Today is Thanksgiving Day here in America. I still don't feel particularly in sync with American traditions to understand and enjoy this day to its fullest, but the gist of it seems to be that it's like Christmas, in that it's a day to gorge food and talk to the family, but for this holiday you only have to deal with the family in short bursts, and there's no equivalent of a Boxing Day in sight, where the grandmother gets drunk and insults everyone.
However, as I am in a vegan household, there will be no turkey, as is the Thanksgiving tradition. Instead we will eat some things that will taste like meat, without anyone getting the job of putting their hand up the backside of a dead bird.
Our meal will consist of pan-fried tofu with onions and gravy, stuffing with vegan sausage, mashed potatoes with vegan bacon, green bean casserole, rolls with vegan butter and a chocolate cream pie with apple crisp. The majority of these things are foods I normally do not eat, so this is quite a litmus test in me trying new things. I've also had a weird stomach all day so I'm already feeling guilty that all this hard work will be snubbed by me. Still, there's three other people here who will stuff their faces happily and will just have extra due to my fussiness, so nobody will lose out.
One other thing to mention of this part of the world is that there are so many fabulous mountains in this area. Mount Rainier is the most famous of these. Rainier is an elusive volcano, that is 14,000 feet tall and yet often hidden by fog or steam from the Tacoma factories. We saw it properly for the first time yesterday. It left me awestruck, and also left the masculine part of me wanting to climb it, for no apparent reason.
This has felt most like an event with my new family, moreso than either wedding reception. I like this feeling. Even if Kim is set to wreck it by slapping everyone up.
Glad to see you smuggled your masculine side into the state. Say the word and i will send your balls by air-mail (please don't hurt me^^)