Happy Thanksgiving week (for those in the U.S. - I know that our Canadian friends are weeks ahead of us).

Thanksgiving meal itself won't be a major challenge for me. We're joining friends and a pre-dinner walk and a post-dinner walk are already planned. Snacks will be reasonable and we're bringing enough veggie side dishes to make a meal alone.

Happy Thanksgiving to the Americans! We had our "turkey day" back in October.

Today is the day we take our cat to the specialist and leave him there for 10 days. I'm hoping for the best possible outcome for the little guy.

Have a great day all!

Dagmar

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American neighbours

Dagmar - good luck with your cat.

I am plodding along - 1 step forward...1 step back.
Geez - i guess i am maintaining, unfortunately I really need to drop 10lbs.
Well here's to a new week.

S

Good morning everyone!

Does anyone else think it's weird to have Thanksgiving "dinner" at lunchtime? I know it's the standard thing to do, but my family always had dinner at dinnertime and I just can't get used to doing it earlier. I seem to recall in the past when we went to some of DH's other relatives' houses, they had it at around 2 or 3pm. This year we're supposed to be there at noon. I guess what's really throwing me off is that I usually expect to have a glass or two of wine with Thanksgiving dinner, but I never drink that early in the day.

Plus, if we eat that early, I'm going to get hungry again later in the day. Sigh. I would much prefer to have a light breakfast, light lunch, then the Thanksgiving meal for dinner. Oh well, I know having the meal earlier is pretty standard.

Dagmar, best wishes for your cat!

In my family, we ate T-day dinner 2-3 p.m. and sometimes later. That was mostly because the turkey wasn't going to be done any sooner!

I don't like the idea of eating right at noon either. It does leave too much of the day on the "back end."

I've joined a new gym, and will get to start going today. I've been really busy the last several weeks with work--plus I was in a play, and now the play is over. Whew! I always forget how much effort that takes, even if one has a really small part.

Jay

Hi all,

I'm about to leave for the airport to fly to my parents. I planned on going to the gym this morning, but slept so badly last night I didn't want to get up this morning. I think I sleep badly when I'm sore from working out. This is sort of a problem because that happens fairly often! Does this happen to anyone else? I don't normally take anything for being sore, as I'm not usually that sore, but I guess I'll start experimenting if some Advil will help my muscles and help me sleep better.

We always eat mid-afternoon with my family. I'd rather just eat at dinnertime, because no one wants to do much after such a big meal! Other than taking the dog for a walk of course, which is nice because it gets me moving. Also there's the whole awkward "to lunch or not to lunch" thing. Mealtime is sort of dependent on when the turkey's done but gosh, if it's always done at 2 pm clearly we could put it in a few hours later - "done" time might veer off plan by an hour or so, not 4 hours.

My parents told me when I get in tonight we'll be having Maine lobster "unless I was sick of seafood since I get it so often". Gosh, I told Mom I'd force it down. Now I'd better not get stuck in the Atlanta airport on my layover!

Safe travels to all those who are traveling this week. I'll probably be around though.

We've always done the Thanksgiving meal between 12-2ish, too. I always wish it were later, and sometimes we do hang around late, but it has always been lunch time.

Megan - I sleep poorly when I'm sore from working out, too. Last night for example. I hope you don't get stuck in Atlanta, too!

Jay - good luck at the new gym!

Suzanne - right there with you on the steps up and back and the needing to lose some weight...

Dagmar - hope things go well with your kitty.

Bill - I love the walks you guys have planned! We have to drive two hours each way, so we will be sitting in the car before and after... Might have to walk when I get back though.

I feel bloated and squishy today, have all week. Ate too much on my vacation, pms and icky. Blah.

Good week everyone!

Dagmar~best of luck on your kitty

Our Thanksgiving begins around 2-3 PM for the social hour. We eat as soon as all the food is ready, which typically is around 5 PM. Until then, we catch up on stuff as most of us only see each other once a year. This year we'll be seeing family we haven't seen for 2-3 years. Did I tell you my party has morphed into 29? That's now the record (previous record was 27). Apparently my cousin is bringing two boyfriends as well as the two kids of one boyfriend. She's not bringing her husband. Boy will we have a lot to talk about on that subject!

I had a great weekend in Arizona, although I have to say I felt very old at the Usher concert! Why is it that hip-hop artists feel the need for 1) way too much bass and 2) showing off one's abs and taking one's shirt off every 10 minutes (after a costume change). I did enjoy the choreography! Incredible dancing.

The next night we went to see Hairspray and it was really well done. We didn't have any bad weather although it was quite windy on the trip home.

As soon as we got home, my in-laws showed up with lunch, then I headed to the grocery store to stock up on Thanksgiving food. My Mom, Dad, sister and BIL arrived around 3 pm and we visited and had a nice dinner. I'm working today, so they're on their own until dinner, but of course I need to stop to get stuff for that meal. Tomorrow I start cooking.

This afternoon I had a craving for some "caramel shortbread" bars that I've been seeing for Christmas in the grocery store. Managed to come home without them after figuring out that I was just .

It's so odd having just one cat around. I keep looking for Mishi and listening for his meow. Mudpie is really pleased that, after 12 long years, we've finally gotten rid of "that guy". She will not be a happy camper when Mish comes back.

The vet handled him beautifully and I now have much more confidence about leaving him there.

Dagmar

Almost forgot it was Monday and a new week to catch up with everyone here! I am off from work all week (except I still work my second job but just on Tuesday and Sunday) so I feel out of sorts! Like I don't know if it is the weekend or not?!

