Thanksgiving, etc.

Currently excited about a couple of things, and since it’s Monday morning, I figured I’d write about it a bit.  At least until work picks up some.

I won’t harp on this for too awfully long, but I started playing Oblivion again (which is the Elder Scrolls IV, predecessor to Skyrim) this weekend and am now quite excited about playing more.  I don’t know if you people who don’t play these games realize how amazing it can be to dive into a different world like this, but it is just great.  The graphics are definitely not as good in Oblivion as they are in Skyrim, but they aren’t horrible either.  I remember Matt never liked Oblivion that much, but loved both Morrowind (TES III) and Skyrim; I would totally give Morrowind a shot if the graphics were not so outdated.  But whatever, I’m enjoying Oblivion so far.

I’m also now excited about Thanksgiving.  Hadn’t decided what I was going to do until I complained recently about how I want to host Thanksgiving at my house at some point in my life.  Katie doesn’t have Elliott this year, so she said that she would come to Nashville for Thanksgiving and spend it cooking with me!!!  YAY.  I’ve always wavered back and forth between Thanksgiving and Christmas as favorite holidays, so I didn’t want to not celebrate it the way I want to – but it also takes a lot of gas to drive to Oak Ridge and back just for a few hours.  So this year is going to be similar to two years ago when I made Thanksgiving dinner for myself and Matt – only Katie will be contributing some to the food this time.

Menu will include turkey, gravy, stuffing, Aunt Carol’s Sweet Potato Casserole, this mashed potatoes w/ caramelized onion recipe I found, bread/greens/cranberry sauce and/or relish, and….that might be it for the main course.  And of course I’ll make Grandma’s Magic Chocolate Pie for dessert.  Might do a pumpkin pie too, but that kind of seems like overkill.  The only reason I’m thinking about making one right now is because I just saw a gorgeous pumpkin pie on Pinterest — decorated with leaf-shaped cutouts and candied cranberries.  I could do that with the chocolate pie though, too.  Hm.

So yeah, the day will be spent cooking and probably drinking wine.  There will be mulled wine and cider and a cheese board, and we will probably not be able to walk or even move after we eat dinner.  It’s going to be awesome.  And I’m going to have leftover turkey for a week, which is probably one of the reasons I want to do Thanksgiving at my house.

(Cheese board inspiration, because I love the picture and want to make more of these.)

I think I’m going to Chattanooga this weekend with Stephen.  His family is having some kind of …thing.  One of his relatives started this women’s magazine, I believe, and they’re having a sort of…um, I guess reunion for the magazine?  I’m sure I’m botching it.  But his mom wanted him to come, and I’m actually a little excited about going too.  I haven’t been to Chattanooga in a long time, and I’m anticipating it being a beautiful drive down.  Looking forward to Rembrandt’s for sure – will need to buy some coffee while I’m there.

Hm.  I might start compiling a Thanksgiving list.  I know it’s over 2 weeks away, but the sooner I start planning, the better, right?  Heh.