A note about eating. Last night was the smallest Thanksgiving gathering in many years. Just 5 of us. Here in the kitchen eating and drinking. We started with 20 minutes of Yoga - to stretch out those abdominals before the big meal. It wasn't really such a big meal, however.

I dissected a turkey (thank you turkey). That, I promise myself, is the last time I do such a thing - a pretty disgusting lump of flaccid flesh results. I made a stuffing and rolled up the breast, containing one of the thighs (after pounding it somewhat flat) and tied it into a balonie look alike. Appetizers - my homemade pain au levain and a trio of cheeses: Borough Market Stilton, Le Maitre Seguin Crotin, Isigny Ste. Mere Camembert. I splurged on a bottle of Domaine Tempier Bandol red to celebrate my graduation from UBC with a BFA. Since I couldn't be there to parade around I paraded in the kitchen.

1st course was a leek and parsnip soup garnished with sauted apples and mushrooms made by Larry. Very good! Served with a Sancere (forgive me, I just went out the recycle bin to get the details on the bottle but the garbage men have already taken them away)brought by Jan. Next was the Turkey Roll, turnips and brussel sprouts accompanied by an Oregon Pinot Noir (again, see note regarding the recycling) and we finished up with a pear tart in a chocolate crust and a little dollop of home made fromage blanc served with a port-like red desert wine from Banyuls. And finally, Jeanne made a very light pumpkin souffle which we used as a final installment.

Wonderful evening. All the wines were top-rate, food delicious and friends, of course the usual pleasure. I came away without the usual stuffed to the gills that comes of too much mashed potatoes and gravy. Still not exactly light on the calories.

Buy Nothing Day and I am tempted to buy something - from here.

I am particularly drawn to the gift of a 'Dowry for an Orphan'. It consists of two goats.
But it's so hard to decide.....A 'Bike for a Midwife' also caught my eye. 'A Bicycle Taxi Business', 'A Virile Ram', 'Sight for a Child', it's so hard to decide!

(I can't wait to see what kind of Google ads this post generates)

Instead of carrying water on your head you could roll it in front of you. You would probably have to fight your kids and your husband to do it. New technology for those who find water miles away. I suppose you could power a battery while walking home, too. ... and what else? Carry your dirty clothes to the well in the Hippo-Roller, fill it with water, add some biodegradable soap, walk home, hang the clothes out to dry and plug the Hippo-Roller into your irrigation system.
http://www.hipporoller.org/

There is a version of this device which comes stuffed with the piping and valves necessary to set up a simple drip irrigation system. When you run out of water you roll the reservoir (Hippo-Roller) to the well and back and plug it back in.

I want to buy one of these things and give it to another human being who is straining under the burden of regular water collection. (Probably a woman with a bunch of kids trailing behind her). The micro-charity idea of Aura's house should work here. For 100,000 you can fund the creation of a manufacturing plant. Macro-Micro Charity.

What do you think?