Distracted but Time To Write Again

I have to announce I was truly blessed and thankful last Thursday. One week ago Ben and I traveled down to Tucson to spend Thanksgiving with my family. Scoobers was to come down either late Wed or early on Thurs - anyway, my mom and I stayed up working on crosswords and just... stuff. I was exhausted after going to bed at 3:00am the night before (the night I baked pies). Anyway, as I was just starting off to bed my dog, Bear, was acting odd - someone was at the front door. Jerry was waiting as I opened the door, thinking it was my sister. Yes, I cried, we hugged. It was quite the moment.

Typical government entity, the decision went back & forth and finally they were told Thanksgiving was in their future. From what I understand he had worked with both my sister and my mom in order to pull off the surprise. Yes, they knew. Which explains why my mom was trying to keep me awake and also why both of my parents worked so hard to make the guest room absolutely perfect. My honey was home for two days!

He is back in training and currently involved with field training. I won't hear from him until the 10th. But yippee yahoo! He'll be home for 10 days at Christmas!!! I'm on vacation those days too - hmmmmm... go figure.

I am attempting to get my Christmas shopping done online at night after Ben goes down for bed (which has been late every night). Remember when Jerry left the first time? Yep - same situation only much more obedient. I will keep all in touch as I can - I truly love this time of year and will post pics as well!

Fruits of My Labor

The house smells absolutely yummy. I think it's the nutmeg that makes pumpkin pie smell so very heavenly. I started baking around 9:40pm. Yes, I know it's late but Ben would not fall asleep and I didn't want to distract him from sleepy time thoughts. So anyway, here it is around midnight and I have four pies baked for Thanksgiving. Two will be coming home with me to my parent's house in Tucson and the rest are for well deserving friends.

It's late but I am so very relaxed and content because I was able to do the one thing I so enjoy this time of year. Baking for others. Sure I like to nibble and to sample the wares but I love to package up cookies and send pies home with friends.

I bake my pumpkin pies from scratch. Yup from the actual squash. Typically, I will use the meat from the Halloween Jack O'Lantern (I freeze it). This year we didn't have time to carve a pumpkin much less even pick one up. I've noticed a lot of stores don't carry pumpkins once Halloween is over. I'm not sure where all of those left over pumpkins are taken. I'd like to say they are taken back to the farm where they can once again be free but I'm more inclined towards the cannery option.

I like the process of baking as well as the end result. Taking raw ingredients, cooking them up, mixing all of those delectable spices together with the pumpkin and finally pouring the mixture into a well made pie shell. A grandmotherly type by the name of Marie Callendar makes the shells as I have not yet perfected the art of the shell. Easier too. Anyway, the house smells delicious, I have pies to spare and I feel good.

In about 30 minutes I will have six full size pies and four smaller individual pies. Best of all I was able to throw the seeds in the oven as well so I'm pretty well stocked on both regular seeds and garlic flavor.