Give Thanks

It's that time of the year that all the stores are busy decorating their windows for the holiday, and we are thinking about what to buy for the child for the holiday (only the good children get presents from Santa does not work anymore from Ev, he thinks he can get presents from his parents no matter what, hummm... ), and it is also the time that chestnuts are abundant.  Hence,  I went to the same website, Chestnut Charlie, to get my 5 lb. jumbo chestnuts.  Although half of the chestnuts do not look too jumbo to me this time.

I spent the last Saturday morning roasting them (yes, the whole 5 lb.), peeling them until my hands were hurting and my skins were peeling.  And another hour cleaning the oven because one of them exploded in it.  As you can see, my incision on the chestnuts were not big enough.  Somehow my notes from last year did not mentioned that I have to make a big X mark on the chestnut.  It was until after the explosion,  then I did further research.  I wish I did the other way around.

In any event,  the whole process of roasting and peeling chestnuts alone (Ev went to the park to kick some balls with his daddy) was so calming for me.  Me time is precious.

Yes,  this is the holiday to give thanks to the people in our life (or outside of our life, for one, Thomas Edison who invented light bulb, so I don't have to sit in the dark in the night time, or I can use candle, I digress).  I was making the thanksgiving cards with Ev last week and I tried to explain to him the meaning of this holiday.  Then Ev asked me whom I would give the card to.  I told him my mother.  Because of my mother,  I can experience this world.  Of course, my father has to be included in it and then it would be whole list of people.  Anyway, that was the idea for Ev to make the cards.

Last week, I went to a very nice dinner club in Brooklyn, Once Upon a Tiffin.  There was a wonderful group of people at the dinner and they were writers, editors, shoe maker, people in film, and a woman who lived in Taipei for 6 months learning the culture.  Totally random people and totally delicious Indian inspired food.  I am hoping that I can go back there sometime soon.

And about Thanksgiving party,  we are invited to the Friendsgivings and we will be having Peking ducks and Korean fried chicken.  I am grateful of the people I met and the life I have.  Have a great Thanksgivings!