So...whats for dinner?

Cocooning tonight—got up early for my mani-pedi. (The monthly pedi is actually quite stressful, as I have chronically ingrown toenails regardless of how straight across and long they are. The nail bed curls under very tightly at the sides, and it hurts like hell to have them dug out to prevent infection). Raw and rainy outside. No need to go out & shop for tomorrow, as I already bought the asparagus & prosciutto I’m bringing as an appetizer, along with a couple bottles each of red & white wines (Beaujolais Nouveau & dry riesling). Also bringing some Govino reusable plastic stemless wineglasses—our hosts have thick black goblets that make it hard to smell, taste and see the wine. Tonight I will grill a grass-fed ribeye…indoors…on the ridged side of our stove’s cast-iron center griddle. Just too nasty out there to use the gas grill. Will have the range-hood and ceiling fans going and windows open to avoid setting off the smoke detectors. Will make sauteed broccolini to go with it.

Nancy, when you say “removed,” did you mean removing the entire toenails completely? I can’t imagine not having nails on my big toes. Or did you have the surgery that shaves the sides of the nail beds so they don’t curve? 20 years ago I let my podiatrist talk me into the latter—one side of one nail per session several months apart. He promised that I would never get ingrown toenails again. Even with lidocaine (which injections were agonizing) it still hurt like hell—and while I was lying helplessly on the table, he began asking me for legal advice about a landlord-tenant dispute. I didn’t get the other side, nor the other toe, done. The side that was done began ingrowing again less than a year later.

No, I’d rather let my pedicurist go digging every four weeks. My current podiatrist says that as long as scrupulous anti-infection precautions are followed, it’s less invasive than the surgery (and that she’d charge four times as much as the pedicurist for the same service, 100% on my dime unless I develop diabetes…...without the sugar scrub, paraffin mask, massage and pretty polish, much less the ginger-peach tea).

Sandy, I don't know exactly how it was done (I didn't watch, even though I was sitting in a podiatrist chair), but the sides of the nail were cut and the bed cauterized. I got a couple of shots in the toe, which did not hurt at all. The procedure itself was painless until after the shots wore off and even then, it wasn't horrible. All done in one visit. I have all of my toenails and get regular pedicures. Haven't had an ingrown since. Which is a good thing since I have lots of other problems with my feet. But then, I'm diabetic. Seems to go with the territory.

Dinner tonight...turkey. Two years ago my brother got me a turkey deep fryer and this year Sharon and I decided to try it.....after buying a 19 pound turkey.....which turned out to be too big for the fryer. So, we went out and got two 12 pound birds. One was done tonight so I could make sure everything was good to go tomorrow, and I will do the other one tomorrow. The recommended time in the fryer was 3-1/2 minutes per pound, but that got the turkey to over 200F internal temperature. I'm going to try about 2-1/2 minutes per pound tomorrow and see how that goes.

Today was a "non-sick day". I visited the dentist for a routine checkup and the doctor to check/adjust/renew my blood pressure medication. My tongue correctly reported a cracked filling that will be fixed next Wednesday and the blood pressure is "within normal limits" at 120/81.

I've never had ingrown toenails and I consider myself lucky. DD keeps wanting me to get the pedi and I keep saying "no". :-)

As for snow. I have to drive to find snow. The weather today was clear, calm, mid 70F range and it will be the same tomorrow..shorts weather. I guess this is when we get reimbursed for the hot summers.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone and enjoy your time with friends and family. Our table will be five--DD, Sharon, MIL, myself and a friend of MIL's. And Minus, I hope the antibiotics are helping with the toothache.

Nancy, I think I will ask my current podiatrist (who treated a stress fracture and fit me for orthotics) about that surgery and whether it’d work for me. Maybe it didn’t “take” because my nail beds turn under too far and grow back that way.

Happy Thanksgiving! Safe travels!

I had a pedicure once, but didn't care for it. I'm trying Thai Reflexology tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

It seems weird to not have the turkey in the oven. Last night I took one of the two turkeys and deep fried it and the 45 minutes was a bit too long, so I'll back it down to 40 minutes and see how it does...I can always cook it some more, if needed.

At the same time, having the oven free is a wonderful thing. :-) I baked the pumpkin last night and I mixed everything up for the pie that is now in the oven. I'm working on the cream cheese no bake pie and the sourdough is busy in the four (dinner rolls).

MIL is bringing a green bean casserole and I'll be providing squash and mashed potatoes and if I have the stuff, a twice baked potato for DD (she loves them). Also being made is my mom's (and mine too) favorite--a crushed pineapple, mandarin orange, sour cream and coconut flake salad.

