'Corral Showdown:hathorcat&partypony566 race to 15000!'

[Marigold]

20122102

Maybe you meant February 21, 2012 written like the above.  Is that right?   I know different countries write dates in different orders. 

[lochnessmomster]

Enola, what was the palindromic date?  You're referring to the day-month-year style, right?

I am! Now I can't remember... maybe that wasn't right. The next one might be 21.11.12. Now I feel like I'm going mad 

Whatever, it's not as good as 11.11.11 which we had last year.

Marigold - I am a terrible witterer!

21-11-12 sounds fun.  Shame it falls on the Wednesday, though.  If it fell on Thursday that would be Thanksgiving Day in the States.

Oh yeah, I remember 11-11-11.  That was awesome!

[Enolaalone]

I don't understand thanksgiving - does it move around every year like Easter?

[Marigold]

It's always on the forth Thursday in November. So the date changes even though its always the same Thursday of November. 

[Enolaalone]

Ahh okay, that makes sense. It always takes me by surprise, I am like, why are all the Americans off work?! And then I realise.

[lochnessmomster]

It's not easy being an American in another country for Thanksgiving.  Back home, the grocery stores start stocking the big turkeys and all the traditional fixings (which, I'm embarrassed to say, include mostly tinned or packaged items like Durkee French Fried Onions, Jet-Puffed marshmallows, Libby's pumpkin, Del Monte green beans, Ocean Spray cranberry sauce, etc., etc.).  In the seven years we've lived here, we've only had a "properly improper" Thanksgiving meal once, in 2007 when it coincided with a visit from my mom and she packed everything in her luggage apart from the turkey. Sadly, most of the time it's just our little family (though occasionally we invite non-Americans or get together with another American family to celebrate).  No clue what we'll do this year. 

[Marigold]

Do you have pumpkin over there to make pies and soup?   The pumpkin crop here is really good this year.  They like dry weather it seems.  I'd really miss pumpkin, even the canned kind, if I lived somewhere where they didn't carry it.

Pumpkin pie and fresh cranberry sauce are two of the things I cook really well and look forward to making. 

[hathorcat]

@lochness - have you visited Lupe Pintos in Edinburgh or Glasgow? Their stock isnt amazing but they have a reasonably selection of American groceries in store - from Muskateers bars to Libbys pumpkin And I think you may even be able to buy from them online.

[Enolaalone]

Yes we do have pumpkin! In fact, I am looking for things to do with the insides of mine as I intend to carve the outside

I have a friend who lives in London, she is also an American originally, and she always does Thanksgiving at her house. She has a lot of people living with her though and she tends to invite lots of others too so they have a good gathering. Lochness - I hope you manage to have a nice Thanksgiving this year

[lochnessmomster]

Do you have pumpkin over there to make pies and soup?   The pumpkin crop here is really good this year.  They like dry weather it seems.  I'd really miss pumpkin, even the canned kind, if I lived somewhere where they didn't carry it.

Pumpkin pie and fresh cranberry sauce are two of the things I cook really well and look forward to making.

There are pumpkins at the grocery stores this time of year, but mostly for Halloween (and the stock and quality are often lower).  If we want a good selection of pumpkins, we can go pick our own at Cairnie Fruit Farm.

@lochness - have you visited Lupe Pintos in Edinburgh or Glasgow? Their stock isnt amazing but they have a reasonably selection of American groceries in store - from Muskateers bars to Libbys pumpkin And I think you may even be able to buy from them online.

Someone else mentioned them once upon a time and I went to their website, but we've never seen the actual shop anytime we've been in Edinburgh or Glasgow.  Granted, we haven't purposely gone looking for it, either.  The prices aren't TOO horrendous, but we usually opt to go without or use a substitute.  Also, the longer we're here, the less we hanker for American goods.  It just stinks sometimes when it's Thanksgiving and it's hard to find certain things because it's not a Scottish holiday.  That being said, it's wonderful to inherit the wonderful fall holidays America doesn't have, like Bonfire Night and St. Andrews Day.  And there's still Christmas. Ooh, and Boxing Day. 

[Marigold]

I always picture boxing day as kangaroos boxing each other.  I don't know why.

[lochnessmomster]

I always picture boxing day as kangaroos boxing each other.  I don't know why.

LOL!!!  Marigold, do you moonlight as a stand-up comedienne? 

[Marigold]

no, lol, most people don't get my humor!  Or else I am not that funny.  Hmmm.  Could be either way.

[lochnessmomster]

no, lol, most people don't get my humor!  Or else I am not that funny.  Hmmm.  Could be either way.

But you are always making me laugh!  So, either you are funny or I have a low standard for comedy. 

[Marigold]

Lol!  Well thank you for the compliment!