Thanksgiving grocery shopping

I love Thanksgiving! I think that sentiment is held by many Americans as it represents a day that is full of family, food, football and precious little commercialism.

As always though, the meal must be well thought out and planned for. Throughout the past 23 years of marriage, motherhood and holiday eating, I've learned every family member has certain favorites that HAVE to be on the table for that special meal.

My husband has a sweet childhood story involving LeSeur peas and pearl onions, so of course we have those. My oldest and her grandmother put together a special fruit salad every year. My other three children love a certain mashed potato casserole that I make every year (that turns out different EVERY time). And, if stuffing and jellied cranberry sauce were all that we had, that would be fine with me. Yum! Yum!

So, last night as I walked into my local Albertson's, I heard the voice of a woman coming in right behind me. She seemed to be muttering something to herself. Nosy-body that I am, I tried to listen. She was talking to herself about the various items on sale in the store. I wandered an aisle or so more and heard someone else murmering to themselves. They seemed to have forgotten something; an ingredient to grandma's special pumpkin pie perhaps?

Strangely, this same thing happened over and over again while I was meandering through the aisles. I thought either 1)everyone was going slightly insane before Thanksgiving or 2)they didn't make as complete a grocery list as they thought they had and now had to re-create a meal in their minds. It was really kind of funny.
All these "normal" members of society were perusing around a grocery store talking to themselves. I was probably doing the same thing..."Cranberry sauce! I need more jellied cranberry sauce!"

At the end of my shopping spree for last minute items, $147.00 later, I felt satisfied that my Thanksgiving meal shopping was complete. No family meal treasures left unattended to. Now all I have to do is cook ALL DAY tomorrow.

This evening, as I lay stretched out on the sofa my husband says "We have plenty of charcoal and mesquite chips to smoke the turkey,right?"

Back to the store...I wander the aisles murmering to myself "Charcoal, mesquite chips. Don't forget charcoal and mesquite chips!"

Happy Thanksgiving!