The Thanksgiving Meal Summary

Our early Thanksgiving was a total success. We cooked for ten people and had loads of leftovers.

This is what made it to the table:

Two tofurkeys, roasted with carrots, turnips, parsnip, potatoes, and onion. Everything but the parsnips (and the tofurkeys, of course) came from local farms.

Beets and turnips, wrapped and baked in foil and served sliced. These were an unexpected hit!

Featherbed biscuits from my Vegetarian Times cookbook.

A salad made up of several types of lettuce, onion, carrot, and tomatoes. The lettuce came from our garden and the onion and tomatoes came from a local farm (last of the season in the case of the fruit, I'm sure). Darling made a dressing with (local Texas) olive oil, (local) fresh-squeezed lemon juice, fresh (and local) herbs, and balsamic vinegar.

A quiche made of free-range eggs, local turnip greens, cheese (think it was local...), and a blue-corn flour crust.

Sweet potato casserole made with local taters, local fresh-squeezed orange juice, and coconut.

We served warm apple cider which we made by warming organic apple juice on the stove with mulling spices, and store-bought eggnog for my Mom.

For dessert I made a vegan coconut cream pie, and most of our guests brought desserts (as per the request of my sweet-loving husband). My brother and sister-in-law brought a home-made key lime pie, which was so delicious and made from the limes they've received from their own Greenling order.

It was so pleasant, and although the gift exchange was a little awkward, it's nice to have that mostly out of the way so we can enjoy the rest of the season. Hope you all are enjoying your holidays!

November in Texas

Our Greenling order was amazing this week! We received loads of root vegetables such as sweet potatoes (including the largest one I have ever seen), huge beets, carrots (who knew anyone is still harvesting carrots?), and beautiful red radishes. Our box also contained a couple of oranges and lemons, several apples, parsley, mustard greens, kale, romaine (I think), an entire head of bibb lettuce with root ball attached (now in garden, along with the 10 other plants they've sent literally fresh enough to plant), avocados, and onions. All local and mostly organic, for $34. I am so grateful to live in a state still producing so much bounty, even if I do miss snow

It was sunny and warm enough to go into the garden for the first time in over a week, and I had a great time pulling weeds and planting some flowers. I raked up enough leaves to mulch the big garden, and determined that the herb garden is officially sustainable for the time being: the cold nights have killed most of the less-hearty annuals, but the perennials (mexican marigold, basil, mint, chives, and more) are large and healthy enough to fend for themselves. Next spring I'll make the patch a little larger and plant some more mint, which I hope will eventually take over the yard.

Now that I've played outside, I need to get the inside cleaned up before tomorrow's dinner. My dining table is covered in vegetables, my fridge needs to be cleaned, my sink is full of dishes, and the floor needs to be vacuumed, preferably before we go on our last minute shop or my Mom gets here this evening.

ThanksChristmas

My family does not have many holiday traditions. There are certain things we like to do during this time of year, such as bake sugar cookies, exchange gifts, and decorate a tree, but these activities are not official, predictable, or mandatory. My mom and Dad, separated since before I could remember, then married and divorced again, have provided me with numerous half and step-siblings, countless estranged aunts, uncles, and cousins, somehow no grandparents of any availability whatsoever, a handful of step-parents, and a set of adopted parents. Every year was spent with different people doing different things at different times. Holidays are something we make up as we go along.

This year Darling and I will prepare a small dinner for my Mom, Dad, brother, sister-in-law, and a few friends. Since I work Thanksgiving day, I am cooking Thanksgiving Eve. Since the actual Holiday Meal will be hosted by my sister-in-law's mother, I'm doing my best not to step on her toes and to maintain our budget by cooking a small, simple, and local meal. This time of year, local in Texas means collard and mustard greens, sweet potatoes, and lemonade. We'll also purchase a tofurkey and roast potatoes, carrots, and parsnip. We've asked our guests to bring desserts.

My Mom has made the executive decision that we'll be exchanging gifts for Thanksgiving, and enjoy Christmas in our varied, personal ways. To be honest I detest this idea, but can't really say no to the big pile of gifts I know my Mom has for us. So we'll be giving trinkets to everyone and make her happy.

Is anyone else doing anything different or unusual this year?

Needles n' Pie

Yesterday I went on a walk and meandered into Hobby Lobby. My knitting friend and instructor has advised me to purchase double pointed needles for socks and hats, so I checked out the prices on those. At $3.50 for two pairs, they seemed pretty affordable, and I decided to make the purchase. In front on me at the checkout was a pretty blond woman who offered me one of her coupons - she had two, could only use one, and it expired that day. The coupon knocked more than a dollar off the price of my needles :)

I feel a little guilty buying needles at a box store, but I'm dedicated to buying yarn at a local shop as soon as we have the funds.

When I got home from work today my Darling asked me to bake "cake." I obliged by putting some zucchini bread and muffins in the oven. Soon after, there was a knock on our door. Our closest neighbor had just baked a acorn squash pie (they share our home heating technique) and brought some slices over to share. So we had pie, muffins, and herb tea for dinner. And of course we passed some baked goods along to our neighbors.

