Givin' Some Thanks

I am in the midst of some Thanksgiving FEVER. I have never experienced this before. I think it's the combination of Patrick coming home for 5 days and gearing up to host a big motley group of friends tomorrow for the Best Potluck Ever that has caused my excitement to reach fever pitch. Seriously, if there were Thanksgiving songs I would be singing them right now. I found myself humming "Chim-chimney, chim-chimney, chim-chim charoo..." while I was cleaning earlier for lack of something more appropriate to the season.

I got off work at 2:00 today, which was a wonderful thing and a bad thing at the same time. Now I've had all afternoon to kill around the house anticipating Patrick's homecoming, full of this weird, nervous, perky holiday energy. I took a nap from 3:30 to 5:00 (does anyone else nap purely to kill time?) and woke up to complete darkness, which is just weird. Winnie is beside herself thinking that I must have forgotten about her dinner - when I come home early from work it totally throws off the little clock that her whole world turns on. Which is kind of sad. I'm remembering what this sweet little old lady said to me once on the street, when I had tied Winnie up outside of the sushi place to get my take-out and then came back to find the happiest dog on earth, gleefully sweeping the sidewalk with her brushy tail. She said, "Just look how happy you made her. You're her BEST FRIEND." Awww....

So here's what's on the menu for that New York orphans Best Potluck Ever Thanksgiving feast:

Jenny & Patrick, fearlessly hosting a dinner party for 13 in their barely a one bedroom apartment, will be making roasted sweet potatoes with caramelized onions, rosemary, and parmesan cheese, and two authentic Southern style pecan pies.

Heidi & Jeremy, even more fearless, are tackling the turkey, gravy, and veggie stuffing, and then TRANSPORTING them all here. Heidi ordered this great turkey from her CSA that, we have been assured, lived a full and free life in upstate New York.

Nissa & Justin, bakers extraordinaire (well, Nissa at least, I don't know if Justin can claim that?), are bringing pumpkin roulade with ginger cream topping, pumpkin pie, and cheddar dill cornbread.

The lovely and beguiling Nina is bringing purple potatoes (what does that mean??), greens, and cranberry sauce.

Parrish, an Old Fashioned kind of guy, is bringing the cocktail fixin's.

Jen, Patrick's awesome new professor at New Paltz, is bringing a cheese, bread, and apple appetizer plate.

Ray, a friend of Nissa's who I haven't met, is bringing butternut squash soup and mashed garlic potatoes. I think we're going to be fast friends.

Hannah, another mystery friend of Nissa's, is bringing salad. Which we will desperately need to temper all of those starches and sweets.

Matty, also a friend of Nissa's, is bringing "appetizers - veggie and whatnot." I like him already for using the word "whatnot."

And Heidi's brother Michael will round out the crew - he's coming late but bringing wine.

I'll be sure to take some pictures and post soon.... I'm dying here, how can I wait for all this??