I guess I'm trying to keep a bit busy. I raised a glass of milk (too early for anything else) to Mickey's memory this morning. It's hard to believe it's been exactly 33 years.

(((Eric))) and to all of us missing loved ones who either are far away or have passed.

Jelson: for me, it's not Thanksgiving without some mishap! Good luck with the unclogging-the-train; is there another sink you can use?

Just don't clog that sink! Carrot peelings in the garbage can for me, after an unfortunate incident much like yours. But the bathroom sink will do for short-term washing/prep purposes.

The connection at the disposer from the drain pipe is usually held with a pair of 3/8 inch bolts...possibly with a screwdriver slot in the screw heads. Also, about 3 to 6 inches from the disposer is a large nut looking thing that fits around the pipe. One can undo the screws and loosen the large nut, remove that chunk of pipe and 99% of the time, clear the clog. You'll need a bucket to catch the sink water and you'll want to do this *BEFORE* using liquid plumber. I've never used liquid plumber, but I'd guess it would be rather nasty on the hands.

As to how I know how to do this cleaning process....I'll not say... :-)

My last disposal clog was due to radish greens. Now I don't add many peeling. Good luck.

Eric - I LOVE that salad. My mom sometimes added small chunks of apple, or banana or pear & usually baby marshmellows. Oh, and often Royal Queen Anne cherries. Actually she usually made a cooked dressing because my Dad wouldn't eat sour cream but I'm perfectly happy with the short cut.

Raising a glass to Mickey and your Mother and all of our absent family & friends. I opened a bottle of Torrontes from Argentina and will be thinking about all of you at the kitchen table.

Pork has another 20 minutes. I ended up cutting it in thirds and freezing one piece. 1/3 is rubbed with sage. 1/3 is marinated & doused with Apricot Chipotle sauce. Dressing is on the side & in my shamrock dish. Luckily I remembered my "stuffin muffin" recipe before I cooked all the dressing in a big pan - so more than half was cooked in muffin pans & ready to freeze. Due to oven space, asparagus will be 'steamed' in white wine, butter & maybe garlic in the microwave. I managed to steer clear of the rolls & will enjoy double stuffing. No salad - sigh. It's just too much food.

Joyce - good to hear from you.

Redhead - what a wonderful day with your Dad. Kudos to the nursing home for making the special meal - and to you for taking the sauce.

Jelson - did the un-clog procedure work?

M0mmyof2 - I saw on another thread that it is your Birthday. Hope you're having a lovely day and doing exactly what you want.

Jelson, I shudder to think how we might have coped with a disposal crisis yesterday. Glad you were able to fix it....and you probably saved $150 by avoiding a plumber call. I hope mine continues to behave with the shavings that go into it. I do avoid using it for onion and garlic skins and fibrous veggies, with luck so far....

(((Eric))) and to others remembering those no longer with us.

Chi, our Granddog, Winston the Scottie, watched the dog show with great interest and "vocalizing". He cracks us up!

Our meal yesterday was very much like yours, April, minus the delightful sounding Greek soup. I did make a spiced pumpkin soup that I served in shooter glasses as an amuse bouche when we sat down to eat. I bought those cute glasses to use for gazpacho at a lunch I served to friends. Glad to be able to use them again. We had waaaay too much food, and I spent waaay too much time in the kitchen, so I really missed out on some interesting conversations, except for when we were actually eating our main meal. Other than that, it went well and was fun. DH and DS2 did a lot of the clean up, which was much appreciated by my aching back.

Today as we were putting back the silver, DH suggested that we should use it regularly. A very sensible idea!

Minus, your pork flavorings sound good....and so smart to do the stuffing muffin prep!

Joyce, good to see you at the table. I am not much of a FL fan but would convert readily to be avoiding this cold wet weather right now. Consider yourself lucky! . We've had such a mild Fall that it seems everyone is struggling to adapt to this cold weather. And so many of us have these persistent viral infections.

Redhead, I know how space can easily feel cramped for sewing and quilting projects. I frequently have our whole dining room filled with my sewing projects, and took forever clearing it out so that we could have T-giv there. Tomorrow I will drag it all back down there (much to DH's chagrin, I'm sure, since he ended up enjoying the table set up...taking pride in that little task). It is mch more pleasant to observe than my piles of fabric. Here's his "end product", which was a huge help to this kitchen slave! I only did the fleurs.