Home Fires Burning

Halfway through Thanksgiving I realised that I'd taken loads of photos but there was no memory card in my camera. A veritable metaphor for my life, friends. We really missed Kevin's father Bob and stepmother Patty, who were stalled by bad weather in Pennsylvania.  Bob bursts into song whenever something jogs his memory, and in his honor I kept on singing "Keep the Home Fires Burning" whenever I passed our fireplace.

You won't get that song out of your mind now

Kevin basting the old bird. Tallulah said: "You are such a trophy wife, Dad"

Aunt Mary at the head of table, with Dave, Janelle and family and kids

As with last year,  Mr Carson would have had my guts for garters over table setting and lazyarse absence of white tablecloth. 

Photo of cousins from last year, Janelle,  Grady and Leila

I assured Kevin, Turkey Chef, that Tarquin, the Ashtanga practising bird, was not tough after two days of brining. Kevin was sad and thought it was.

Told you that our sides (outsourced) would be plain, not Rococo, but there was the mushroom bake and collards greens with parmesan which proved me wrong, but very tasty. My food photos looked disgusting so have not posted them.

Just as I heard Kevin's cousine, Janelle, arrive en famille, I decided Old Teal frock was 'Meh.' Great expression here which means, as the NY Sunday Times Meh List says: "Not hot. Not not. Just Meh."(This week's Meh List  included pumpkin ale and the Maroon5 guy).  Had just been watching Barbara Stanwyck's Christmas in Connecticut in all her 1946 palazzo pants glory and so reached for my blue Alice and Olivia high-waisters and rolled-up white shirt. Barb fulfills every inch of my favourite expression: "What a Dame!"

Alice and Olivia pants, Halogen white shirt, vintage necklace

Kevin's Aunt Mary came from Kansas, she's the family historian, and she told us about great grandmother who was Cherokee, a fact sadly kept under wraps for many years and now we can't find out much about her. Apparently Tallulah looks just like that side. Kevin's brother came from Denver. Cousin Janelle came across the bridge with hubs and kids, they're a family of fabulous redheads, you can read my Ode To Redheads if you want.

Next day we took a gondola ride around Lake Merritt which was lovely; singing and history of Venice from an Italian who is from there. Then lunch at the Lake Chalet with oysters and fries.

Tallulah and her friend on the gondola ride around Lake Merrit, Oakland

Then off to Peter the Starcatcher the prequel to Peter Pan, which was overly-long and a bit muddled in style. With some live theatre you just think: "This looks much more fun to be in than to watch."

What about you: any tales of Hot, Not or Meh?