark the trail) and then to catch up, ended up doing about 3 fast 1/4 or 1/2 miles. I couldn't get under 6:02 pace.  :-( I've lost some speed. I'd made scones early this morning. Cherry Almond and Peaches 'n Cream with Pecans.

So when we got back, we enjoyed some food and fellowship. Randy and Tom.

Jim.

Randy, Dave, Wayne, Tom, Tom, Jim.

Tom, Dan, Tom, Marilee, Randy, Jim.

Tom, Dan, Trevor, Tom, Marilee.

Bloggable from Randy: he heard about some websites on CNN that do price comparisons and pricing trends ... dealio.com, pricegrabber.com and pricespider.com

I am SO very thankful for my friends. Not just today, but every day. Then it was home where I did 2 more miles to match what Randy, Dan, Trevor and Marilee ran. :-) Then a bowl of oatmeal to tide me over until dinner. I decided to make the Spiced Pumpkin Biscuits after all.

I like to keep the kitchen under control when I'm making a big meal. Dirty dishes everywhere make me crazy, so I like to keep washing them as I go. One of my many eccentricities I guess. So this is kinda what it looked like about 10 minutes before we ate.

I was so happy to have Eric home, if only for a few hours. We even snuck in a haircut while he was here. :-)On the menu, many of the things that were in millions of homes across the U.S.: Mashed potatoes (Yukon Golds from the garden--they weren't loaded with butter, despite how they look) ...

Gravy ...

Rolls (pumpkin biscuits, crusty Italian rolls, Honey Whole Wheat from Great Harvest) ...

Green Beans Amandine (Sorry, I just can't do the Green Bean Casserole thing with Cream of Mushroom Soup and French Fried Onion Rings ... takes the beans too far from their natural state for my taste) ...

Sweet Potatoes with a streusel topping  ...

Stuffing ...

"Orange Fluff" (not health food, but Kaleigh loves it, and I did use Lite Cool Whip) ...

Cranberries ...

Turkey (my last one was dry, this one was wonderfully moist. I cooked them both in my roaster oven, but I cooked this one in a bag. It was delicious) ...

Andrew, my nephew, enjoyed the "fluff" as much as his sister did. We asked her what her favorite was, and she said "the fluff". Most of it went home with them. :-)

I guess my camera was on hiatus during dinner. I didn't get any photos other than Andrew. After having been on my feet for literally 8 hours, it felt so good to sit down. After dinner, Kaleigh helped Matt play the clarinet.

Andrew and Kaleigh went to see Santa yesterday. Andrew wasn't very happy about the situation in which he found himself.

Late afternoon I started baking for the trip up to St. Cloud. First up, pumpkin bread with chocolate chips and walnuts (one loaf will stay here, which will make Matt very happy!), then a cinnamon streusel coffee cake and some birthday oatmeal raisin cookies for Rick Hlebain. :-) I ran out of eggs, so I literally ran down to Kwik Trip to get a dozen. It was a lovely evening. I was very happy to be outside in the fresh air after being in the kitchen so long. I was happy even running uphill (long hill on Fox Valley Dr SW), into the wind carrying a dozen eggs. By the time all was said and done, I'd run 13.35 miles today. Enjoyed every mile.

Sewed a button on Matt's tux, puttered around the house a bit, looked at a few ads in the 4+ pound Post-Bulletin (I'm glad I don't have to deliver those things; I can't get into the black Friday thing--not going out) and now I'm blogging. It was a good day. I have much to be thankful for. Hope you had a wonderful Thanks Giving.

As ever,

Ramblin' Renee