Gravy stock is simmering

One of the great things about a butterflied turkey is that I can use the backbone as well as the neck and giblets to make gravy ahead of time. I toss the above mentioned turkey parts with garlic, onions, carrots, celery in some olive oil and roast til well-browned. Move it all to a large pot with water, chicken stock, white wine --- making sure to get all the juices and browned bits from the roasting pan. Simmer til reduced, strain, cool. Tomorrow I skim the fat, make the roux, finish the gravy. And, this recipe ensures lots of gravy, plenty for mashed potatoes.

The cranberry sauce is done and tonight I'll finish making the dressing. Want lots of dressing? Way more than will fit in the bird? Well I make enough to fill a large roasting pan. The flattened turkey sits on a rack on top, so the juices drip into the dressing as it cooks.

Before starting today's cooking I went in search of a zipper for Franz's Cambridge Jacket. No luck.

While driving from one fabric store that had gone out of business to another (which had also gone out of business) I passed Value Village and figured I would take a look around. Was looking for a crockpot to use for dyeing, but didn't find one. Lots of rice cookers, would they work or get too hot? I found a bread machine for $15 but I don't know anything about those machines so I couldn't tell if it was in good condition. There were several bags of yarn, but all acrylic. Off to the sweaters. A Nordstrom 100% Cashmere Sweater Set in my size for $5. A beautiful dark red (which did not photograph well) and it looks like new. I also got an angora sweater in bright fuchsia which may be a bit much, but what the heck. When else am I going to get an angora sweater? I think it's kinda cute, but that opinion was not shared by my son. The husband hasn't seen it yet.

Seven slightly felted wool sweaters that can be further felted and turned into a patchwork throw. One of the Arans was handknit. The others are all name brand. I was surprised at how many handknit sweaters I did find. Well, actually, since I didn't like any of the others enough to purchase, perhaps I am not that surprised.


And the best part: Jeans that fit! Last week I had an errand downtown and tried to buy some jeans. I tried on at least 15 different styles from 3 different stores. Sixty and Seventy Dollar Jeans. I got sticker shock but still, if anything fit I would have paid it. Why do jeans nowadays all barely cover your ass? Or if they do go up a little higher, they have no waist shaping, so you sit down and there's a gap large enough for a grapefruit or two. But today at the thrift store! Three pairs that fit perfectly! Two Eddie Bauer (shown below) and one Calvin Klein (which I am already wearing).
The cashmere, the angora, the wool sweaters, three pairs of jeans all for what I had been foolishly willing to pay last week if I could have found one pair of jeans to fit.