More thoughts on Thanksgiving

Thanks to all my friends -- both GF and gluten-eating -- i have finally figured out why I'm dreading Thanksgiving so much.

1. It's a holiday solely centered on food -- food that generally I can't eat. Food that I tend to love.

2. It's my FIRST major holiday since going GF.

3, People just don't naturally think to prepare GF food on this holiday, unless they're the ones who are GF. So I have low expectations that food at my friend's house will be stuff I can eat (I am hoping for deviled eggs, potato salad, vegetables. I am hoping the ham is GF. But no mac and cheese, no stuffing, probably no sweet potatoes, and no desserts).

4. I want someone to cook for me. I want to contribute to the meal, but I don't want to cook it all unless I have a table full of people. I am at least blessed that Randy would take me ANYWHERE to dinner if they'd feed me like I needed to be fed.

5. I'm not-so-secretly bummed because I was invited to a totally GF Thanksgiving Feast in Atlanta today, and I couldn't go because Jeffrey's been sick. I think that has been the straw. I was going there, then to Trader Joe's and then to Whole Foods. Instead I'm sitting here watching stupid food shows thinking how I can convert the gluten.

So I'm trying to get a new attitude. I'm leaning toward our still going to Pam's. I'll ask a few questions before I go but I'll pack most of my own meal. I'm going to make the green bean casserole (I test drove the GF one last night,) and I'm going to make myself a BIG pan of dressing (actually, a tiny pan for me to eat at her house, and a pan for us here). I'm also going to make two turkey breast rolls we have in the freezer. I haven't decided about sweet potatoes yet. I'll probably make my congealed salad (because it is so easy). And I willt make some other vegetables, depending on when we're eating. Nothing fancy. I won't spend all day in the kitchen while Randy watches TV and plays Scrabble online. And I'll have some leftovers. He'll get a full meal with all the goodies.

Come to think of it, I'm also going to make a crustless pecan pie and a carrot cake. Yeah. I have all the stuff. I don't need much sweets. Just a little.

And while eating out is always risky, I am going to go more for the social interaction than the food. That is a skill I need to learn.

Truth be told, I have invited EVERYONE I could to our house so we could have a normal looking holiday. My logic was I could make a totally GF meal for everyone, and I'd have my social situation too. It was actually worth it to me to do this. Sadly, no one will come. My Dad and Mary had already made other plans when I asked them; so had another set of friends. And my friend Jess is too bogged down with school projects to come visit. ALL understandable reasons.

So I will do my version of this for Randy and me (Jeffrey won't eat most of this stuff and may be at his Dad's).

But to my gluten-eating friends, I say, YOU try this. There is nothing as frustrating as walking into a social food situation and finding there is nothing you can eat at all. Or having someone tell you, while everyone else is eating hot snacks and sandwiches and such, "well, there's fruit."

And to quote my GF blogger friend Alexandra I should focus this year on how thankful I am -- thankful that I don't have cancer, thankful that I'm feeling better since going GF, thankful that I have ALL OF YOU. Yeah.

It's midnight, and it's time for me to check out of this pity party (thanks, Cassandra. I love that).

I'm going to bake some cornbread for dressing. Jess, you inspired me.

Much love, and I'm working on that bad attitude.
Ging