Bits And Pieces

I got a call from my brother informing me that he's about hooked me up with a Whole Foods job, now I just need to get in touch with the lady who will be hiring me. This leads me to wonder if I'll officially go part-time as a waitress, try to do both jobs full time, or arrange for a part-time schedule with Whole Foods. Whichever way it goes I'll be pretty happy, though I'm trying not to get overexcited until I've signed on the dotted line.

I "won" a nose piercing (due to my workplace being a strange, wonderful place) so I now have a bit of surgical steel through my left nostril. I've wanted one since I was little, so it's nice to have accomplished that little dream.

Last night a coworker, D, mentioned his desire to take his girlfriend, her thirteen year old son, and his newborn to Washington D.C. to attend Obama's inauguration. Even though it never occurred to me in the past, such a trip sounded incredibly worthwhile and I expressed interest in carpooling. We'll be discussing that over the next couple of weeks. Even if D decides not to go, we have other friends making the drive who might invite us along. I've considered making my first attempt at travel writing, a field I find incredibly intriguing and intimidating. It would be really awesome if I could make some small income sharing my travel adventures.

Simple Complications

"Isn't it complicated to depend on the bus system?" a friend asked this evening. I was in her apartment enjoying a cup of tea, having come home and discovered myself locked out of our apartment. Darling was on his way home via the #3. I frowned and tried to formulate an answer that would make sense without turning into a lecture. Our life is not complicated. Our life is almost painfully simple because we choose to live a car free lifestyle. Darling and I don't over-schedule ourselves, nor do we spend many evenings out on the town or promise to attend out-of-the-way engagements, events, or appointments. We make choices on where we live, work, shop, play, and go to school based on the bus route. While this is limiting at times, it enables us to enjoy an organized life and regular schedule.

Sometimes, of course, we feel the pinch of our careful lifestyle. It is likely we will run into complications whenever we are required to accommodate others. It is these complications that seem to convince many people that owning a car is mandatory and somehow "simplifies" their life. An example of this is moving. I can't count how many times people have told me that moving is extremely difficult or impossible without a car. I have moved four time since my marriage in 2004 without the benefit of my own vehicle, once from the east coast to Austin, TX. Arranging for a vehicle was about as strenuous as negotiating the lease. We have also gone on a few road trips, dropped friends off at airports, gone camping, and enjoyed numerous other car-related endeavors without signing a lease or renting. Our car-free lifestyle takes creativity and planning at times, but it's nothing compared to the cost of owning and maintaining a car, truck, or SUV year round.

The current complication I'm facing involves my part-time job hunt. It is astounding to see that "reliable vehicle" has replaced "reliable transportation" on numerous job postings. It is fascinating to discover that a suburban housewife refers to her home as only "a few miles" south of downtown when she lives a 20 minute drive down a highway from downtown. It is amazing how many people think the phrase, "I don't drive any more than I absolutely have to," somehow translates into "I don't have any problem driving to and from your suburban home five days a week." Seriously, friends? Gas can fluctuate in price all it wants, but we're dealing with a nonrenewable resource and a horrible pollutant here. It is hard to believe that the majority of potential employees out there have no problem driving to and from jobs, that they take for granted the hideous commute and overlarge carbon footprint. I'm so grateful that Darling and I don't have to compromise our principles or our wallets when it comes to driving!

I'm still job-hunting, but I'm not going in for the kill until I find something that fits my needs and matches my lifestyle.

The Job Hunt

Today I sent out two resumes and filled out an application. Tomorrow I intend to apply for at least one job in person. I also ventured into one of those temporary staffing agencies, but I doubt I'll even get a call back and I don't know what I'd do if they did. Being asked to pee in a cup is an offensive violation of my privacy, and there were signs all over that office demanding I be prepared to do so at a moment's notice.

I haven't found anything promising in the way of drafting. If I had a personal computer and a copy of AutoCad I might try e-lancing, but I don't see that happening any time too terribly soon. At the moment I'm not looking to build my career so much as pad our budget.

I'm not considering quitting my job (which I really, really enjoy and is actually quite profitable much of the time) but we obviously need supplemental income at this time. I'm aiming for a job that will at least cover rent without interfering with my current position. That will free up a several hundred dollars to throw at my brother and lawyer, and maybe cover our March travel expenses...

Immigration and Beans

Yesterday we drove to San Antonio in my brother's ginormous boat of a 1970's sedan. Darling's biometrics appointment took about 5 minutes total, leaving us giddy with disbelief. Hard to believe it cost $128 for a photograph and some fingerprints taken, but hopefully his work permit will come in a timely manner. I have a fantasy that he'll be working by December...

