Keeper of the Fruit Loops

I am The Keeper of The Fruit Loops, Manager of the Fecal Roster and the Driver of the People Mover. In other words, I'm a mom.

  • Home
  • Awards And Books!
  • Loop Scoop
  • See The Keeper
  • Find The Keeper
  • The Keeper On The Today Show


You are here: Home / Holly Daze / The Day The Lights Went Out On Thanksgiving

The Day The Lights Went Out On Thanksgiving

November 10, 2015 By Christine 7 Comments

Thanksgiving is a big deal around here.

Huge.

I plan for months.  MONTHS, I tell you.

I scour Pinterest for the perfect recipes and I painstakingly keep my meticulous lists from year to year to make sure my menus are varied.  I write notes to myself about what appetizers went over well, which dishes had leftovers and which recipes wound up being thrown wholly in the garbage six days later with nary a scoop removed (I’m looking at my mother in law’s Garlic Green Beans…shhh.  Don’t tell her I said that).

Thanksgiving isn’t just a holiday around here.  It’s an EX-PERI-ENCE.  A taste and smell extravaganza complete with a signature cocktail.

And I make a mean bowl of mashed potatoes, I tell you.

Every year, we are blessed to have upwards of twenty people around our table and the guest list has ebbed and flowed over the years.  We’ve lost some valuable players who are missed dearly but we’ve also welcomed our table to neighbors who couldn’t head home for the holidays, Hubby’s colleagues and dear friends who have traveled from far distances to eat my aforementioned killer mashed potatoes.  My cup runneth over on the fourth Thursday of November and it’s my favorite day of the year.

Suffice it to say, Thanksgiving is NO JOKE around here.  Martha Stewart herself would be blown away at the table I set and the food I prepare.  At least, in my head she would.

Of course, not ALL of our Thanksgivings have gone smoothly.  In fact, my first Thanksgiving as a newlywed resulted in rather uncomfortable standoff with my mother-in-law which, thankfully, was peacefully resolved and did NOT involve her throwing her disgusting homemade Garlic Green Beans at me.  You can read a little bit about that HERE.

And, of course, we’ve all read about the now infamous Great Frozen Turkey Incident of 2005 (also known as “The Day I Lost My Marbles And Went Batshit Crazy In My Kitchen Because My Turkey Was Frozen With 22 People On The Way For Dinner’).  Thanksgiving in my garage, with a frozen turkey defrosting in my bathtub, eight weeks after having Fruit Loop #2.  Yeah.  It was a beaut, Clark.

Then there was Thanksgiving 2008.

Or, as I call it:  The Day The Lights Went Out On Thanksgiving.

On that beautiful, unseasonably warm day in November 2008, I was in full on preparation mode.  I’d been cooking for days and I was coming down the home stretch.  I’d risen before sunrise, as is my custom, to have a quiet cup of coffee and to commune with my stainless pots and chopped onions, craisins and stuffing croutons.  By the time everyone padded down to my kitchen in the late morning, the smells and sounds of Thanksgiving were rising to a fever pitch.  Bacon wafted.  Turkey grease scintillated the senses.  The sounds of the Macy’s Day Parade filled the house.  I could practically taste the painstakingly chosen Chardonnay and it was only 10 am.

As I put the trussed turkey into the hot oven, Thanksgiving was ON and it was going to be a good one, I could feel it.

As I was gently sautéing figs and caramelizing onions in balsamic vinegar to put over goat cheese (Oh, YEAH I DID), I heard a loud boom.  A boom so loud that it shook my house and rattled the windows.  I paused, briefly wondering what would cause a such a loud noise, but I became sidetracked as my sangria cranberry sauce started to boil over (your mouth is watering, right?).  Undeterred and keeping my eye on the Thanksgiving prize, I continued to work magic in my kitchen.

And then, it happened.  The unthinkable.  The unimaginable:  the entire house went dark and silent.  Deathly quiet.

As my sauté and boiling pots came to a slow, grinding halt, I realized The Lights Had Gone Out On Thanksgiving and my turkey still had four hours to cooked perfection.

Bewildered and confused, I did what any self respecting chef would in that situation:  I yelled at the top of my lungs for Hubby to come to the kitchen “RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!”.

As he ran in and upon seeing the wild look in my eyes, reminiscent of the Great Frozen Turkey Incident, he immediately shot out, “ImonitIllfigureitoutdontpanicjustrelaxImsureitsnothing” in a jumbled mess of verbal diarrhea.

