Wednesday, December 4, 2013

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?





24 comments:

  1. I love those pants on you - you look fab, and very 40's glam. Very clever of you to outsource both the sides and the Turkey. I need a trophy wife too.
    No stories of Meh lately. The outfits have been good, just that my makeup does not, unfortunately, make me look particularly radiant, so maybe that's my Meh. There's no hiding sleep deprivation and stress sadly, no matter how miraculous the product, as your actual eyes will still look tired. I'm looking forward to January! xx

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    1. Don't believe it! You are always bright eyed. Wait till you hit the dreaded 50 - My friend calls it the hangover look when you haven't had a drink...very unfair.

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  2. I love your outfit too - I am hoping to dig into the new biography about her over the holidays!

    Since we don't celebrate Thanksgiving in November, last week was quiet and yes, I have forgotten memory cards in my day...

    Love the name of your turkey - It's the title of one of the main characters in my book.

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    1. Oooh I'm totally intrigued. Is he posh? A Sat antiquer like our dearly departed bird?

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  3. You look fabulous and love that color of trousers! There is a long list of meh at the moment so I won't bore you. But on the hot front is that my fave series borgen is on, you must try and channel,bbc4 and watch it! It is amazing...

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    1. OOh must investigate. Borgen you say? Homeland is ending soon so I need to do something with my life.

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  4. I remember, in the olden days of wind-on film, taking some beautiful photos in the Greek Isles, before opening the back of the camera to find it had never wound on in the first place.

    Love your teal trousers, your plates and your relatives with their great stories.

    My husband also likes to take charge of the bird - at Christmas - and don't we know about it!

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    1. Did that a couple of times.The not winding on
      I carried 30 of those done films all around the Middle East with me for five months. Still crisp when I got back.

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  5. Replies
    1. MR carson would tell us 'the natural order will be returned soon"

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  6. Looks and sounds like it was a wonderful Thanksgiving. I like the color of those jeans!!

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  7. Table cloths are meh in my opinion. Love the high waisted pants on you. I have a long waist so such items never hit me in the right spot. Or maybe it's just that all my spots are wrong right now.

    Glad you had a nice holiday. We escaped all family and retreated to Big Bend National Park. Best holiday ever!!

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    1. Funny, I have a high waist too. In fact was just reading in a NY Times review of Barb's latest biography that she had an incredibly long waist and her designer dresser knew her exactly and stayed with her all her life. I notice in her movies she wears skimmy dresses and pants and cropped jackets

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  8. Sounds like a grand affair
    Even with no memory card at your lair lol

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  9. I emptied my entire wardrobe looking for an outfit to go to a party recently. Loads of meh. Your trousers look very glam. I can never wear a white blouse as it's a magnet for any passing stain.

    It sounds like you had a merry Thanksgiving en famille with some very snazzy plates. I don't do table cloths either mainly because they have to be ironed...

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    1. Yes the iron does not make an appearance in my world

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  10. This looks like a wonderful time...love the dress you are wearing, the colour is my favourite!! Gorgeous pictures xx

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  11. Your outfit is beautiful. Glad it heralded a happy Thanksgiving!

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    1. Thanks for popping by, loved your post today about the frock shop visit.

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  12. Oh God, I'm so behind with reading your blog - slow down woman! Love the trousers - very elegant - also a big fan of log fires. I'd run out of food before I'd run out of logs!

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  13. Loving those trousers!! You find the most gorgeous colors Jody! I love the no card in the camera story. That is so me..Looks like a fine feast though!
    Hope it was happy. xKim

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  14. As mr doonican did you do a party rendition of his party classic...paddy mcgintys goat?

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