Prozac Anyone ?

There were a few Thanksgivings I wish I had thought of this ! LOL! Just a few more days until Thanksgiving . It is this Thursday , which also happens to be my oldest daughters birthday.For both of our sakes , I won't say HOW long ago that was , hehhehe. Hope it will be a happy non-Prozac Thanksgiving for all of you  Americans.

Sorry, No Martha Stewart Thanksgiving !

Dear Family & Friends,

I know how eager you must have been to accept our family's invitation to Thanksgiving dinner when you found out that the famous Martha Stewart would be joining us.  However, due to unforeseen scheduling conflicts beyond her control, Ms. Stewart finds that she is unable to grace our table this year.  With that in mind, there will be a few minor changes regarding the meal and decor, as outlined below.  Please be aware of them, and adjust your appetite and dress appropriately.

Thank you

1) Our driveway will not be lined with homemade, paper bag luminaries.  After several trial runs and two visits from the West Chicago, Winfield, Warrenville, Wheaton, Geneva, and St Charles Fire Departments, it was decided that, no matter how cleverly done, rows of flaming lunch sacks do not have the desired welcoming effect.

2) Once inside, please note that the front entryway will not be gaily decorated with swags of Indian corn and fall foliage.  Instead, we included our son’s 3 black Labrador Retrievers in decorating by having them track in colorful autumn leaves from the back yard. The mud was their idea.

3) The dining table will not be covered with expensive linens, fancy china, or crystal goblets.  If possible, we will use dishes that match (somewhat) and everyone will get a fork.  Since this is Thanksgiving, we will refrain from using the usual paper Sponge Bob dinner plates, the leftover Halloween napkins, and our plastic cup collection from McDonald's, KFC, and Subway.

 

4) Our centerpiece will not be a tower of fresh fruit and flowers.  Instead we will be proudly displaying a hedgehog-like decoration, hand-crafted from the finest construction paper and pine cones.  The 9-year old artist assures me it is a turkey, albeit one without wings, legs, or a beak.

5) We will be dining somewhat later than planned.  However, our grandchildren will entertain you while you wait.  I'm sure yhey will be happy to share every choice comment their grandmother made regarding Thanksgiving, Pilgrims, stuffing choices, the turkey hotline, and, especially, their grandfather.  Please remember that most of these comments were made at 7:00AM upon discovering that said grandfather had only remembered to pull the turkey from the freezer at 6:00 AM, and that the thing was still hard enough to cut diamonds.

6) As an accompaniment to our grandson’s recital of these events, I will play a recording of Native American tribal drumming.  Curiously, the tribal drumming sounds a great deal like a frozen turkey in a clothes dryer, but that only enhances the holiday appropriateness.  If our grandson should mention that we don't own a recording of Native American tribal drumming, ignore him.
He’s  only nine; what does he know?

7) A dainty silver bell will not be rung to announce the start of our feast.  We have chosen to keep our traditional method of assembling when the smoke alarm goes off.

8) There will be no formal seating arrangement.  When the smoke alarm sounds, please gather around the table and sit where you like.  In the spirit of harmony, we will ask that all diners under the age of 10 sit at a separate table… in a separate room… next door.  And I would like to take this opportunity to remind our younger diners that "passing the rolls" is neither a football play nor an excuse to bean your uncle (or each other) in the head with bread.
9) The turkey will not be carved at the table.  I know you have seen the Norman Rockwell image of one person carving a turkey in front of a crowd of appreciative onlookers.  Such a scene may actually occur somewhere in America, but it won't be happening at our dinner table.
For safety reasons, the turkey will be carved in the kitchen in a private ceremony.  I stress "private", meaning DO NOT, under any circumstances, enter the kitchen to laugh at me.  Do not send small, unsuspecting children or older, helpful relatives into the kitchen to check on my progress.  I have a very large, very sharp knife.  The turkey is unarmed and most likely already in a submissive state.  It stands to reason that I will eventually win the battle.  When I do, we will eat.

10)    For the duration of the meal, we will refer to the gravy by its lesser-known name of "Kraft Cheese Sauce".  If a young diner questions you regarding the origins or makeup of the "Kraft Cheese Sauce", smile kindly and say that you know the answer, but it's a secret that can't be revealed to them until they are 18.

11)    Instead of offering a choice among 12 different scrumptious desserts, we will be serving the traditional pumpkin pie, baked to the usual perfection by my culinary-inclined son, garnished with whipped cream and possible dog tongue marks. Similar pumpkin pie prepared by equally-gifted COSTCO bakers may be offered without the aforementioned traces of canine infringement.  You still have a choice: take it or leave it.   

