today at thanksgiving dinner we somehow got onto the subject of strange things the men of the previous generation would document.

my grandfather kept documentation about squirrels he captured in his yard and released in other counties. he'd write the county name down on his calendar.

wayne's father would write down every time he mowed the grass, on a piece of old cardboard that wayne found in the shed years later.

we don't know why they wrote these things down, but it gives me some clue as to why i sometimes feel the need to document things. maybe it's just a compulsion that's passed down genetically.

so, in the spirit of documentation, i will now document the most thorough and yummy thanksgiving dinner that my family has enjoyed in many years.

• turkey (which was brined then roasted)
• stuffing, dried bread, not cooked in the bird.
• some kind of jello thing.
• sweet potatoes with streusseled topping
• broccoli rice casserole. yes, the kind made with cheez whiz!
• cranberry sauce from a can. (I said, "Look, it's can shaped!" and my mom said, "Of course! It has to be!" we don't get too caught up in the gourmet thing in our family.)
• homemade rolls
• corn pudding
• gravy. duh.
• peas
• green bean casserole
• mashed potatoes (russets with whole milk and butter, put through a ricer. yes, there are people who will require that level of detail.)
• applesauce (homemade by yours truly.)
• pecan pie
• pumpkin cheesecake (my mom makes this, it's totally to die for.)