WARNING! WARNING! -- This posting concerns Canadian Thanksgiving
which is tomorrow Oct. 11, and not on the third Thursday of November
when some have erroneously believed it should be celebrated --
WARNING ENDS HERE

First of all, let me say that I have no particular affection for
Thanksgiving. We never celebrated it at home because it wasn't part
of our culture and it has always been nothing more than another day
off from work for me.

So, this year, because I share living quarters with a person of the
English-language persuasion (and cultural baggage), we decide to have
it on Sunday instead of Monday. My wife invites her daughter's
boyfriend's mother because, she argues, the poor woman will be by
herself. I don't see the big hairy deal...I could easily put up with
being by myself on Thanksgiving...that's one thing I could give
thanks for :-). Then I'm told his brother will also be coming,
because if his mother comes, he'll be by himself. So, I argue, if
she doesn't come, the two of them could be together if it's so all
frikkin important. Some people don't get irony...

So, I decide on two 1.5 kg organic hormone-free chickens as the main
part, with braised brussels sprouts (with nitrate-free bacon),
sautéed yellow beans with garlic, and potatoes mashed with sour
cream. I'm thinking a sprinkle of nutmeg might be good. I'll make
my signature cranberry sauce with lemon juice, chopped ginger and
fructose. I'm jamming on the food here and I say I can do this by
5:30 no problem. Except that there is problem.

My wife decides at the last minute to make two pies, one apple and
one pumpkin. Seems easy but we're dealing with an organizationally
challenged person, by her own admission. So, with a menu already
designed to the time constraints (has to start at 6, be over by
7:45), this pie-making cuts in to my schedule (and she started this
yesterday!). You see, two of the participants (maybe all four) have
to be at church at 8PM (huh? I sez, but they're Polish and this is
apparently de rigueur). My view is: "Hey! you've been invited to
eat! Skip church. Think of it as communion. Your deity will forgive
you." Nope, I'm told this is non-negotiable. I can tell that I'm
not going to be a happy camper. All I ask is that once the menu has
been set down that we don't start introducing spanners into the
works.

This is one of those moments when I feel like a servant. I think
next year, they can fend for themselves and I'll go to Montréal for
the weekend by myself.

--

"It is easier for a rich man to enter heaven seated
comfortably on the back of a camel, than it is for
a poor man to pass through the eye of a needle."

Supply Side Jesus

"Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote in
m:

> "Michel Boucher" > wrote in message
>
>> challenged person, by her own admission. So, with a menu already
>> designed to the time constraints (has to start at 6, be over by
>> 7:45), this pie-making cuts in to my schedule (and she started
>> this yesterday!). You see, two of the participants (maybe all
>> four) have to be at church at 8PM (huh? I sez, but they're Polish
>> and this is apparently de rigueur).
>
> These problems would not arise if you celebrated the REAL
> Thanksgiving in November. No church required, no time
> constraints. After dinner you could have all sat around the fire
> singing and sharing pumpkin pie.

Ah, a troublemaker...

It would still happen, believe me. If it wasn't church it would be
something else. Besides, November is a long time to wait for a long
weekend. AND we already have a day off November 11 (or some of us
do).

--

"It is easier for a rich man to enter heaven seated
comfortably on the back of a camel, than it is for
a poor man to pass through the eye of a needle."

Supply Side Jesus

Cindy Fuller > wrote in

:

> Did you manage to deal with the time constraints and last-minute
> pies without busting a carotid artery?

Actually, the guests were prepared for any eventuality and everything
came out on time. Although I made voluminous amounts, the only
leftovers are small portions of veggies. The meal was pleasant,
conversation was great (especially their memories of Gdansk at the
time of the shipyard strikes) and the pies even turned out well
(although that looked like touch and go for a while).

> There's been a long
> difference of opinion between SO and me on when Thanksgiving
> dinner should be served. I prefer to have it around 1 or 2 pm,
> because that's when my family always had it. That includes the
> years we had to go over the river and through the woods to my
> grandmother's sister's house. SO believes that dinner means 5 or
> 6 pm--oftimes he's barely conscious at 1 pm. I have adapted.
> That just means I have more time to play in the kitchen in peace.

That's easy for you then. My SO insists on being active and
underfoot during the entire day, making pies, cleaning, cleaning...
Anyway, I'm going off to bed. I've earned it.

--

"It is easier for a rich man to enter heaven seated
comfortably on the back of a camel, than it is for
a poor man to pass through the eye of a needle."

Supply Side Jesus

We live in the U.S., but Jim is Canadian. Since it is his day, he chose
the menu. We're having roast duck breast, buttercup squash, asparagus,
and pumpkin pie (from the Libby's can) if he feels like making pies. Or
we might go with apple and pear crisp instead since squash and pumpkin
at one meal is repetitive.


--Lia


Michel Boucher wrote:

> Of course there was. I didn't mean to say that it WAS a harvest
> festival, only that an original Thanksgiving was at one time a
> harvest festival. The practice of Thanksgiving was brought here by
> loyalists who fled the depredation of the Revolting which affected
> the US for a time. This is why it is of little interest to French-
> Canadians and until recently was in fact used by the Church as an
> unofficial holiday, like Labour Day, where people would go spend the
> day in church. Well...it kept them off the streets...
>
> The reason the Canadian Thanksgiving is earlier is because it was
> ostensibly made to coincide with the earlier (to New England) harvest
> and in fact the 1957 act of Parliament which instituted it as a
> statutory holiday (rather than relying on the former practice of
> successive Royal Proclamations) specifically said it was to be "a day
> of general thanksgiving to almighty God for the bountiful harvest
> with which Canada has been blessed."
>
> http://www.web-holidays.com/canada/
>
> http://www.thanksgiving-traditions.com/html/canada.html
>
> http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/cpsc-ccsp...a/action_e.cfm
>
> There is no gift-buying holiday associated with Thanksgiving in
> Canada. Today I am going wargaming at a friend's house.
>
> Our smarmy, dysfunctional family reunion holiday is Christmas.
>

On 11 Oct 2004 00:56:01 GMT, Michel Boucher
> wrote:

> 11 November 2004 Remembrance Day

What are you remembering?

sf
Practice safe eating - always use condiments

On 11 Oct 2004 22:00:47 GMT, Michel Boucher >
wrote:

>Puester > wrote in
:
>
>>> These problems would not arise if you celebrated the REAL
>>> Thanksgiving in November. No church required, no time
>>> constraints. After dinner you could have all sat around the fire
>>> singing and sharing pumpkin pie.
>>
>> You forgot watching football games while the women wash the
>> dishes.
>
>Must be a US custom. Around here, we listen to women kvetch about
>doing dishes after the men have finished cooking.

Mine was better.... I cooked, other brought additional stuff, men did
the dishes. I liked that part very much. (They looked so cute)

Shirley Hicks
Toronto, Ontario
TB

"A liberal is a conservative who's been through treatment."
- Garrison Keillor

> You see, two of the participants (maybe all four) have
>to be at church at 8PM (huh? I sez, but they're Polish and this is
>apparently de rigueur). My view is: "Hey! you've been invited to
>eat! Skip church. Think of it as communion. Your deity will forgive
>you." Nope, I'm told this is non-negotiable. I can tell that I'm
>not going to be a happy camper. All I ask is that once the menu has
>been set down that we don't start introducing spanners into the
>works.
>
>This is one of those moments when I feel like a servant. I think
>next year, they can fend for themselves and I'll go to Montréal for
>the weekend by myself.
>
>--

"Hey, Martha, come out of the kitchen and join Mary and me out here in the
living room." ----Jesus