Lately, I've been attaching all kinds of meaning to food. I think it ties in with how my family (extended too) has been popping up in my thoughts so often recently.

I've been longing for Thanksgiving and Yule--they mean being with my family, going to see everyone and have good times with them and amazing food. Those on my dad's side of the family can whip up a feast, especially when we all get together; I remember fondly two turkeys deep-fried in peanut oil (amazingly tender, not greasy) at my Aunt T.'s and Aunt B.'s *real* bleu cheese dressing--real Roquefort!--with hot wings.

And even though Grandma R. (mom's side) can come up with some crazy ideas (such as the failed cheesy-poofs-on-green-bean-casserole experiment, think dry styrofoam) she still has the Best Apple Pie Ever award as far as we're concerned. The holiday hams are always amazing as well.

It's also fun at Christmas/Yule when Grandpa R. sets up the cookie assembly line :) We make all kinds, especially Reindeer Cookies with pretzel antlers, raisin eyes, and little red-hot noses. There's always too many cookies, so we're set well into the New Year with leftovers; everyone gets a tin or box-full when they leave.

Speaking of Yule, we're going South again this year! ^^ We went to North Carolina last time to visit Grandma and Grandpa P. and all the rest of Dad's side--what a trip! Driving down through the flat lands of Illinois and Indiana with a full moon shining overhead; hills and then mountains as we pass through Ohio into Kentucky and West Virginia... after the holiday celebrations in Asheville, we went out and drove all the way to the coast to the Outer Banks (OBX!), where we saw ocean and sand and touristy places mostly closed for the winter. We even had seafood (very good, mind you) at a place called Dirty Dick's! (And yes, we have t-shirts.) The whole trip was nice; I'm so excited to go again this year.

I want to pile in the car with my family and the dog and go see everyone. I want to go to the farm and take a day to re-explore everything--find cats hiding amongst hay bales in the barn, go out to the woods where the creek bed runs, climb around the junk piles on the hillside, say "heeeey-ya" softly to the horses so I don't spook them.

I want to go visit Aunt T.'s place again--oh, but their Weimie (Weimeraner) is gone. They have a new puppy from what I hear though. Go ride in my uncle's Thing (it's a car, he restored it himself) ^^ and see the cousins; bet they're even taller now.
I want to see all my aunts and uncles and cousins.
Go everywhere.