We quickly discovered that a inebriated gentleman had decided to drive his car right into the power pole at the end of our street, thereby rendering the entire neighborhood without power.  Thankfully, his drunk ass was fine but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention I had a wishbone to pick with him and his poor choices that day.

As the emergency personnel responded and secured the scene, it was clear Thanksgiving had taken a turn:  it was going to be hours until the power was restored, thereby casting a pall on my perfect turkey skin and gravy.  My guests would be arriving in a half hour. What’s a Thanksgiving Overachiever to do?

I decided that the show must go on, people.

I ran home, got out every bit of cold appetizer food I’d prepared and threw it all together willy nilly on plates.  Forget the perfectly timed appetizers.  Screw the presentation.  I threw caution into the wind and put as much food out as I could because I knew it would be a while until I served my actual dinner.  Wine was poured, beer caps were popped and cocktails were mixed.  We joined the neighbors in the street, block party style, marveling at the firefighters and their bravery.  And, of course, we offered them food when they were done with their heroics and were thrilled that they joined us.

Yes, my turkey sat in a lukewarm oven for two hours that day.  Yes, the power was finally restored two hours later by a very kind and understanding electric company.  And yes, dinner was later than I planned.

But, we got to see community at it’s finest and gracious hospitality extend beyond the borders of our front door that day.  And, so what if my carefully chosen Chardonnay was downed in red solo cups on my front lawn?

It was one of our best Thanksgivings ever.

And, uhm, sadly, the Garlic Green Beans were a victim of poor refrigeration….ahem.

If you loved this post, you’ll love my new book, I STILL Just Want To Pee Alone! Just click the PayPal link and you can own a signed copy from me!

And, don’t forget to share this post with your friends on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest! Sharing is caring, bitchachos!

lightsout

 

Fruit Loops Are For Sharing

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Holly Daze Tagged With: fast food, friendship, lights out, thanksgiving

Comments

  1. Frieda wnorowski says

    November 10, 2015 at 9:29 am

    Well done! All the prep and planning you do never goes unnoticed. The “fam” always looks forward to getting together and partaking of the sumptuous delights in store for us! The garlic beans have died a heroic death, BUT, found a new recipe for tangerined okra I’m bringing this thanksgiving. …….Bwaaaa haaaaa haaaaa 😂😂😂. Love you sweetie! Your MIL

    Reply
    • Christine says

      November 10, 2015 at 5:37 pm

      And I can guarantee those tangerined okras will be a WONDERFUL addition to my menu, Mother In Law….

      Reply
    • Lavinia says

      January 7, 2017 at 10:08 pm

      Great common sense here. Wish I’d thohgut of that.

      Reply
    • chevrolet geo tracker says

      March 7, 2017 at 5:39 am

      ho effettuato la donazione di 15 euro per l’ebook, e sono stato reindirizzato alla pagina iniziale dell’accademia..! mmmm come devo fare per leggere il libro!?!?

      Reply
    • how much do hummers cost says

      March 17, 2017 at 7:10 am

      And the winner is Pam Richardson Moore. Thanks for being the first to “like” our new Facebook page. This give away is now closed. Blessings, Natasha

      Reply
    • pixel gun 3d infinite coin generator says

      April 8, 2017 at 6:55 am

      where can i find the blackberry bold for 1o,500 pesos? I tried widget city, they don’t sell it. I also tried collins caffe and their page won’t allow me to send a message or even put a wall post.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Find Your Favorite Posts!

Fruit Loops Are Social. You should be, too. Ahem.

Subscribe Via Email

Top Posts & Pages

  • Everyone Needs To Be Rescued: My Skiing Adventure From Hell
    Everyone Needs To Be Rescued: My Skiing Adventure From Hell
  • Itching from The Inside Out, Part 2: Climbing the Ladder of Atopic Dermatitis Treatment
    Itching from The Inside Out, Part 2: Climbing the Ladder of Atopic Dermatitis Treatment
  • 10 Parenting Truths Other Mothers Won't Tell You...But I Will
    10 Parenting Truths Other Mothers Won't Tell You...But I Will
  • I Miss The Noise and It's Too Quiet
    I Miss The Noise and It's Too Quiet
  • An Adult Ruined Christmas For My Daughter And I'm Still Angry
    An Adult Ruined Christmas For My Daughter And I'm Still Angry

The Keeper on Instagram!

fruitloopkeeper

Nurse. Wife. Mom. Runner. Blogger. Writer. Thrift Shop Junkie. Sauvignon Blanc Snob.
Social Media Manager for @hermoneymedia and @jeanchatzky.