Bill-- sounds like a good Thanksgiving plan! I can never get anyone to walk with me on Thanksgiving so I'm going to go to a special Turkey Day bootcamp at the gym provided I can wake up in time.

Good luck to your kitty Dagmar!! Will you get to visit her while she is there? 10 days is a long time! My cats are always thrilled when the dogs aren't here-- they obviously think we've come to our senses and gotten rid of them. But the dogs always return!

Hi to everyone else!!

We eat around 5 pm on Thanksgiving. We are having the four of us (my dd got back from college last night!) and my younger dd's boyfriend, his mom, and his sister (she is early 20s). It should be interesting! They are from Argentina and don't usually do Thanksgiving. They are Jewish (as are we but they are more religious). We can't get a straight answer about whether or not they keep kosher (the boyfriend says no but the mom is very religious) so I think we are going to make two different stuffings (one with oysters and bacon and one without) to be safe.

I guess my house won't be as interesting as Allison's though! That sounds like quite an interesting houseguest!!

Dagmar, I hope all goes well for you cat. 10 days sounds like such a long time! I'm glad the vet handled him well; that's always so reassuring when you have to leave a pet.

Thanksgiving dinner with my family has always been around 1 or 2 (usually closer to 2 even though we aim for 1). I like the idea of later in the evening but I hate going to bed stuffed full and I don't imagine I'd finish digesting by bedtime.

This year I am having Thanksgiving with part of my boyfriend's family (I'm going home for Christmas but it's too far to make the trip for Turkey day, too) so I'm not sure how it will be or what time. He tells me they make duck and turkey. I must admit I am not a huge fan of duck but apparently his uncle's orange sauce is something amazing so I'll have to give it a try. =)

Michele, sounds exciting to have Thanksgiving guests from Argentina! Nice idea to make two stuffings. I dated a Jewish guy once who did not worry at all about keeping kosher, but his mother was another story!

I also like the idea of "turkey day bootcamp" at the gym. One year I went to an early Thanksgiving morning spinning class - felt great but I prefer sleeping in on the holidays =). This year I'll have to convince BF to take a walk with me.

Bill, perhaps I'll manage to get a walk in BEFORE dinner as well! I like the idea - sounds nice to have friends who are eager to do that with you.

Megan, have a great trip to your parents place. I'll keep my fingers crossed that the flight goes well and you make it in time for your lobster dinner! =)

Jay, what play were you in? I loved doing theater when I was in high school but just don't have time for it anymore. Are you active with a local theater group?

sznn, maintaining as the holidays approach is great, even if you're a few lbs heavier than you want to be. Keep plodding - you'll get there!

Despite being a very chatty person, and writing very chatty posts, when I'm supposed to be just recording my exercise for the day or my weigh-in, I've never posted in this thread before. So I've been pretty much chatting everyplace but the chat thread. Oh, well.

Hello, anyway, as I seem to know most of you from other threads.

My Thanksgiving dinner occurs about 3-4 PM, since I've got a five-hour drive to get to my mother's house, and I don't depart on this trip till I've clocked some cardio at the gym & showered & put on a full face of makeup. (If I don't do the latter, my mother will tell me that I look pale.) And the gym doesn't open till 8 AM on Thanksgiving.

But we're used to eating the holiday meal at that time. I know how this custom originated, at least within my family. My great-grandmother & grandmother always had their heavy, relatively formal Sunday dinners around 3 PM. So this was extended to the big holiday meal at Thanksgiving. My mother continued the tradition, despite simply having married into it, rather than inheriting it. It's always been a weird time to eat. It does raise the lunch question rather awkwardly. Which, in my family, seems to have been solved rather unhealthily by foraging in the fridge & by picking at hors d'ouevre type foods or sweets. There is a lot of standing-up eating involved. Maybe to differentiate from the actually sitting down to the Thanksgiving meal.

LOL Saef, welcome to the chat thread!

The holiday challenges are beginning. Well, it's not totally holiday-related, but a coworker brought in a cake and a tray of baklava that were leftover from his son's baptism this past weekend. I took one small piece of baklava, which was delicious. Then I went to enter it into my calorie log and discovered that baklava is about 350 calories for one tiny square. Now I'm trying to avoid the temptation to eat more.

Iris, the play was "Prelude to a Kiss" by Craig Lucas. Was made into a mediocre movie in 1992. A funny premise--one of those switched-identities stories and the ensuing confusion.

The last play I was in was back in 2006, and then we moved--so this is my first play in our new area. Yes, it's community theater, and there are many of them here! I hardly ever have time, either, and I wouldn't have had time for this one, except I had a teeny little part as the pastor who marries the couple. I made an excellent Episcopal priest.

Jay

Well, I've been quite busy today. I peeled, cooked and mashed 10 pounds of potatoes. I chopped onions and celery to make the stuffing (although I don't stuff the birds--I just bake it). I made the cranberries and then I made 3 of the 4 pies. Tomorrow I'll do the last pie and the cheesecake and then make the chicken enchiladas for the Wednesday dinner party (only 16 attending that one!). I've been good! I only tasted the mashed potatoes! I had a good breakfast and then we laid out a platter of cheese and crackers for a light lunch and I had 2 slices of cheese and less than a dozen crackers. I feel proud to not overdo anything so far today. And I'm making a huge salad for our dinner tonight, so with all the work I've done today, I think it's going to end well!

Oh, I must go and massage my turkeys. Yes, massage them. I bought them on Sunday and prepared a dry brine (salt, orange rind, cloves, allspice and cumin--weird combination but it smells divine!). After putting it on the turkeys, you put the birds in big ziplock bags and back in the fridge and every day you are to turn them and massage them.