gift from amanda
Originally uploaded by telfandrea.

So I went to England in ’99? with a choir group from college (luckily including some good friends such as Amanda, Bob, and Missy) and while watching rugby or cricket or some other almost entirely foreign sport on TV there was an ad for "Scrumpy Jack" beer etc.  Hard to say what was better; the name, the way it sounds on TV in a British accent, or just the whole experience.  Anyway when Amanda and her parents came for Thanksgiving she brought me this can of Scrumpy Jack Premium English Cider they had found in the British shop in Santa Monica – I heartily enjoyed it Saturday in a tall beer glass but alas I could find no cricket on the telly! – Telfer

my little warrior
Originally uploaded by telfandrea.

Um, why do I* like the Beowulf movie so much? So ridiculous yet so enthralling. And it was funny! And when the screen is five stories and you get plastic glasses so that the visual effects are totally enhanced…even better.

Being the English major and a tad too serious I thought maybe I should stay home and read the Seamus Heaney translation of Beowulf. But, you have to go see a movie Thanksgiving weekend.

*Telfer, the man who loves every movie, loved Beowulf as well. Surprising.

dinner
Originally uploaded by telfandrea.

So I disconnected for Thanksgiving weekend and then found on Monday, my, my, do I have a lot to catch up on.

We were honored to have Amanda and her Yakima-based parents (Rex & Carolyn) as well as Michael, a friend and former colleague of mine, over for Thanksgiving dinner. The Thanksgiving meal is by far, one of my favorite conglomerations of food and this year did not disappoint. The food and conversation were above average and we thoroughly enjoyed the day.

See our Foodie Friends blog for more food comments (hopefully tonight I’ll post?).

Telfer did NOT get called in to the hospital on Thursday or Friday, so as you can imagine, I was very thankful. We did stay home on Friday as well, just in case he was called in. What a trial. We had apple pie for breakfast, read by the fire, watched a movie, took a walk and then had leftovers.

This morning, drinking my americano and eating a pumpkin scone, I read this article, found through a blog I enjoy. The author of the blog is disconnecting from all things Internet over the long weekend…and something in me just said, YES! I tend to waste a lot of time dinking around on facebook and blogs, etc. I think it’s safe to assume the internet will be back on Monday.

Wait. I might have to turn on the laptop to look up movie times for Beowulf. And maybe to load my ipod with Christmas music. But that’s IT.

brining the bird
Originally uploaded by telfandrea.

On a scale of one to ten, how gross is it that I put up a picture of my turkey in the brine?

But, I had to, as at least two members (RaChelle & Missy) of Foodie Friends are using the same turkey recipe and a third (Amanda) is coming over to our house for Thanksgiving. I am really, really excited about the fact that friends in Vancouver, Virginia, and California are all making the same recipe.

Telfer is on call part of the weekend, so pray that he doesn’t get called in right as we sit down to eat with Amanda, her parents, and our friend Michael. I hope everyone who reads this blog has a gratitude-filled day tomorrow.