We had a great Thanksgiving feast (see previous posting for menu) and had about 12 people here.  We served the meal buffet-style in the dining room around 8pm after cocktails, which started at 5pm.  Yes, it was a long cocktail hour.  Our frends (and neighbors), Lisa & Randall brought over a luscious raspberry cheesecake from Alon’s Bakery; the Doyons brought over a wonderful rustic cherry pie from Southern Sweets Bakery (the crust and crunchy sugar topping was incredible); and Robin Davis brought over a pan of her mother’s cornbread dressing.  I especially appreciated the antique blue and white enamel-ware pan the dressing was baked- and served in.  My mother provided two of her wonderful homemade pecan pies, but she and my stepdad were unable to attend since they travelled on to Virginia to have Thanksgiving with other family.  Karen Burns brought a very good bottle of red wine, which was enjoyed by several folks.  And Johnny Jackson gifted us with my all-time favorite Veuve Clicquot champagne.  Lee made his mother’s recipe for Italian sausage stuffing, since all Yankees want stuffing for Thanksgiving.  We Southerners like cornbread dressing with our turkey.  Some things just don’t change when one crosses the Mason-Dixon line.  😉

I’m happy to say we had a special suprise-visit guest for Thanksgiving!  Lee’s sister (I call her “Sister C”) drove in all the way from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to join in on our holiday feast.  What a wonderful suprise!  She also brought her adorable “children” with her:  “Rudy”, a less-than-one-year-old black chihuahua and “Miss Pebbles”, an eight-year-old Yorkshire Terrier.

Lisa & Randall also brought along their constant companions:  two wonderful rescued chihuahuas named “Pepper” and “Major”.  At one point, while placing food on the buffet in the dining room I exclaimed, “There’s a pack of dogs following me!”

After dinner, a few of us burned off some calories by playing the Wii (Rayman’s Raving Rabbids) in multi-player competition mode.  I have to say my score was consistently the highest!  Although, I will admit I was competing against an inexperienced nine-year old and Randall (who has never even seen a Wii before), and Scott (also inexperienced, but skilled).  LOL!  Lisa cheered us on from a comfy position on the guest room bed.

After we said goodnight to the jovial bunch around midnight, Lee, Sister C and I were talking in the living room and suddenly heard a loud crash from the kitchen.  I went to investigate and found Romeo (one of our Golden Retreivers) had jumped up and “retreived” the whole turkey (what was left) along with the silver tray from the counter-top.  He and Rocco (the other Golden Retreiver) were having a turkey feast!  As soon as Romeo saw me enter the kitchen, he went over into a corner, laid down, backed his ears and pretended like he hadn’t done anything.  Rocco just continued having a great turkey time (he’s not so smart).  Of course, I took the turkey carcass away from them before they ingested any bones.  Unfortunately, we have no left-over turkey sandwiches today.  🙁

Sister C has graciously offered to cook pasta and meatballs for us tonight.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with our friends and family.  I truly hope all my readers had the same.

PS.  I forgot to take pictures.