I returned home last night from visiting with my family over Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, I didn't have any big epiphanies, and I haven't had much in the way of inspiration recently with regard to diary writing. Below the fold you will find a few observations and impressions from my trip. Plus, I share my German grandfather's turkey stuffing recipe, which I made for the first time this year. And, of course, you can come see the comments your fellow kossacks have nominated as being the best comments of the day, and those that obtained the most recommends from yesterday. Jump over the do-hickey...
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I tend to avoid politics when I visit my family. My brother-in-law, the successful accountant, is, predictably, a Republican, and his two younger sons follow in his footsteps in that regard. The oldest son, however, shares at least two things with his uncle (that's me): (1) He's liberal, and (2) He's gay. My sister, on the other hand, is one of those damned independents, and can be very fickle. She spent the '80s in the thrall of Reagan. She hated Clinton. However, she voted for Kerry in 2004, and Obama in 2008. In one of our rare political conversations this past week, she told me that she was deeply disappointed in Obama, but that the Republican field made her want to throw up. I can't imagine that she won't vote in 2012, but if she does, she will probably be holding her nose. Even if the Democrats lose her, being that she lives in Maryland, a reliably blue state, it won't make much difference.
I was rather surprised to hear my youngest nephew talking disparagingly about fracking. He's a Republican and dislikes Obama, but he is, perhaps, a breed of Republican that acknowledges the damage that fracking does to the environment. Well, he's a rather mercurial fellow, so perhaps his politics are also mercurial.
My middle nephew, the engineer who decided to pursue an MBA, interviewed for a summer internship at an investment bank in NYC. I am still disappointed that the lure of gobs of money have drawn him away from engineering, but I keep my disappointment to myself.
My oldest nephew lives in California (he works for Apple), and so he doesn't make it back east terrible often. He hosts a big Thanksgiving dinner for his friends every year. I won't see him until Christmas.
My youngest nephew invited his girlfriend to Thanksgiving dinner. She was a very sweet young woman of some accomplishment. She also had a job at Gap, and had to report for work at 3:00 AM on black Friday. Poor girl. At least she is evidence that somebody in the next generation is considering another generation after. (Middle nephew has a girlfriend too, but I have yet to meet her.)
Anyway, as far as family tradition goes, my sister has been falling down on the job. Over the past few years, I had noticed that the stuffing was disappointingly bland, and was shocked to discover that she'd been serving Stove Top. My earliest memories of Thanksgiving were of the family gathering in my grandparents' house. While my grandmother did most of the cooking, it was my grandfather who made the stuffing. (While it was rare for men of that generation to cook, his father had been a baker, and had apparently taught him a few things.) After my grandparents passed away, my mother took up the torch and made the stuffing according to her father-in-law's recipe. I was surprised that my sister didn't follow that tradition, but I am reluctant to criticize. She's the cook, and so what goes on the table is up to her. So I asked her this year if I could make it, and she said "Of course!" So I did. It wasn't that complicated, and it was a big hit. The recipe is below.
Grandpa gizmo's Turkey Stuffing
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb sage sausage (loose)
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 1/2 tsp chopped parsley
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp sage
1 loaf cubed day-old bread
If the stuffing is cooked in a different container from the turkey:
1 can chicken broth
1/4 cup oil
Mix all ingredients together thoroughly. Bake at 300 degrees for 2-3 hours, stirring at least once.
Now on to the comments!
(Slim pickings in the submissions department tonight.)
From princesspat:
In the front page post Learning from the food stamp challenge by Laura Clawson, Tara the Antisocial Social Worker's comment started a thoughtful thread. This comment by grover is especially important to read and remember. My hope is that people will read the entire thread.
From Chrislove:
Armando's diary on some people's "annoying friendly critique" of OWS, Setsuna Mudo takes a snarky jab at OWS's critics with this comment. Further down, Clarknt67 sums it up quite succinctly and leaves nothing to say with this comment.
Form your humble diarist:
A comment made by mswsm in Left in the Cold's recommended diary The least among us... points to the barriers even in academia from even considering the economic advantages to decriminalizing homelessness.
Top Mojo for November 26, 2011
(excluding tip jars and first comments)
1) Well It's a Global Coup. by Gooserock — 128
2) Told ya !!!!! Go back and read by Vetwife — 126
3) our banks are up to their eyeballs by limpidglass — 87
4) It's a coup by Goldman Sachs by FishOutofWater — 87
5) This is the best DK diary of 2011. by flitedocnm — 84
6) Contractors and Construction companies by ROGNM — 84
7) Later, audience members complained by Ron Ebest — 79
8) This is the globalization by chuckvw — 76
9) Ancient America by Ojibwa — 71
10) Michelle in 2016! by James Allen — 66
11) Everyone twitter Brownback sucks! by mswsm — 66
12) Romney's the quintessential 'entrepreneur'. by Dr Erich Bloodaxe RN — 65
13) I wouldn't trust by leftreborn — 62
14) Boots says, by Sara R — 62
15) one of the Greek "technocrats" by limpidglass — 61
16) Emma Sullivan ROCKS! by Ekaterin — 61
17) The 1% expect some resistance by gjohnsit — 58
18) Fail n/t by Thinking Fella — 55
19) Shocked! Shocked I say! by Thinking Fella — 55
20) KoKo... by kishik — 54
21) Happee Caturdai! by arizonablue — 54
22) What the hell? by otto — 53
23) Good one, staff. If no one had said a darn thing by Mother Mags — 52
24) cure for a gloomy saturday by marzook — 51
25) happy holiday by Missys Brother — 51
26) They are not separate n/t by Andrew C White — 51
27) Caturday! No kids zone. by kerflooey — 49
28) I Am Not Always Around When You Post by webranding — 48
29) Coming up on Sunday Kos... by Dr Erich Bloodaxe RN — 48
30) Diary Fail. Assuming an outcome not in evidence. by jayjaybear — 47