Mark My Words: Another Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and this year's was just as fine as any. I love Thanksgiving weekend, and this one was more enjoyable than I have had for the last few years. In 2020 and 2021, I was still in grad school and had to worry about homework. In 2018 and 2019, I had a lot of assignments for Sundance. So it's nice to actually have a four-day weekend again!

I made sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, mulled apple cider, and green bean casserole. I don't love green beans, cream of mushroom soup, or crispy onions on their own, but something about all of them together is magical.

Thanksgiving morning, I did a five-mile run and had to make a last-minute trip to the grocery store before I helped with final preparations. Of course, I had to turn on my Thanksgiving playlist. It was an enjoyable gathering. And after dinner I went on a walk and watched Turkey Hollow. Thanksgiving is such a mellow holiday.

The day after Thanksgiving kicks off Christmas season, but I wasn't able to get much decorating done. I went on a run, met an old roommate for lunch, reviewed Figgy Pudding Spam (watch for a review soon), applied to a job, and edited my nephew's college application essays. But I was able to get more done on Saturday.

Squishmallow tree

Also this week, Reggie likes to sit on me in the middle of the night. That's endearing but also annoying, especially when he licks my chin. And then he does this thing with his mouth that I can only describe as licking the air. It's very noisy. I wouldn't mind it so much if it weren't 3 a.m.

In July, I made a public Facebook post, and this week I keep getting "likes" from fake Facebook accounts of scantily clad women. I can't help but laugh at the futility of the scammers' efforts. My gay shield is impervious to your womanly wiles!

Last week I shared with you my candy cane pants. I washed them once, and I was dismayed to see the candy canes disappear! So I wrote a two-star review, and the company is sending me another pair—I'm getting green pants with trees on them. So if those fade too, then I'll have two pairs of faded pants, which is better than one faded pair. I feel a little bad, because they sell unprinted pants for the same price—but I wouldn't have bought them if I knew they faded so bad.

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Now that Thanksgiving is over, it's the last week of pumpkinundation roundup until September.

Here is the Cafe Zupas Turkey Cranberry Panini. You can't go wrong with turkey and cranberry on a sandwich! 8/10.

The Cafe Zupas Pumpkin Chorizo Soup is OK. Not very memorable. 6/10.

Thanksgiving dinner included three Sam's Club pies: apple, pumpkin, and pecan. They were all typical; I was full, so they didn't stick out to me. 7/10 for all.

Here is Land O'Lakes Pumpkin Pie Spice Butter Spread. I'm not really a butter person, but this was sweet and pumpkiny enough that I liked it. 7/10.

I still had this Trader Joe's Sweet & Spicy Lightly Spiced Pumpkin Spread leftover from last year. It's best on meat, which I don't usually eat a lot of. And at Thanksgiving dinner, turkey is better with cranberry sauce. 6/10.

Bobo's Apple Pie Stuff'd Oat Bites are better than regular Bobo's bars. The little filling, though fake, provides a good contrast to the dense oats. 7/10.

Atlantis Burger Pumpkin Spice Eggnog Shake has been around since at least 2011, I think, but I don't get why it's their signature seasonal treat. There's really nothing in the flavor reminiscent of pumpkin. But it's fine as a shake, just not a pumpkin shake. 7/10.

I think this Kneaders Pumpkin Pie was overcooked, or maybe it had been in the fridge too long. It was OK. 7/10.

Kroger Pumpkin Eggnog doesn't have any pumpkin in it, even though that seems like an obvious, easy ingredient. It's fine as eggnog but not so much as a pumpkin product. 6/10.