Two Days Later

There are still extra people in our home. Some of our guests left last night but two of our daughters are still here and sleeping in this morning. They slept together in our guestroom double bed and I could slightly hear the hum of their sweet voices well after midnight. I know they had many sister secrets to share and I'm thankful they have that bond. My sister is so special to me. I would be lost without her. There are just some things you can tell a sister but no one else. Because we normally host Thanksgiving and we do a little shopping the next day, I am always behind getting Christmas decorations out. I have a huge mess to clean up this morning. After my mom and sister in law left last night some of us had a coffee date with a good friend. We enjoyed coffee with Baileys :) and some good conversation. We didn't have time to tidy up the kitchen, but isn't that what makes life enjoyable? Just dashing off and enjoying people instead of having to go by the clean house book of rules? I never got a copy of that, somehow. I do have a story to tell. After eleven of us enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner with pies and cakes galore, we did our normal sitting around. Some napping, some playing games, lots of talking and I even modeled my fox stole for the ladies! We were so full that no one could even think of the evening meal until around 7:00. It is cold here in the midwest and our patio table seemed to be the perfect spot to hold the leftovers that just couldn't quite find a spot in the refrigerator. I went outside to start bringing in the food when I stopped dead in my tracks. The big pan that held the leftover turkey was 100% empty. The tinfoil that was placed tightly around the pan was on the patio floor. :{ Holy Cow....I then had to go back inside and announce that Chester, our dog had eaten the entire pan of leftover turkey, bones and all. It was so cold, that I thought he would only go outside to do his business and come right back in. Our patio is up a flight of stairs. Everyone was such a good sport and laughed and joked about the year Chester ate the turkey. My husband was even out with a flashlight looking for a leg or bones or some trace. He couldn't believe our 115 lb. dog could eat the whole thing. I could believe it. We decided we will remember this Thanksgiving long after the dog is no longer with us! A question for you: For the second year we have fried our turkey. They really turn out moist and good, BUT there are no pan drippings for good gravy. Do you have a solution?