Out of sync
Last year this time, I was elbow-deep in Thanksgiving preparation: pies, cranberry stuff, pumpkin ravioli, soups, etc. It was grand, and I had a blast. Our house was packed. We ate out on the porch, with light rain in the background (porch is covered, though not on sides) and the warm glow of Christmas lights and candles. It was so fun!!!
We had been making plans for a grand Thanksgiving Fest again this year. But this year has gotten away from us. We are strictly tied to a careful budget (so no throwing multi-course parties for 20 people) and are tired. So we're opting to go to Pensacola for the soothing balm of visiting my great-aunt and uncle there. It is always so relaxing. We don't do much there, but they feed us our favorite food. We do our laundry. Watch the waves lap up from the bay outside their window. And have enjoyable conversation. (Maybe even play dominoes, if I can twist Chris's arm into it.) We always leave their house feeling entirely refreshed.
But it doesn't feel like the holidays. I'm still getting used to the fact that Halloween has come and gone. I feel like I'm in this dark, empty vortex of time. We need holidays to help us mark the time, or at least we've gotten used to this need. I haven't managed to turn on the regularly scheduled holiday compartment in my brain, and time continues to march on leaving me behind and befuddled at the moments of confusion when I resurface in retail world and realize that Christmas is coming. (Oh, but the greenery freshly laid out for one's holiday adornment smells SOOOO good. MOM!!! Can you cut some pine branches and mail them to me?? PLEASE). I've just got to muster enough focus to finish this semester with no incompletes. Is that asking too much?
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Today our neighbor handed me four fish...four WHOLE fresh Red fish. I don't know what to do with these things. It's the whole thing! As in: recently has been swimming in water. It was really nice of him. He told me to just to scrape of the scales, cut off the head, and slice along the belly. :-P I put them in the freezer. HELP!
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Oh, yummy, yum, yum. In Italy we just cut it open from the little "hole" at one of the fish right up to the "chin", pulled out the guts. Then rinsed it and filled it with Italian parsley, garlic, some salt and olive oil. Put it on the grill, scales, head and all (the head on gives it better flavor). Then when it seem flakey (after turning) take it off. The scales will peel off with the skin usually leaving the skeleton depending on how big the bones are. So easy and sooooo yummy. Boy, do we miss fresh fish. We're trying to work a trip to Italy into our budget this summer!!! Ah, fresh fish, pizza, bread, olives......drool....
Posted by: sperlonga | 23.11.04 18:32
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LOL on the fish!!! That is soooooo funny. I have caught, guiled and eaten fresh fish before, but it was sooo long ago and I had my brother and his friends to help me. I have no idea what to tell you. I bet you can find something on line that would tell you how to deal with them.
Posted by: beth | 23.11.04 19:04
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There's a guy our age in our church who likes to fish. I called him and said "if you cut these up, I'll make dinner for you." Mutual benefit. And he showed me how to cut them up, just like you said, Auntie. Hope you can go to bella Italia...
Posted by: Jeannette | 23.11.04 21:18