Monday, November 28, 2011

Mystery Dinner Guests.

dare challenge 003

Since our Thanksgiving crowd this year was looking a little meager (just the three of us plus Steve’s parents), we decided we needed to invite a few other folks to dinner.  So we hopped to it and invited some Dinner Guests.  Mystery Dinner Guests.  Special Mystery Dinner Guests.

Due to certain scheduling considerations, the feast with the aforementioned Guests didn’t take place until Friday at 1 pm which gave our family all day Thursday and Friday morning to devote to prep time.  Major, major prep time.  Because did I mention that these Dinner Guests were special?

Our preparation unfortunately included the unavoidable showdown with Sir Turkey. Since I am not a big fan of unbaked fowl, I was thankful for the presence of my mother-in-law who strode right into the kitchen and showed that ol’ bird who was boss.  If you haven’t noticed, an unbaked turkey is sort of pale and squishy and has mysterious cavities and protuberances.  As a result, I don’t really love getting within five miles of one, let alone touching one.  (For a funny Smith story about Steve and I cooking a turkey with a “goiter,” you can go back and read this post.)

So Vernie did the hard work while I cheered her on and steered clear of Mr. Tom.

dare challenge 049

Other prep work involved cubing French bread and corn bread for the dressing . . .

dare challenge 024

. . . and dirtying every pan in the house. Thrice.

dare challenge 046

Potatoes were purchased and flung on to a crowded cabinet to be dealt with at the appropriate moment.  (And may I just mention that Sarah peeled a total of sixteen potatoes all by herself!)

dare challenge 022

My wonderful and wondrous husband moved all the stuff out of the kitchen so that he could sweep and mop the floor.

dare challenge 041

The whole Smith Cooking Crew joined forces to cut, chop, stir, and blend. . . .

dare challenge 062

. . . and also deal with the green beans.

dare challenge 073

After many hours of running hither (and also yon), I declared that it was time for a 20-minute siesta and collapsed gratefully on the couch.

I was not alone.

dare challenge 034

Snowy just made himself right at home, resting his tiny behiney on my conveniently placed head.

dare challenge 033

I am always glad to be of assistance.

dare challenge 036

After Snowy’s and my mini respite, it was time to get up and launch into the Transformation of the Thanksgiving Table.

dare challenge 008

The Smith Men got out the “good china” which is not actually china at all but twenty-four place settings of plain white dishes we got many years ago for $65 on clearance. (Have I ever mentioned how much I love a bargain?)

dare challenge 077

The goal was to make the table as lovely as possible for our Guests.

dare challenge 019

 

 

dare challenge 124

dare challenge 092

dare challenge 103

dare challenge 105

 

dare challenge 199

 

dare challenge 102

dare challenge 190

dare challenge 157

Supervising all our work had worn Snowy slap out so he laid himself down in the front hall for a post-morning, early afternoon, noon-ish type snooze. Midway through the snooze, the doorbell rang, signaling to all that the Mystery Dinner Guests had arrived!

snow

Snowy woke right up, gazed thoughtfully at the front door and inquired, “What kind of guests could possibly rate high enough to merit such a huge Smith Extravaganza? I just can’t wait to see who comes through that door!”

dare challenge 173

To be continued. . .

 

12 Had Something To Say (Just click here!):

Ericka said...

Meganate???

Anonymous said...

Cute post, am waiting with baited breath to know who the guests are!

Steve

Robin said...

Great pics...looks wonderful. Wonder who the guests were...hmmm

Anonymous said...

well now, that was just MEAN! Ha! Love all of the pics; the place looks gorgeous! Now who in the world could it be???

Anonymous said...

I think it's Nathan and Megan! Oh and please, unless you are planning on coming back within the next few hours to post, To Be Continued is a cruel and horrible joke! Becky Smith, in all the years that I have followed, I never knew you had such a mean streak in you. :( mmmm,mmm,mmm...shame, shame!

Dana H in Greenville SC

Linda said...

BECKY SMITH!!!!

How can you leave us hanging like that? I can't believe it!

Guess I won't get much done this afternoon wondering who the guests were and when the next post will appear.

The table looks absolutely lovely, by the way!

Much love from Ohio,

Linda

Gail Puckett said...

Now was that nice, you had better come back real soon so that we won't have to wait until tomorrow,I bet it was Nathan and Megan!!!

Anonymous said...

I don't like cliff hangers either, if the surprise guests are Nathan and Meagan there were more people with them as there are extra chairs!

Anonymous said...

Don't be mean!!! Let us know later today who the "surprise guests" are. I have a strong feeling it is Meagan and Nathan along with some others!

JeanC said...

Hi Becky!

Just want you to know that I still check in on you frequently, keep on blogging and best wishes to all of you! It's a hard transition but in a good way!

Jean C

Anonymous said...

Okay, so the table is set for 13 so that means that there had to be 8 extra guests. I have no clue but I must say that the table looks beautiful. Anxiously waiting to find out who (or is that whom) it was!!

Mel in Canada

Margie said...

Becky I don't mind the raw turkey but years ago I tried to cook cornish hens & the look & feel of them made me sick. Haven't tried them since. There are too many other good foods out there!