Farmerlady: Adventures in Hinterland

Live Blog: Thanksgiving, part 11

farmerlady — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 19:40:57 +0000

As my friend Adele pointed out, at least today the dads are wearing different colored shirts.

Live Blog: Thanksgiving, part 10–a house divided

farmerlady — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 17:19:59 +0000

If you are not a fan of college football, or the SEC, or sports, then you probably do not know that at 2:30 PM EST today the Louisiana State University Tigers are playing an important game against the Razorbacks of the University of Arkansas. To a normal household this pivotal game does not pose a problem, but in my household, today is a little bit tricky. You see, I am married to a razorback and my people are tigers. In pre-school my brother convinced his class, teacher included, to say the pledge of allegiance to the LSU flag instead of the stars and stripes. In almost all of my baby pictures I am wearing tiger paraphernalia. Geoff and I arranged to be on our honeymoon during the first LSU/ Arkansas game after we were married, but now is the time of reckoning.

I have prepared a lovely pulled pork lunch and am wearing an LSU shirt, and Arkansas shirt, and an LSU hat. My mom says I have betrayed her womb by wearing Arkansas’ colors. I can’t help but be a diplomatic hostess. This could be a long afternoon, especially because I myself am not super in to football.

Live Blog: Thanksgiving, part 9–the denim rule

farmerlady — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 22:12:54 +0000

Earlier in the break I instituted a rule that banned both sets of parents from wearing denim tops at the same time because of the confusion it caused earlier in the holiday. Striving to comply with the denim rule, both my father and my father-in-law put on green long sleeved shirts, unbeknownst to each other. We are now instituting the Toys-R-Us rule: If someone says “Hey, Dad!” everyone must turn around and respond.

In other news, Nana would like you to know that she has her poker shirt on. Geoff, Nana, and my Dad (the one in the green shirt) are getting together a pretty big tournament. I am sure I already booked a nap for tournament time. Darn.

Live Blog: Thanksgiving, part 8

farmerlady — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 20:42:46 +0000

We did it up right, son! I am as full as I can be. And this Thanksgiving might go in the record book as the smoothest one yet. So far, no one has had to go to the hospital, no one has had to sit in traffic or fly in or out at an awkward hour, and no one has had a fight (not that we thought anyone would, but you know, holidays).

America will be happy to know that I let my partner in life be my partner in the kitchen today. Geoff was the perfect sous chef and we killed it. He’d chop, I’d stir, we’d clean dishes, we’d make witty jokes to our company. In an unrelated note, I might hold the new holiday record for spilling liquids and breaking glass (accidentally), but we have not let that slow us down. Sure I poured out an entire vat of liquid ice cream on the floor (haven’t we seen that on Top Chef and Iron Chef), and sure I loaded the basement fridge so full of items that any fool opening the door (me) had glass containers roll out onto the floor and explode. These minor setbacks do not stop our Thanksgiving MoJo. Geoff raised a great bird, I roasted it up, we combined our families traditional sides and served three generations a peaceful, relaxing, tasty Thanksgiving meal.

God has definitely blessed our holiday and I am super thankful for my family and friends (near and far).

Click to view slideshow.

Live Blog: Thanksgiving, part 7

farmerlady — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 02:53:35 +0000

Let’s begin with dinner and work backwards. I quoteth Facebook: Our dinner plans were foiled so we are sitting in the pizza hut in Liberty and I am staring at a truly exquisite mullet. It’s an anniversary dream come true (exquisite because it is paired with a sleeveless shirt in November AND a complete goatee bro-stache combo). We had intended to go to the Bread of Life Cafe in Liberty, arriving only to discover that it was closed. Had we known we would have started our journey in Campbellsville where there are multiple dinner options, but alas we found ourselves on the night before Thanksgiving eating at the pizza hut. Nonetheless, a great time was had by all. And anniversary #3 goes into the books as the Pizza-Hut-Mullet-Dinner-versary .

Prior to dinner we spent some time trying to get our turkeys out of trees. My brother-in-law’s puppy Rooi inadvertently chased several of our rare heritage breed turkey breading pairs across the creek and into the trees. We’re crossing our fingers that they’ll come down.

All in all TG Eve has been a blast. We had a two part field trip to L-ville, we chased turkeys, we dined with the fam, and we did a lot of pre-cooking for tomorrow. I’m missing my little bro unbearably, but I shall keep calm and carry on!

Live Blog: Thanksgiving, part 6

farmerlady — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 22:51:41 +0000

The second half of our Louisville field trip led us to Churchill Downs where Nana, master of the “hunch bet”, showed us how it was done. I had some beginners luck. I picked the third horse to win in the first two races because this is our third anniversary and we were married on the 23. The third horse won both races which was invigorating. It probably would have been even more invigorating if I had bet more than two dollars on either race. But a wins a win. Mom, Nana, Pam, Randy, and Pete got a special tour of the winners circle and the paddock from some Arkansas guy they ran into, so it was a win, win day for everyone.

I don’t recommend going to the grocery store at four o’clock on the day before Thanksgiving, but if you have to, I recommend going to the smaller Kroger in Campbellsville. You can get in, get out, and my student Megan works. She is excellent at what she does.

Live Blog: Thanksgiving, part 5

farmerlady — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 22:36:42 +0000

I attempted to update my blog via email, but that did not work. Here is what it would have said:

We are standing in the gift shop of the Louisville Slugger museum waiting for Geoff who just delivered a GLR turkey to a Louisville customer. Fun fact: you can get your name put on a bat here. Funner fact: we are just down the street from one of my favorite restaurants, Proof on Main.

The Slugger Factory/Museum tour is really worth the price of admission. You get to touch famous old baseball bats, see how the pro and amateur bats are made, and there are life-size wax figures of famous baseball players. Behold:

Live Blog: Thanksgiving, part 4–Anniversary edition

farmerlady — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 12:00:28 +0000

Good morning! It is 6:34 EST, 5:34 AM for you Central Time Zone folks. Today is November 23, 2011 Which means that today is the third anniversary of Geoff and I. I know what your thinking. How is it possible that two people so old and ancient have only been married three years. Well I guess we are late bloomers. Happily, three years ago today I married a cute, nervous, guitar strumming biologist in the heart of old San Antonio. Though it was the most nerve racking decision of my life, it was the best one I have ever made. I am happy to be up before down in a house full of family and dogs with the best friend and teammate a girl could ever ask for. And he’s cute too, just ask the counseling department at TCHS.

Live Blog: Thanksgiving, part 3

farmerlady — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 03:32:59 +0000

Dinner and desert were a success. We are now getting ready for tomorrow’s ambitious sched: hit the Louisville Slugger Museum right when it opens and then head over to Churchill Downs to admire the ponies, the architecture, the history, and Nana’s “hunch bets”. All of that, and we are delivering a turkey to one of our customers.
In the meantime, I seem to have gotten one of my contacts stuck way back up in my eyeball. The original pilgrims had their own sets of problems I’m sure, and like them, I shall carryon. In the meantime, I’m thinking of and missing my little brother big time.
In other news, we are thinking of instituting a new policy by which only on set of parents is allowed to wear denim shirts. I have more than once tonight confused Geoff’s dad for my dad because Randy is wearing a denim shirt, aka my dad’s uniform. My dad is wearing a denim blue colored non-denim shirt, adding to the confusion.
As I type this Scooter is greco-roman wrestling my brother-in-law’s new puppy. Hopefully Nana is a sound sleeper.

Live-blog: Thanksgiving, part 2

farmerlady — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 01:41:32 +0000

The second batch of ice cream was a success. We are rollin’ strong at GLR!