Five Thanksgivings

This year is a five-feast year! And, happily, I only have to prepare one of them!

On Thursday, I've been invited to the home of my bishop and his cute family. After an hour there, I have to scoot to work -- where I'm in charge of getting the turkey from Boston Market for our work feast. The company is provided the main course and mashed potatoes, and we're doing a potluck for the rest. No doubt we'll have two offerings of corn, a salad and then 50 desserts, but that's the fun of potlucks, right?

Steven carving the roast beast in 2007. Joe ate with us, too.
(Bonus points if you spot the odd detail in this picture.)

And then -- as if that's not enough! -- Steven and I are doing our own dinner on Friday. As much as I love doing the big family gathering -- the cousins at the "kids" table while the adults are in the formal living room; the huge varieties of home-made dishes; and the leftover turkey -- it's fun doing a dinner just me and the bro. The control! No yucky veggies (Brussel sprouts, I'm looking at you!), no pies, no turkeys with guts you have to deal with. Just turkey breast, corn, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing (for Steven), yam souffle and brownies. (And Coke, of course!) Deeeelicious!

But I am probably happiest about the two that have already happened. These are ones my brother and I gave to families in our ward. Actually, this is the second year my brother has arranged this. He approached the bishop and asked if we could donate the groceries for a T-Day meal or two. We dropped the food off at the bishop's house today, and he delivered it to the families. The bishop later passed along one family's thanks, saying the mother cried when he arrived with the bags of food. She had been at Walmart earlier and didn't know how she could afford a Thanksgiving meal for her family.

I've certainly read enough about how times are tough, but I find -- maybe this is true for you, too -- that it's easy to think somehow the people around you are insulated and that everything is OK. It makes me feel humble and very grateful that I am blessed to have enough for me and enough to share. And it made me realize that although now "want is keenly felt, and abundance rejoices," I need to be service-minded and generous throughout the year.

In memoriam: The Hawk

It is with a heavy heart I bring you this final hair collage. This man had some of the coolest hair I ever had the pleasure to know.

Riposa in pace, hair.

It's bananas!

(This nice photo was taken by this nice person whose profile is here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/meaduva/ / CC BY-ND 2.0)

So, many of you know that I hate bananas. I know, I know -- they're rich in potassium! They're portable! They're yellow! Sadly, no one has been able to sway me with these reasons. (Well, OK, the T-Team got me to eat a few, but I didn't like it!) But once in my life, I had bananas that I couldn't get enough of. I LOVED them!

Sadly, they were in Tanzania, and my local grocery store doesn't carry them -- neither does any store in the U.S. or Europe, I imagine. But I was doing some banana research tonight -- and I wonder why I'm single, spending my Saturday nights this way? :) -- and tracked down some information on the elusive creatures.

They are called sugar bananas or dessert bananas. I read somewhere they are locally known as "ndizzi," but I wonder if someone said that not knowing that "ndizi" in Swahili means "banana." They are sweet and, as I recall, don't taste as starchy as normal ol' bananas. And they are adorably small. :)

So, the next time you're in East Africa -- in a tented camp or at a local market, not a Western-style hotel -- eat up these delicious little treats!

Culinary find of the day

It is also called lovosh bread (also spelled lavosh), or cracker bread. Which is apt, because it does look a giant Saltine cracker. According to Foodsubs.com, this is a large flat Middle Eastern bread that comes either hard (like a cracker) or soft (like a tortilla). I had it for the first today as a wrap at Pita Jungle. (If the Dodo restaurant were in a lower tax bracket, it would feel like Pita Jungle. Cool vibe, great food.)

So, the next time you get a chance, try some lavosh!

New look

This new look is nuts! (Will the wittiness EVER end?!) No worries, it won't last long. I love the banner but not the acorns.

Also, there have been a few delistings. If you haven't updated your blog in the past six months, you're outta there! Except for Snarky. She was my tent-mate in Tanzania, and her blog details the adventure. She's an engaging writer. If you haven't read it yet, you should...

Hair hair hair

SUCH BORING HAIR....


UNLIKE THIS ONE GIRL I KNOW....
Her name in Latin means "She who always has cute hair."

You decide

People of Walmart

This Web site is:
A) Outrageous and funny.
B) A lawsuit waiting to happen.
C) Deplorable and mean-spirited.
D) All of the above.
E) None of the above.
F) A & B
G) B & C
H) A & C
I) There is no spoon.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I shop at Walmart. In all my visits, I have never dressed like this, nor have I seen anyone else dressed like this. I haven't made up my mind on my answer to this question, but I'm leaning strongly toward "D." With "I" a close second.