I had a migraine by the time we got home, which grew into the worse migraine I've ever had and made for a rather unfortunate night. I had a phone interview at 5:00 pm for a domestic job, and I probably sounded like a very perky zombie getting hit in the head with an axe - which is how I felt. This morning I got a call that the position was filled by the first girl interviewed. This has happened to me repeatedly in the past few weeks :(

My migraine subsided by morning, so I chopped, baked, and skinned a pumpkin. So far it has made a pie and a smoothie. Soon it will be muffins. I plan on purchasing a few more pie pumpkins before the season is over and freeze the flesh (Austin is too humid to store them without a proper root cellar). They are Darling's favorite veg, and at 99 cents a pound a pretty good deal for all the antioxidant beta-carotene.

After breakfast, Darling and I walked to the store and spent $21 on groceries. We purchased 2 dozen local eggs for $3, which is the deal of the century in my "$4 a carton of local/organic eggs" world. At the checkout line, there was a cart of Halloween candy marked half off. At the bottom of the cart were huge 6lb 15oz cans of beans marked 2/99. We puzzled over what that meant. Could the beans be $2.99 each? We asked the cashier, who called a grocery manager for clarification. There was no grocery manager available by the time he finished checking us out, and a line building, so the cashier simply rang up the can for $2.99 and sent us on our way. We rarely purchase canned beans since dried beans are cheaper and can be purchased in bulk, but we like to have a couple of cans put aside in case of emergency. We now have enough black-eyed peas to last us a week of emergencies :)

Yes We Can - Can You?

"Cooking, knitting, and gardening are the new sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll," Darling said this morning. I totally agree.

I'm very happy about our new president, I'm very proud of my country. After eight years of shame and embarrassment, I can tell people from other countries that I'm a Texan and maybe their first reaction won't be thoughts of Bush.

However, we still live in a country gripped by corporate control, totally at the mercy of Big Oil, Big Medicine, and Big Bad Food. Much of the "civilized" world is in the same position, there is little any man, any administration can do to solve the problems of climate change, pollution, obesity, and the myriad of issues that must be dealt with for the sake of our children and ourselves. Many, many people in the United States have agreed that "Yes We Can." Hopefully the time is coming that every American man and woman can look in the mirror in the morning and say, "Yes I can."

Government regulators may not be able to force or persuade automakers to build energy efficient vehicles. But I CAN make the choice not to drive unless absolutely necessary. Grocery stores are not liable for the tons of petroleum and paper products wasted in the packaging and transportation of foods across the country, but I CAN make the choice to spend more on local goods and on whole foods, to take my own bags to the store and bring bulk grains home in jars. Kraft and other major food companies will forever rely on deceptive advertising and false claims, cheap products advertised to our children and recommended by major magazines and television shows. I CAN turn off the television and cook from scratch, I CAN replace convenience with quality. I CAN refuse to work for exploitative employers who don't offer appropriate pay and benefits, I CAN say no to cell phones, new clothes, coffee shops, spendthrift friends, movies theaters, new books, television, hair stylists, mortgages, and the million other desires that make single-income living impossible. I CAN say no to credit! The government can not force corporations to play nice. But The People can abstain from the practices that are sold to us as necessary and force the system to change and provide us with tools and processes that improve our lives rather than stain them with artificial coloring and credit ratings.

I can do it. We can do it.

Haloween Vampire

When I worked Halloween night, a scheduling glitch kept me on duty until 3:30 a.m. Arriving home at 4 in the morning, I only had an hour to sleep before showering, catching the bus, going to school, and taking an exam (studying all along the way...).

When I got home from school at 5 p.m. yesterday, I passed out and slept until 10:00 p.m., at which point I was roused and reminded of my promise to be a friend's designated driver. We partied until 4 in the morning, and again I came home to a few hours sleep.

Having worked all day, I am now a very sleepy, very grumpy vampire. Except I don't consume blood. Not in any literal sense, at least.

Partially as a result of the upset schedule, and a slow weekend for the restaurant as a whole, I only earned about $100 this weekend. Not, say, the $500+ required of me to keep our household running. And I'm not working next weekend. So I need to work all day every day this week. Unless I do really, really well tomorrow, I might have to cancel our Greenling order. Which is just as well, since we still have a couple of squash, at least two bell peppers, green beans, 3 onions, several hot peppers, and some zucchinis from the last couple of orders to deal with. But I'd rather maintain and store a surplus than go without...

November Net Worth

Assets (cash, bank accounts, and investments): $542.18, $1,138.51 less than last I checked.

Debt (family, lawyer, student loans, and money I owe my employer for health insurance): $15,514.79, a full $960.25 more than October

Net Worth: -$14, 972.61, which is $2,098.76 less than last month :(

Yuck, that's the lowest it's been since February - when we were still calculating our dental needs as debt! Last month we had our highest worth ever, but it was inflated because we hadn't sent my brother's loan to Homeland Security just yet.

It's a little depressing to see our money situation deteriorate so quickly, all because of a paperwork mishap in an immigration process we thought we were done with. It might take us 5 or 6 months just to get us back to last October's numbers.