That concludes our list of alterations.  Again, I apologize that Martha will not be joining us this year.  Come to think of it, she probably won't come next year, either.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Eid AL Adha In Libya 2009

Well , the Eid is over for another year . It was a very strange Eid here in Libya this year . The government issued a statement that said the 1st day of Eid would be on Thursday , but Saudia said the 1st day would be on Friday . So , we had some people celebrating on a Thursday , but many more waited until Friday to sacrifice their sheep . This was the 1st time ever , living in Libya we were not awakened by the mosque calling for the special Eid prayers . It was even stranger still on Thursday to know that it was SUPPOSED to be the 1st day of the 3 day Eid celebration , but it NOT being the 1st day .

No noise , no children running around getting under your feet , begging for more BBQ .It was like business as usual in the City with many shoppes open on Thursday . But come Friday morning , we had all the normal Eid activities ;shouting , the commotion of the sacrifice , the sheep bleeping , the kids running and laughing , the men yelling where was this thing or that thing , the women moaning about having to do all this extra work , all the while just as happy as the kids .Smoked filled air wafting around your head making you starving for MORE BBQ , even though you aren't too sure you could eat another bite , well ,at least until supper time ,lol

Tomorrow is the official 3rd day of the Eid and the last day that is normally spent visiting friends and family , but with the Eid the way it was this year here in Libya , am not too sure what will happen tomorrow .Typically the 1st day is spent doing the sheep and cooking . The 2nd day  people got out and visit with family and / or friends . The women choose this day to go to their families , since the 1st day is normally spent with the husbands family . The 3rd day many will try to see the remaining family and friends not yet seen .So , you seen why I wonder what will happen on Saturday . And if today(FRIDAY) is the unofficial 1st day , then will the people try to extend the Eid into Sunday  for the unofficial 3rd day ? Never a dull moment here in Libya , lol. 

We had a great Eid . On Thursday our son and his family came over to spend the day . We BBQ untill we were stuffed like the Thanksgiving turkey I had prepared for the dinner later in the evening to celebrate Thanksgiving .Friday , we did the sheep thing . I think Saturday we will just rest and recouperate ! Hope your Eid was uneventful and happy . And for all you Americans out there , I hope your turkey was nice and moist , the pies yummy , and the dressing tasty ! We all have so much to be thankful for and need to remember to count our blessings while giving thanks to God for our riches .

Pilgrims , BBQ, And The Eid

It looks like the Eid Al Adha might be either this coming Thursday , which is Thanksgiving in America , or Friday , which I am mentally geared up for .You might remember that the Eid Al Adha is when the Muslims honor the obedience of Abraham ( Ibrahim) to Gods command to sacrifice his son Ismael .Which so pleases Allah , that He tells Abraham to sacrifice a sheep instead . It is also the end of the Haj for many that make the Pilgrimage to Mecca . Rather fitting that the Eid should come during the American Thanksgiving , don't you think ? Both having something to do with Thanksgiving and Pilgrims .

Here in Libya the 1st day of the Eid is spent traditionally killing the sheep , cooking the sheep , then eating the sheep. Among all the different foods prepared of mutton on that day, the all time favorite is BBQ . And with that in mind, I am posting the joke below as a homage to the all important BBQ of the day .

BBQ  RULES
We are about to enter the BBQ season .  Therefore it is important to refresh your memory on the etiquette of this  sublime outdoor cooking activity.. When a man volunteers to do the BBQ the following chain  of events are put into motion:

 Routine....
(1) The woman buys the food.
(2) The woman makes the salad, prepares the vegetables, and  makes dessert.
(3) The woman prepares the meat for cooking, places it on a  tray along with the necessary cooking utensils and sauces, and takes it to  the man who is lounging beside the grill .
(4) The woman remains outside the compulsory three meter  exclusion zone where the exuberance of testosterone and other manly  bonding activities can take place without the interference of the  woman.

 Here comes the important  part:
(5) THE MAN PLACES THE MEAT ON THE  GRILL.

 More routine...
(6) The woman goes inside to organize the plates and  cutlery.
(7) The woman comes out to tell the man that the meat is  looking great. He thanks her and asks if she will bring another drink while  he flips the meat .

 Important again:
(8) THE MAN TAKES THE MEAT OFF THE GRILL AND HANDS IT  TO THE WOMAN.

 More routine...
(9) The woman prepares the plates, salad, bread,  utensils, napkins, sauces, and brings them to the table.

 (10) After eating, the woman clears the table and does  the dishes.

 And most important of all:
(11) Everyone PRAISES the MAN and THANKS HIM for his cooking efforts.

 (12) The man asks the woman how she enjoyed 'her night off' and, upon seeing her annoyed reaction, concludes that there's just no pleasing some women!
Painting  by Diane Whitehead , entitled Fun, funny Family

Thanksgiving Cartoons

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have never a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!