craft: friendsgiving tablescape and first world problems

My neighbor, Cecilia kindly coordinated a Friendsgiving dinner for the other older neighbors who don’t have family anymore to join for the holiday. And so some of us will join our family on the actual turkey day, but host a Friendsgiving a couple days later. It’s our mitzvah, and I think I’ll suggest in our group text to bring a canned food that I'll haul to Second Harvest. Our dinner is to be a potluck, and so that sets the tone for something casual. YET Cecilia and I will be roasting meats--a turkey and pig (porchetta-style)--which will make for a pretty sumptuous feast and deserving I think of a more formal setting. I don’t want to eat off paper plates and cut meat with plastic knives. And so I went to the dollar store, and they were completely out of round stoneware plates and had only a few square plates. I pondered if I could get away with using just salad plates.

But then I spied these gold rimmed dinner plates at the front of the store...

and bought 12. And now I've learned that a neighbor has enough tableware, flatware and tablecloths for a proper Thanksgiving. Should I perhaps keep and store them in the club house for future gatherings? I had planned to lay down paper to cover the tables and decorate the table with small vases of flowers and tea lights. That's still the plan. But Michael’s called my home to say they canceled my order pickup of Kraft paper, tissue honeycombs of a turkey, pumpkins and acorns, and votive candles. Wtf?! Okay now I’m feeling the supply chain issues happening in industrialized countries and am worried I won’t have clay for ceramics. We’ve only Hawaiian Red and Navajo Wheel left in the parks and rec studio, and you betcha I’m gonna buy bags of each. Still these are first world problems. I watched Rick Steves recently host a program on the subsistence poverty in Guatemala and Ethiopia, and really our thanksgiving ought to include a philanthropy encompassing hunger and hope. And so I’m resolving to donate where $ is impactful and aligns with inclusiveness and justice because I have much to be thankful for example like….           

public libraries, which stoke all my reading habits….                                

friends who diversify our relationship portfolios and with whom we can connect when we can’t with family and who also share in our interests and passions outside of a romantic partnership. A friend asked if I had a gravy boat and gravy spoon for our Friendsgiving, and no I don't. BUT I  do have these awesome ceramic pitchers made by my friend, Patsy. I'm also thankful for….    

a husband who just by being in my life shows me his love. I truly appreciate him, and giving him a birthday present of learning how to make molded chocolates (those are praline and hazelnut ganache and caramel enrobed in dark chocolate)is just a small token of that thanks. And it makes me happy to see him find joy in his baking and gardening. I also deeply love….                        

this little girl. She especially gladdens my heart. How can I not start my day joyfully at seeing her little tail upright(it’s how we know she’s happy), confidently walking like she owns the world, or curled up contentedly next to the heater. All is right in the world when she is living her best life. And this pandemic has certainly put into perspective that experiences and people are more important than things.