It’s time to let the world swallow your whole s It’s time to let the world swallow your  whole self, bitchachos. And you can hand the haters a glass of milk if they are having trouble. #bringit #momtruth #parentingtruth #iamwhoiam #nojoke #mywholeself
Can we all agree that our pets are the real winner Can we all agree that our pets are the real winners of the quarantine?
For six months, this dog has had four people to cuddle her, give her treats, and take her for walks at the drop of a hat. And she does not care if she interrupts a Zoom call to protect us from the UPS guy.
And, yes, she’s been forced to take more selfies than she’d like but sorry not sorry, #daisytheshihtzu.
What are these pets gonna do if we ever have to go back to “real” life?
#petsofinstagram #shihtzusofinstagram #shihtzulovers #shihtzusgram_feature #quarantinelife #petsofquarantine #lifewithdaisy
No words. RIP, #rbg. Fly with the angels and rest No words. RIP, #rbg. Fly with the angels and rest easy. We won’t let you down. Also? SOMEONE FIND BETTY WHITE RIGHT NOW. #ruthbaderginsburg #suckit2020 #wtf #notoriousrbg #ruthbaderginsburgismyhero
When I was thinking about how I wanted to write ab When I was thinking about how I wanted to write about eczema for a project with @mediqcme, I was reminded of a time a few years ago when I had the world’s worst case of poison ivy.
After a marathon session of gardening, I’d managed to swipe a huge swath of poison ivy oil across my chest, left flank, and left side of my face.
Within days, I was in agony: huge, weeping crusted pustules covered my body and as the days turned into weeks, my skin screamed at me for attention at every given moment.
I couldn’t sleep.
I couldn’t wear my favorite clothing because my lesions were constantly weeping.
And then came the steroids.
That’s when the real hell began. I’m a high energy person without the aid of stimulants (I really should switch to decaf, I know) and steroids make me a next-level handful, trust me.
For six weeks, every decision I made revolved around my skin: how to sit comfortably, what position made sleep come more easily, even bathing became a chore because nothing helped allay the itch that seemed to come from the inside out.
I was miserable, yes, but thankfully, I eventually healed and soon forgot about my six weeks of poison ivy hell.
But, 9-year-old Elizabeth told me that living with atopic dermatitis means that itching from the inside out is a way of life for her and, in her words, itchy skin makes her feel “bad” most of the time.
Head to my IG stories to read more about life with #atopicdermatitis and how it affects almost 31 million Americans (10 million of which are kids).
#itchyskinhelp #chroniceczema #eczema #eczemarelief #atopicdermatitistreatment
Why is it that when the temp dips to 50 degrees in Why is it that when the temp dips to 50 degrees in September, I can’t wait to wear sweaters and scarves but, in April, I’m pretty much wearing shorts and tank tops?
#hardhittingquestions #fallproblems #sweaterweather #falllife #fallfashion #fallvibes #conundrum #yorkbeach #yorkbeachme
Do you have eczema? Does someone you know and love Do you have eczema? Does someone you know and love have atopic dermatitis, a chronic skin condition that affects more than 31 million Americans? 

Join me Tuesday, September 15 at 2p EST for a very special FB live conversation about Atopic Dermatitis with Dr. Peter Lio, Asst. Professor of Dermatology and Pediatrics at @northwesternu. 

We will be discussing what atopic dermatitis is, how it affects families, and the resources that you can trust if you, your kids, or family members are navigating a new (or ongoing) atopic dermatitis diagnosis.

Bring your questions because we will be answering them live!

