The Office Thanksgiving Feast

So today I was supposed to bring a turkey Thanksgiving lunch for Lisa's office. Even while she herself is out because of COVID. I don't have to remind myself that this is not an easy lift even though I've done it so much over the years that I now have a pretty good routine actually and I had absolutely no doubt I could get an oven roasted turkey and all the fixins done and delivered by 11:30. I must admit that I think there is more energy of ME wanting to do it than the office staff themselves. I told Johnnie last night while we were getting the turkey that it was me atoning for one time when I promised I'd do it and couldn't deliver. That grated on me big time and ever since then I cooked the office staff a turkey lunch before Thanksgiving. It became tradition. So is that the only reason I'm doing this? Because I am a sucker for tradition? Or SOME traditions, this being one of them? The short answer is YES mainly. Before I also wanted to make sure Lisa's staff felt appreciated since that is one superpower she emphatically does not have. To show gratitude and appreciation appropriately. And that was before we split up. Now I'm just being nice and I'm just keeping up historical ties. I know I don't have to do this. I want to. Maybe I just feel like making a Thanksgiving meal for someone, since it would be extremely difficult to do this just for myself or even just myself and Johnnie.Besides, as I said I had gotten good at it over the years. Last year I don't even feel like my turkey turned out as good as it could have. This year I didn't use the roasting bag like I did the past couple of years. And so we got up early, which is normal early for Johnnie, and I put the turkey in the oven by 7:15. Even before we headed out to breakafast. And this year, I will have to say, that this is the best my turkey has turned out in years. Like the skin was appropriately brown and everything. (Look at the pic... isn't that a great cooked turkey?) And the routine took over the rest of the morning. First the green beans and onions. Then the potatoes in the Instant Pot. Johnnie had a hand peeling those potatoes (see pic). Then the stuffing. Then finally, the gravy. Everything was still hot and steaming by the time we loaded all the food in the car. And by the time we delivered the food. I do have a memory of doing those Thanksgiving food plates on Thanksgiving night for the longest stretch of time. Until the Thanksgiving routine gave way to all those trips to Maui. Anyway, for this year there weren't a whole lot of people at Lisa's office. A grand total of 4 actually, and then Carmen came by after. It was just Claudia, Sandy, Angie, and Jackie and of course Johnnie and me. I even made macaroni and cheese just for Johnnie and even that got eaten LOL. Anyway for whatever it was worth at least Lisa's staff got a free lunch today and I was glad to have done the work. Of course all that cooking also meant we had to clean up the pots and pans and dishes and the entire kitchen in fact. And that took a minute or two when we got home. By the time I was done, I started to feel tired. But I did get it all done and the kitchen was clean. And by the time I had my last meeting of the day at 3 PM, it was like the morning never happened. Yes this is STILL a workday for me and my gratitude is that I get to work from home and do Thanksgiving lunch as if I didn't work <which I didn't... though I did keep my eye on my emails and chats all morning>.So Thanksgiving feast all done, we now turn our attention to Thanksgiving Day and whatever it is we're going to end up doing that day. Which I still don't know. I've gotten pings from a lot of people. Dexter. my sister. Even Karl. But I really don't know what we're going to do just yet. For today, I'm going to pat my own back for a job pretty well done. We checked in on Lisa and she seemed ok for today. And then Johnnie and I watched Kong: Skull Island for Tuesday night movie night. We still did cookie night. We still did Panda Express night. I did flatbread pizza night for me to help clear out my own freezer LOL.And we just had an early night. We earned it. Johnnie and I did a lot of work today. And we both felt a great sense of accomplishment I think. It was all good.