November and Thanksgiving

November came and with it the anticipation of that holiday feast and then Christmas. I was looking forward to it, because it is my favorite time of the year, but it was bittersweet since I still was not able to find a job and my severance was about to run out and with it my insurance. I also knew that I could not really afford to buy Christmas presents for people this year, but I felt really bad not getting people at least something. I decided that I would make jewelry for all the women on my list. It was fun for me and I hoped they would really like the fact that I made it with them in mind. It would be a truly personal and unique gift. But what about the men?
As I was continuing my job search I came across an ad for Avon. I remember my Mom used to buy Avon many years ago so I decided to look into it. I spoke with an Avon rep and it would only cost me $10 for the initial materials to get started. I am not really a sales person so I was a little concerned, but I figured I could bring people in through a facebook page and my Avon website. I did find some fantastic deals so I got the men on my Christmas list done and I did have a few sales but not as many as I hoped for.
Thanksgiving was almost here! Usually I go to visit my Mom for Thanksgiving, but with my limited funds and my major claustrophobia I was really terrified what would happen if I was in an airplane with no way to get out during a panic attack. I have to catch my breath just thinking about it! It's so sad because I really loved flying and now I was so afraid of being trapped in an airplane. Hearing about the horror stories where people are stuck on the tarmac for hours and hours on end with no air conditioning terrifies me even more. There is not enough Xanax in the world to get me through that!!

So, I would be having Thanksgiving alone. I got a great deal on a turkey and got all the ingredients for the side dishes I grew up eating for Thanksgiving. I know most people have sweet potatoes and cranberry jelly and pumpkin pie, but I don't really like those things so I have my own traditional foods. The turkey of course is the star of the day and my kitties would agree! It would not be Thanksgiving without mashed potatoes and gravy, and my Mom always made rice a roni so that is part of my tradition. My family is German, and my Mom loves noodles more than anything, so German egg noodles are always on the Thanksgiving table. To finish it all off I like to have a warm cherry pie with vanilla ice cream melted on top.

As much as I love Thanksgiving and all the delicious food, I do not like all the dishes and dirty pots and pans it creates. I was still pretty tired much of the time so I had to improvise. Now I am pretty OCD about having all my dishes washed, I can't "leave it until later". I do have a dishwasher, but since I am only one person, I usually do not use it. Thanksgiving is one of the few times that I do put my dishwasher to use. I start rinsing things and putting them in the dishwasher as I prepare the food.  I do have quite a bit to do after dinner because I can't put away the leftovers until they have cooled some and are put in tupperware for storage in the fridge. I usually clean out the fridge the day before Thanksgiving so I will have room for all the storage containers. I don't feel like I can relax until all the food is put away and the dishwasher is humming along cleaning my dishes. Only then can I collapse on the couch with my full and happy belly.

I talked to my friends and family on the phone, wish I could be with them, but this is the next best thing. At this point I am full and happy and looking forward to the next thing...Christmas!