Thanksgiving in Taiwan 2009

Over eat at Thanksgiving and you'll have as many chins as this little Pilgrim*! (*It is considered 'cute' for babies to have multiple chins- adults? not so much.)

What a weird Thanksgiving. Sunny, 85 degrees out, Nathan at work, no parades on TV, definitely no family around and most assuredly no delicious smells emanating from my kitchen. I spent most of the day in a bit of a funk but never letting myself fall all the way in since this was supposed to be the big day of giving thanks. Pretty much a crime to feel sorry for yourself on Thanksgiving, no? I think the residual jet lag I fought valiantly all week worked against my mood as well.

***~Thanksgiving this year was marked by a Taiwan first (and hopefully last): hitting my first pedestrian. That's right, I seriously did. A little digression if you will. Heretofore I was driving the smaller Toyota Previa around. What's a Previa? you may ask- a cruddier, cheaper version of the Sienna. The Honda Odyssey the leasing co. imported for us finally arrived so I am still adjusting to the wider vehicle. It's crucial I do this quickly in a place where every inch counts as you squeeze yourself down the narrow and congested streets.

Anyway, I was on my way to pick up Thanksgiving dinner and driving down a narrow street with parked cars lining both sides and some pedestrians walking on the street as well. I was going around them as usual when I suddenly heard a terrible "thump" and look to my right to see my side mirror turned in. I could barely believe what my mind was telling me- I had just hit that old guy walking along the road! Grandpa!!! Well, someone's grandpa anyway. Thankfully he was still laboring along (was he laboring before I hit him?!) and so I stopped and rolled down my window and when he got to it I asked him if he was okay and he kind of smiled sheepishly at me and waved his hand like 'no big deal'. It was either 'no big deal' or 'get the heck out of my country', it was hard to tell.

As I mentioned I bought our Thanksgiving meal this year from the catering company out of TAS. We knew I'd just be getting home from the U.S. and it would be an incredibly crazy week with Nathan so busy with work etc. The turkey we got looked just wonderful but some of the sides left something to be desired. Upon closer inspection we discovered the mashed potatoes were instant. Didn't they know it is an unforgivable crime to serve an Idahoan instant potatoes? Or does the crime lie with the Idahoan who actually paid for them???

Then we had the "cranberry sauce" that was still in the shape of the can it was plopped out of.

And what we lovingly referred to as the "crazy loaf" of Stuffing. Have a... slice?

And last but not least, the Pumpkin Pie that was brown with a hint of deep green. At least that one tasted good. We were pleased to have Nicole and her daughter Jadyn over to share our dinner though we missed Cody her husband who was out of town. Nicole whipped up some Stovetop stuffing real fast while Nathan made some authentic Mashers and green bean casserole. The turkey was quite good and the Henry Weinhards Rootbeer Nathan found at the import store didn't hurt anything either. By the end of the day I really was feeling better and grateful for the many blessings we have and the opportunity we are forced given to make new traditions.