Thanksgiving and a New Home

Thanksgiving was pretty great around here. We slept in-ish, and then I started baking and cooking: pecan pie, sour cream apple pie, cranberry sauce, and dressing (stuffing).

A couple of ladies from housekeeping came by to clean while I was cooking, saying just "Cleaning!" at the door, and then one of them asked me "Turkey? Tacchino?" I answered in Italian, and thus launched my longest Italian conversation here to date. It was so fun! They basically wanted to know: What is the deal with the turkey??

I explained that I wasn't cooking turkey, that our oven was probably too small. How is it prepared? How is it cooked? Roasted, and I pulled out my November Everyday Food to show a photo -- Oh, like we cook chicken. Yes, it's the same. And I explained the stuffing.

A bit later, they wanted to know what I was cooking in particular, so I showed and explained that, too; and we talked a bit about practicalities around the apartment. So fun, so satisfying.

Eric came up later in the day, bringing the Italian half of the meal: salami, cheese, and bread. We feasted and watched the earliest of the football games before turning in for the night. It was a bit small and quiet, and there was no turkey, but it was such a nice day nonetheless.

We all slept in this morning, and there was much coffee and good conversation before we set out on our respective errands. Eric headed to an office here, and we went over to housing . . . in the pouring rain. Luckily, having gone through the three-day nor'easter right before leaving Virginia made me much less inclined to whine about getting wet despite having an umbrella.

We picked up the key to the available apartment and walked over (still in the rain) to check it out. It's gorgeous! The rooms aren't big compared to our last two places; but it's super, super, super nice. Fantastic condition, great appliances (six-burner stove! brand-new washer!), awesome cupboard and storage space, two balconies. We look out onto grass instead of the parking, and it's just lovely in every way. We move in Wednesday. I can't wait!