Cooking isn't my strong suit. Hell, because of my fibromyalgia standing in front of stove can be pretty difficult. So when my partner and I decided to making a big thanksgiving meal this year, I was a bit concerned. My parents used to host thanksgiving, but they now preferred to spend the holiday weekend up in the mountains enjoying their RV and the lovely autumn scenery. This was my second Thanksgiving with my partner and this year we decided to tackle a turkey instead of a ham, for which I was both excited and terrified.

Prepping for the meal was fine and I started to relax until the night before when my mind was filled with worry. All I could think of was my turkey turning out all black and smokey like the turkey's commonly seen in American sitcom specials centered around their version of the holiday. The next day, with dreams of an ashen bird still fresh in my mind, I set to work on the meal with all the energy I could muster. My partner did a lot of the hard labour, but I was still fluttering about trying to time everything right and get the sides ready while also trying to keep track of how many times I basted the turkey.

As you can tell from the above picture, the turkey came out damn near perfect. Juicy with golden brown and crispy skin. It was delicious and I felt super accomplished cooking a holiday meal for the first time. While I grateful that the meal worked out as planned, the thing I was most grateful for was the presence of my partner in my life. His help, selflessness and love really mean the world to me. With his help, I expect all of our future holidays to be awesome.

Dana~


"How hard was it to cook a big meal on your own for the first time? Have you ever prepared a big holiday meal all by yourself? Do you even like the holidays? Tell me in the comments below!"