I am spending Thanksgiving in Brooklyn with a group of good friends. I could not be happier, and that isn’t even because my best friend is driving and I do not have to take the Bolt Bus. The food will be plentiful, the booze abundantly flowing and it will be nice to get away for a few days. I find myself feeling increasingly restless as the year comes to an end and a few days away should quell my squirliness.
Of course, I am feeling stressed because I am out of control of this whole situation. My friend is hosting and I have already spent a fair amount of time fretting an essential item will be forgotten or something will go horribly wrong. Because I have major issues, y’all. And it is not that I don’t trust the host (I adore you, Kevin!), it really is that I am a complete and utter freak who will fabricate situations to stress about. Like not having a turkey for Thanksgiving. Everyone knows Thanksgiving is about the wine anyway; I have no idea why the turkey has become my source of stress.
Along with the turkey, fresh sage has become a particular concern of mine. All you cooks know how hard this stuff is to come by around this time of year; I have seen kittens sacrificed for a packet of the stuff. In an email exchange with Kevin last night, I urged him to start looking around the city so one of us didn’t end up trading favors in an alley on Wednesday for herbs. I am not willing to sacrifice my dignity for something that can’t even tell me I am pretty afterwards.
I texted Kevin today a reminder about the sage at his request. (I am not that pushy…ok, I am, but this time I was able to tamp down some of the louder voices.) I received a text a few hours later from him:
“4 packets in my hand…btw, no way I would have remembered that without the text and they had exactly 4 left…so the next person who teases you for being organized answers to me ;)”.
And really, this Thanksgiving, I am so incredibly grateful for friends that are able to see my worst, most annoying habits in the best possible light. I am not pushy and overbearing and needlessly wound up, I am “helpful” and “organized”.
To repay him, I did not say one word about the emoticon in his text. So many things for all of us to be thankful for.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
May your Thanksgiving be full of sage and emoticon-free. xoxo
Lexa, I love you for that last sentence. Also, just cause - it is the things like freaking about fresh sage that make you you, and you are the best you there is.
Ok that didn’t make sense. I’m fucking thankful for you, fine.
You’re adorable. Cheers to a wonderful, happy Thanksgiving with your beloved friends — and to all the wine you can possible consume!
I use the hell out of emoticons (or a crutch for the sarcastic, as I call them) but that’s because I’m apparently such a bitch that without them everyone always thought I was being mean when really I was just helpfully telling them to remember to buy sage. The increased peace and joy is worth the attendant self-hatred.
Yeah, can’t help it.
That sounds like the best way to spend the holiday I’ve heard this week. My year really has been about the friends who see the best in me when they could have easily chosen the alternative. It’s so essential, so comforting, and I’m grateful too. We are lucky people. Happy Thanksgiving.
Now that I know what people will do for sage I will be purchasing all the Thanksgiving related herbs and spices in Baltimore and posting an ad on Craigslist.
I had no idea there was such a run on sage. (This could be because I don’t cook.)
I have friends like you because I am not a planner. Thankfully my friends also turn my annoying habits into me being “spontaneous and adventurous.” But there is nothing I love more than a fun, relaxing and delicious Friendsgiving, so enjoy yours.
the best part of life is having friends who understand your neuroses and love you for them anyway.
hope the weekend has been phenomenal.