Monday, Nov. 20, 2023 - 6:35 a.m.

First day of Smorgasgourd. Had to try to explain the whole concept to my mother again, who insists it’s all too much work, when literally it’s just all the normal things I’m expected to provide on Thanksgiving Day. Maybe some extra rolls one day. As if I wouldn’t have to make dinner every day anyway if not for this. Even my Welsh chef says it’s too big a workload for one day. Not that I can cite him to her, but anyway, I will die on this hill, as they say.

Anyway, today it’s deviled eggs (which she’s bringing), Zuppa toscana (because we all like it), 5 cup salad, and pumpkin pie. That is a reasonable dinner. I’ll still have one kid who wants something else later on.

I have a couple people here in town I wanted to either invite to one night or another, or at least offer to bring them some pie, but I can’t bring myself to make the offer. I just… don’t want to add one more thing to my plate. Feel kind of bad about that.

I got some of my supplies in for the new exciting pieces, but not all, and I am IMPATIENT. I’ve also realized some of the things I want to do are technically challenging, so I’m into that. I can’t wait for everything to get here so I can hyperfocus for reals. Until then I should still stock my shop with the regular stuff.

Joe the cat ate a mouse yesterday. He played with it a long time beforehand. He was so happy. The mouse was also cute, and I felt bad. But damn, we don’t need a mouse problem here too, so Joe can have at it, the little psychopath.

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