No big thoughts this week, just posting for practice and accountability.

Going into this week, I didn’t have much of a plan for Thanksgiving. Knowing it would be just me, I planned a left-over Thanksgiving feast that substituted chicken thighs for turkey meat. Not thinking too far ahead, Wednesday night I headed out to the store to pick up a few last minute things.

My days working at grocery stores must have truly faded from my memory, because I was prepared for busy, but not outrageously busy. As I stood outside the store, taking a phone call, my Thanksgiving plans changed slightly. Instead of lounging in my pajamas, eating and drinking whenever I was ready to start the day, I’d be sharing my left-over style dinner with a friend. I figured that required slightly more home cooking than I’d planned. (Homemade stuffing vs Stovetop)

To keep my life a little simple, I’d planned to just pick up a pumpkin pie and some Rediwhip to go with dinner. Unbelievably, the grocery store was out of pumpkin pies. They had plenty of pecan and one sweet potato, but neither of those were an option for me. So, I picked up all the ingredients, and found myself baking a pie Thanksgiving morning.

The dinner came together well, and I think I have finally established my own Thanksgiving routine. Since my divorce, I’ve hosted a vegetarian – just the sides and desserts style Friends-giving, spent Thanksgiving with friends and their families, and had Thanksgiving catered by Wegman’s, so I could have the leftovers without having to cook. Each of those Thanksgiving’s was a joy in its own way.

This year, though, this year, I found my base. When left to my own devices, without other plans, I know exactly what I’ll cook and how I will plan for Thanksgiving – simply and loosely. I make chicken thighs and gravy all the time and mashed potatoes more often than I should. The stuffing I do only make once a year. What really made this meal special, though, was throwing it all in a deep-dish pie dish like a Shepherd’s pie. It’s special, because it all just tastes so good together, but also because it helped me be super flexible with my plans.

As I said until Wednesday night, I’d planned to enjoy my little meal by myself while I puttered about the house ignoring chores and watching whatever tickled my fancy. As I stood in the Publix parking lot listening to my friend, my plans changed. Realizing that my friend needed company and not to have to leave their place, I offered to share my Thanksgiving and suggested it would be easy to assemble then bring over to warm up.

Thursday afternoon, I packed up the dinner, the pie, and some wine and headed over to my friend’s house. Everything worked out wonderfully and this was a lovely and special Thanksgiving. The simplicity and flexibility of my cooking plans served my traditions and memories, but also allowed me to be present and share a lovely holiday with a friend. That is the element of this meal that I want to be the tradition. Perhaps next year, I will share it with more friends in my home, or maybe I’ll do something wildly different. Who knows?

What I learned this year is that I all really require from Thanksgiving is getting set up for my favorite holiday of the year, National Pie for Breakfast Day!

I hope that you all had wonderful Thanksgivings!