Special thanks to @mediqcme for making this discussion possible!
#itchyskinhelp
On the day my son was born, my father sent us a ca On the day my son was born, my father sent us a card.
“You’ll always remember the firsts but the lasts are the most precious,” he wrote.
She’s our last.
She was the last baby to walk with her fat feet on our hardwood floors.
She was the last one to go to kindergarten.
She was the one who napped on the go as her brother attended Mommy and Me classes and soccer practices.
She was the last one to have a single digit birthday in our house.
But for all of the firsts that have been afforded to her brother, she’s our first in so many ways.
She’s the first one to navigate freshman year during a hybrid school system in the midst of a pandemic.
She’s the first one to forge her way on a cross country team with teammates who have never had to race virtually.
She’s the first one to have had to face a high school career that looks infinitely different than the one her brother (a senior) has enjoyed.
She’s our last, yes.
But she’s the one who is teaching us to savor the moments when we get to see her race on the track while we wear masks and socially distance.
She’s the one who is brave enough to lean in to hybrid learning, mask and all, so that we can figure out how best to educate our kids in the coming years.
And, yes, she’s our last one to go to high school but she’s the first one to teach us what we really need to know in the midst of a pandemic.
The lastest really is the bestest.
#lifewithteens
Let’s face it: I’m all in on the bullshit. (Th Let’s face it: I’m all in on the bullshit. (Thanks, @modernmommymadness for being all about the bullshit, too.) #backtoschool #parentingteens #momofteens #motherhoodunplugged #parenting #pandemicparenting #quaranteens #bullshitquotes #allaboutthebullshit #keeperofthefruitloops
School starts tomorrow and I am READY, bitchachos. School starts tomorrow and I am READY, bitchachos. 💪🏻🍷📚#backtoschool #letsdothis #itsgonnatakeavineyard #covidclassroom #covidclassof2021 #quaranteens #momofteens #parentingteens #senioryear🎓 #freshmanyear
Well played, universe. (via: @ramblinma) #momoftee Well played, universe. (via: @ramblinma) #momofteenagers #parentingteens #motherhoodunplugged #momofteens #momtruth #wtf #keeperofthefruitloops #teenagers🙄 #sendhelp
So. I did a thing today. I went to a NASCAR race. So.
I did a thing today.
I went to a NASCAR race.
My first.
During a pandemic.
I know, I can't believe it, either.
But, when you are married to a man who eats, sleeps, and breathes cars, eventually you come to a point in your marriage when you realize that a trip to a major speedway is a marital inevitability.
I managed to avoid it for 21 years but today was the day.
And I have thoughts, in no particular order:
1). I was not prepared for the noise of the engines. And by "noise," I mean the constant reverberation deep into your soul for three. solid. hours. Loud does not begin to cover it.
2). I watched 38 cars whizz by me 301 times. I enjoyed seeing #43 drive by 301 times. Car #32? Not so much (#32 finished 35th. I was fine with that).
3). Every single person in the grandstands complied with the mask restrictions. It's not that hard, people. I watched thousands of people do it today. You can, too.
4). We didn't see a single confederate flag. #FistBumpNASCAR 
5). I couldn't hear a thing my family said for three hours. Actually, almost four hours. This was a major bonus.
6). Earplugs are necessary. Again, see #5.
7). The universe did me a solid and provided me with an overcast day as I did my "wifely duty" and pretended to be interested in the parade of cars that monotonously sped by me every thirty seconds. If it had been 100 degrees (like it apparently was last year), this status would be very different.
8). 301 laps takes a really long time. Like, a really long time.
9). I think NASCAR would have a bigger fan base if they served frozé wine and provided charcuterie. Hear me out on this, NASCAR.
10). Watching my husband and Fruit Loop #1 scream at each other (because noise and ear plugs) and gesticulate wildly at whatever was happening on the track while they soaked in their first NASCAR race together made it all worth it. I think. #PleaseLetUsHaveUsedEnoughHandSanitizer.
#nascar #loudonspeedway #newhampshiremotorspeedway #nascarracing #nascarlife
Well behaved women never make history...or some sh Well behaved women never make history...or some shit like that. 😏 
#motherhoodunplugged #momtruth #nevershutup #keeperofthefruitloops #mouthybitch #speakyourtruth #speakup
143 days. I took this picture 143 days ago. I was 143 days.
I took this picture 143 days ago.
I was in Palm Springs and I had taken a tram ride with @mommybacktalk to San Jacinto National Park.
We hiked several miles for this view and I remember feeling relaxed and free of stress.
We were in PS to attend a conference and the whispers of an unknown virus were starting to swell.
“A virus out of China.”
“There’s no vaccine and it’s highly contagious. It could become a pandemic.”
“Wait. Corona is a beer...”
Though we didn’t shake hands with attendees, for the most part, we went about the business of “normal” life.
