This year we aimed a little higher, which naturally entails tracking down a turkey. A turkey is something of a mythical beast in this part of the world. Most people have heard of the bird, although not everybody. Many will say that you can find a turkey somewhere in Zhezkazgan or Satpaev, but nobody knows exactly where. Others will flatly state that turkey can't be found. In Zhezkazgan, we were teased a few times. For example, my Russian tutor told me that she saw a turkey in the weekly outdoor market; obviously, the seller hawking a turkey was never to be found again.
(A puny turkey is better than no turkey at all and hey -- we couldn't even finish it.)Fortunately the volunteers in Satpaev had better luck and managed to find a 3.5 kilogram (~8 lbs) turkey and even managed to buy it after it had been cleaned. From there, everything came together. We planned a Friday Thanksgiving because it fortuitously coincided with the Muslim holiday of Kurban Ait, meaning we had a three-day weekend. Nick and Corinne slaved over the turkey and the gravy and everybody else chipped in with side dishes, which were all very good although they were trumped in the end by Corinne's pumpkin pie. For a slapdash Thanksgiving in the middle of the steppe, it was surprisingly legitimate and we were all very pleased with ourselves.
(Don't act like you're not impressed.)
(Whether in the US or in Kazakhstan, Thanksgiving is the same. Sometimes even the best and brightest fail to make it through the day.)
(Back when Drew was able to sit in an upright position.)
1 comment:
not impressed
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