The week of November 22 I wondered if they sold “pop outs” (like large RVs have to create extra rooms) for houses. If they did, I would have seriously considered getting a couple of them. I wasn’t sure how 18 people would fit in the house! Not only was all of Dan’s family coming (11 people), but Dawn was home from college and Devon’s girlfriend, Daiquiri, and Devon’s roommate, Kyle, and his girlfriend, Jules, were joining us, too.
I pondered it while I got the house ready, made the menu and tried to not panic in trying to figure out how to cook 3 turkeys. I’m so thankful and grateful that Dawn arrived the day before Thanksgiving! She was a huge help in making ALL that stuffing, prepping and cooking 2 turkeys the night before. The pies, 1 more turkey and other food was cooked the next morning. It was a lot of food for a lot of people!
We solved the problem of space by turning the breakfast area into a buffet line and after moving things around on the lanai, moved the breakfast table there. Together with the lanai table, that gave us enough space. The 10 young people could be together and 8 of us “old people” enjoyed our expanded dining room table. So I guess I didn’t need the “pop outs” anyway.
Dan and I….still smiling after all the cleaning, cooking & moving furniture around.
My wonderful mother-in-law making gravy. We joked that she found out how to get out of doing anything else – just volunteer to make gravy. We all wanted a lot of gravy, so she made a huge pot. But it just wouldn’t boil! She stood there for a very, very long time stirring and stirring AND STIRRING! Everyone was hungry, picking away at the turkey carcass and the food was ready, but still it didn’t boil. My sister-in-law, Rosie, Mom and I stood there and watched it make first one bubble, then another….and another. Finally! We called everyone to gather for the prayer and were finally able to put it on the table. I’m not sure she’s going to volunteer to make gravy again.
Dawn and her PopPop.
Brother and Sister
Seriously, don’t ask me how those young people could play volleyball after all that food! It was 86 degrees – hot for Thanksgiving Day, even in Southwest Florida. They came dragging into the house later blaming the really badly played game on too much food and too much heat. Go figure!
One more thing. There were leftovers. A LOT of leftovers. Everyone was sent home with turkey, dressing, gravy and whatever else they wanted. AND we actually had turkey leftovers for ourselves! Turkey sandwiches, turkey potpie, turkey stew and turkey….well, you get the idea. The leftovers are the best part!
