And So It Continues

Next up in the fall lineup of things to do is dealing with the property taxes.  We always try to pay the entire amount rather than opting for the two-payment plan so we can get it out of the way.  I want to know who the incredibly shortsighted idiot is who determined that the first installment of property taxes should be due before Christmas and the second, right around income tax time.  I would call that very poor planning.

The taxes being handled brings me to Thanksgiving preparations.  We have been hosting Thanksgiving for at least the past twenty years.  For years, we did it all and slowly but surely over the years we have welcomed assistance with food and drink from our guests.  Being from the east coast originally, this has been a hard lesson to learn.  When one is extended an invitation in the east, it's expected that the host will provide all the amenities.  When an invitation is extended in the west, the first words out of the invited's mouth are, "what do you want me to bring?"  Of course, down through the years our guests have offered to bring food and such but we've always wanted to make everything ourselves.  At long last, we've come to our senses!

We've had anywhere from eight to twenty-six people for Thanksgiving dinner.  Over the years, my husband and I have handled the meal preparations.  We do a lot of work ahead of time.  I've been known to make as many as four pies (and I'm not talking the heat and eat variety here).  This takes some doing but we always seem to manage.  Our house isn't tiny but it's far from huge.  Seating two dozen people can be quite a challenge but we've learned how to do it.  By the time everything's ready and the time has come to sit down to dinner, our living room resembles something along the line of St. Anthony's Dining Hall.  It's cozy and somewhat cramped but the result is a Thanksgiving of intimate proportions.

The date Thanksgiving falls on determines how soon we get our Christmas tree.  Thanksgiving is on November 25th this year.  Oh my!  Just one month before Christmas.  This means we'll probably venture out the next day in search of the perfect tree.  This also depends upon whether or not I get the day after Thanksgiving off from work which I requested but haven't had confirmed as yet.

There are lots of Christmas tree farms in the area and a freshly cut tree properly cared for lasts an unbelievably long time.  One of my favorite parts of the season is my Christmas tree but that's another story.