At a dinner with @monicagsakala and @mommybacktalk, we threw back glasses of wine and talked long into the night over gourmet macaroni and cheese that tasted like actual heaven on a fork.
We talked about politics, current events, and books we loved. No stories about kids, no griping about husbands. Just intelligent, stimulating conversation that I now realize was going to become a lifeline only a few weeks later.
I have no pictures of that dinner.
Just the memory of being with two good friends when life didn’t feel so fractured.
Now those friends are hours away, whether by car or plane, and I think about that night in CA almost every day.
The me from 143 days ago had no idea what was coming.
The me at the top of the mountain in the picture didn’t know that she should have savored the fresh air more, that she should have relished what it was like to be one in a crowd on a tram headed to scenic vistas.
I’ve been quiet here on IG because everything feels too much.
I’ve been trying to keep my family safe and maintain what’s left of my sanity in a world that feels prickly and dangerous.
I’ve been wearing a mask, using hand sanitizer, and obsessively watching the news for a sign that we are all going to be okay.
I’ve been looking for small pockets of joy in the middle of the dumpster fire that life has become.
And, I’m realizing that we are all climbing one hell of a mountain, together.
And, at some point, the view is going to be gorgeous.
We just have to keep climbing.
No matter how much our legs are telling us it's too hard to go on.
#keepclimbing
My old life was exhausting...what parts of your pr My old life was exhausting...what parts of your pre-quarantine life are you not going back to when your community opens up fully? @mommyneedsalife #quarantinelife #quarantineandchill #lifewithteens #parenting #parentingteens #momtruth #momhumor #momlife #motherhoodunplugged❤️
It was clear from the start that my kids got a goo It was clear from the start that my kids got a good one. ❤️ #happyfathersday2020 #pandemicparenting #lifewithteens #parentingteens #dadlifeisthebestlife #fathersday #fathersday2020 #quarantinelife
It’s not you, it’s me. Probably. @natecomedy # It’s not you, it’s me. Probably. @natecomedy #quarantinelife #pandemichumor😄 #lifewithteens #lifewithteenagers #momofteens #parentingteens #howcanimissyouifyouwontgoaway #momtruth #motherhoodunplugged
“Mom? Can I hang out with my friends tonight? I “Mom? Can I hang out with  my friends tonight? I need a ride.”
Those words seemed to be on auto repeat last summer.
He had a social life.
I had the driver’s license.
He wanted to stay a half hour later.
I gave him all kinds of hell for upending my evening so that he could hang for a bit more with his friends.
But then he bought his car.
And passed his driver’s test not long after.
My car hasn’t found him folding his lanky frame into the passenger seat in almost a year.
I miss seeing him there.
Tonight, I wanted to see my friends for a couple of socially distanced glasses of wine and I didn’t want to drive.
“Hey, I’d like to hang out with my friends tonight. Can you give me a ride?” I said to him.
And of course, he took every opportunity to give me a dose of my own medicine in jest:
“You know, I have plans this evening, too, Mom.”
“I want you outside by 830p because I’ll be waiting.”
“No, you can’t stay til 9, I don’t care what the other moms are doing.”
It was a full circle moment.
After he picked me up and we swung by the local ice cream shop so he could get a treat for him and his sister, we drove home with the windows down on a summer night.
For a few moments, it was like old times.
I’ve missed him, even though we’ve been home together for months in quarantine.
And when Def Leppard blared on the radio and he dialed it up while singing every word, I remembered what it was like to be seventeen. @joe_burke0227 
#lifewithteens #momofteens #quarantinelife #quaranteens #pandemiclife #parentinginquarantine #momtruth #motherhoodunplugged #momofteenslife
We can get new backpacks and lunch boxes, too, rig We can get new backpacks and lunch boxes, too, right? @ellie_schnitt #pandemic2020 #pandemiclife #quarantinelife #quarantineandchill #workfromhomemom #workfromhomelife #momofteens
#blackoutday2020 #blackoutday2020
Moms are gonna drop it like it’s hot, yo. #tgif Moms are gonna drop it like it’s hot, yo. #tgif #thankgoditsfriday #pandemiclife #quarantineandchill #quarantineandchill2020 #momlife #momtruth #lifewithteensandtweens #lifewithteens #letsgetthispartystarted🎉 #quarantinesucks😷
Follow on Instagram
This error message is only visible to WordPress admins

Error: API requests are being delayed for this account. New posts will not be retrieved.

Log in as an administrator and view the Instagram Feed settings page for more details.

The Keeper And HerMoney

THE KEEPER IS THE BEST!

Buy My T Shirts!

The Keeper Is A TOP Today Show Contributor!

The Keeper On Today!

Facebook Fruit Loops

Facebook Fruit Loops

See The Keeper’s LTYM Video!

BlogU Graduate

Fruit Loop Archives

Copyright © 2021 · The Tattoo Tourist | Maintained By Technology-Therapist | Log in