Nothing particularly fancy going on at my house today. It's 1 pm, and Chrissy is out hunting down flowers (which I forgot to get yesterday) and Pete's coffee, which one can never turn down when it's offered. For the first time this year, she really helped me cook. Normally, I'm such a control freak that I eschew all offers of aid, but now she's old enough to listen, take direction and cut uniform pieces because she understands that that ensures the dish cooks evenly.

Lula, who spent a lot of this morning rolling her beautiful eyes, is sulkily picking up the living room, having been scolded by me for sitting on the couch in front of two empty, used cereal bowls for a half hour after I told her to bring them to the kitchen.

The turkey went into the oven ten minutes ago (due out at 3:15), the brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes are mostly roasted (to be finished once the turkey's out). The pumpkin pies are baked, the apple is atop the refrigerator waiting it's turn in the oven (to be put in just before we sit down to eat). The cranberry relish got done yesterday evening.

The green beans and salad are arriving later, as is a mushroom loaf thing for the two vegetarians who will be at our table this evening. (I don't understand vegetarians in general, but on Thanksgiving, it seems to me to be a mild form of insanity.)

The marvelous French white wines are chilling, the reds are on the buffet. The cheese is warming to room temperature, the rosmary croccantini is plated, and the Spanish, anchovie-stuffed olives are sitting on the counter unopened, because if I open them now I'll eat them all before our guests arrive.

 Ed and Gary and I have already been back and forth to each other's houses half a dozen times, but I think we all have it under control. Kiki is playing merrily in the front yard with her visiting friends, the cat is sleeping on the printer, the table is set.

This is my favorite holiday, and it's turning out perfectly so far.

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends. I hope your holiday is as relaxed, as delicious, as warm and as friendly as mine promises to be.