But I’m Not The Only One.

voltee ♦ November 25, 2010 ♦ 2 Comments

Item: Dress Color/Fabric: Black, Modal Designer: Express Years Owned: 4
Today I am full of reflection. I’ve been thinking back on all the Thanksgivings I can remember, all the dishes I’ve made, all the celebrations I’ve enjoyed with friends and family, and I know that I am entirely blessed.
It’s always hard when I’m not able to be with my family or Nate’s family on Thanksgiving. But at least I get the chance to be surrounded by love with some of the greatest friends anyone could hope for.
Last night, I did some baking and other miscellaneous food preparation. I had planned to be so occupied for an hour or so, and then write a little bit and get to bed early.
I think that it tool me close to three hours to bake eighteen pumpkin muffins.
I’ve lost what little bit of domestic magic I’ve ever had. I used to be really great at baking. I baked something fresh at least once per week. I could twist recipes to make them even better, and I always knew what would work. I made treats for Nate to bring into work. I even got requests from the office. And I cleaned daily. I was a spectacular housewife.
Now I work, a lot. The last few times I’ve attempted to bake something, it’s been disastrous. Too much of one thing; too little of something else. There is no possibility that anyone will mistake me for Martha Stewart these days.
So after the epic Battle of the Muffins last night, I was utterly exhausted, covered in flour, nursing a few burned fingers, and feeling a little ill from eating too much uncooked batter. Hence, no new post last night.
Shortly I’ll be headed to Kevin and Michael’s house, where we have always generously been taken in for great food and company whenever we find ourselves alone on a holiday.
I happened to wear this black dress the first Thanksgiving we celebrated with Kevin and Michael. I decided to go the Pilgrim route. I wore a white blouse under the dress, black tights, black boots, and a very large belt.
It was a fantastic occasion! I can’t remember exactly how many people were there, but there were numerous members of Michael’s family. And we had such a feast! I made Cranberry-Pear relish, which is one of my favorite things in the known world, and also little pumpkin and leaf shaped cookies. This was still in my Susie-Homemaker phase. Kevin made his famous pies, my favorite being the berry one. And it’s just like me to only remember the deserts, but there it is. I know that there was all the usual Thanksgiving fare. I get most excited about desert.
Anyway, a wonderful, festive celebration, Nate and I were planning to go to Woodbury Common later that night. They were opening their doors at midnight and I was so excited! Here’s what I pictured: Nate and I strolling around in the unseasonably warm night, with moonlight shining down on the sparkling store fronts, where we would browse leisurely, since we had the place almost to ourselves.
You may say that I’m a dreamer.
That would be true.
The drive to the mall was wonderful. The freeway empty. We sang and laughed and dreamed about the deals we were about to find.
And then we approached Exit 16. That’s when all chaos broke loose.
It was a nightmare. It took us over an hour to get through the toll. Women began to panic. They started to leave their cars in droves, abandoning their poor patient husbands, and strode briskly through the deep ditch and scaled the chain length fence to get into the mall. Nothing would stop them from their Thanksgiving deals!
It was amazing. Utterly astounding. I had never witnessed such madness.
One image that will stay with me for all time is a stately woman in her late 60’s, dressed in a crisp white two piece suit and carrying a red alligator bag. She daintily made her way through that ditch as though she was crossing a ballroom, one hand flexed gracefully by her side for balance.
All I wanted was to watch her climb that giant fence, but of course by then we were moving.
Inside the madness escalated. There were lines snaking around buildings just to get into the stores!
It even made the news. There were 14 million people there that night. Give or take a few.
We stayed just long enough to find some perfect Christmas gifts, and then got out of there as quickly as possible.
To this day, people still ask me about it with awe in their voice, as though we survived a battle of legendary proportions.
I suppose that we did.
To everyone planning to brave the shopping front lines tonight and tomorrow, I wish you to be fleet of feet, swift of fingers, and hardy of elbows. May you be granted that digital picture frame or $20 blu-ray player.
However, I will not be joining you. That ship has most surely sailed.
As for the dress, I now have two similar dresses, and I fear this one has slipped out of rotation a little. I still like it, especially the back:

Um, this is not a good picture of it. I was a little rushed this morning with the photo-taking. It’s much cuter than this shows.
But it’s a nice basic dress. I like the neckline, and how soft it is. Is it necessary, though?

**This one is leaving me. Lizzie, she’s waiting for you!!