It sure has been busy down to the A&P, let me tell you, with folks stockin’ up on pumpkin pie filling, stuffin’ mix, jello, miniature marshmallows and what not. The smart ones are, anyways. Women who plan ahead, picking up the non-perishable items and dry goods, paper products and drinks, a week or two before the holiday. ‘Cause tryin’ to do it all in one big grocery shoppin’ is overwhelming. Just putting together the list is intiminatin’ enough. And you could get a hernia just pushin’ that shoppin’ cart to your car!
Charlie and me go to my sister Irene’s for Thanksgiving. They got more room for all of us over there. I bring the desserts, the green bean bake and the jello mold salad (or “molded cuisine”, as my niece Caitlin calls it). I was lucky enough to have inherited the mold that’s shaped like a turkey (Irene got the one that looks like a wreath), so Thanksgiving’s mine, jello salad-wise.
Irene takes care of the turkey, stuffin’ and gravy, and I help her prep the potatoes, squash and the carrot-turnip medley. That’s my favorite part, really: cookin’ with Irene. That and the leftovers!
Now Caitlin and her boyfriend Adam are vegetarians, so she brings a tofu turkey. Believe me, it looks and tastes better than the tofurkey they had in that episode of “Everybody Loves Raymond.” Remember that one? Catlin makes a vegetarian stuffing, too, and cooks it in a muffin tin. Once her mother saw that, Irene started using the same technique with her stuffing, some in the bird, and the overflow as muffin cups. If you like the crispy part of the stuffing, this is the way to go.
In preparation for the big day, I tried a Bollywood Dance Workout on youtube, and it’s kind of fun. Tryin’ new things keeps you young, right? Though hobblin’ around with achy muscles in places I didn’t know I even had muscles, makes me wonder if that’s really true.
In fact, all the Women Who Run With the Moose are in serious training. Sure, we all love Thanksgiving, but what we’re really lookin’ forward to is our favorite shoppin’ day of the year, Black Friday! At the crack of dawn, we plan to hit the ground runnin’ down to the Bangor Mall. We know from experience that this sort of excursion takes stamina, so we take our preparations seriously.
We have a plannin’ session or two beforehand, where we map out our strategy, when we’re takin’ snack breaks to recharge, and most important, where we’re havin’ lunch! Betty, God bless her, is so organized, she prints out a check list for all of us:
•Plan outfit
•Charge cell phone
•Set timer on coffee maker
•Organize shopping list, coupons and sales flyers
•Stock personal first aid kit with pre-moistened towelettes,
ibuprophen and Hershey’s kisses
Shirley makes sure her Bonneville’s gassed up, and we all bring leftover pie for breakfast, which we eat in the car on the way, always with some extra to share.
Now lest you think this extravaganza is all about us, part of our Black Friday planning includes chosin’ a charity to support for the holiday season. You know, something local, like the Senior Center, Food Pantry or the Women’s Shelter in Bangor. As we’re shoppin’, we pick up little things we think would be nice for these folks. Later, we put together gift bags and deliver ‘em. That’s always a fun day, delivering those bags. How can such a little thing make you feel so good?
During holiday season and all year ‘round, don’t forget to spread the wealth. You’ll be glad you did.
That’s it for now. Catch you on the flip side!
Hear Ida Tell It: Talkin’ Turkey
Check out Ida TV, for the latest espisode of “The View from Heah”
Join Ida, the funniest woman in Maine, for a show plumb-chucka full of fun! Ida will crack you up with her trademark stories and down home advice. Plus, each episode features an interview with a special guest star. Watch “The View from He’ah” and enter the Pine Tree State of Mind.