Thanksgiving in Moz.

It started with a realization: Thanksgiving's coming up really soon, isn't it?

Progressed to plans and strategies: How do we cook a Thanksgiving meal with two burners and no oven?

Then there was the shopping: Chickens, celery, pumpkin, spices.

Whom to invite? Innocencio and Fifi, two friends from church who have been coming over for English lessons.

Then Thanksgiving day actually arrived.

I washed up some laundry, with all due thankfulness for the blessing of water that runs.

Carla worked culinary magic...

...with a little bit of help.

During the afternoon, operations came to halt and we waited around to visit with this apartment's previous renter.

We waited.

And waited.

She never did appear, but Jariel, the pink cat and I occupied ourselves with Skip-Bo.

 

 Innocencio and Fifi showed up, and I promptly forgot about the existence of my camera. Portuguese does weird things to my brain. I have no photographic evidence to prove it, but Fifi, Carla and I had a great time in the kitchen. Fifi and I read children's books to each other (Go, Dogs, Go! and a Portuguese ABC, to be exact). It was a fun way to learn some new words. 

Carla can cook and translate at the same time. I am in awe.

They spent the afternoon with us, but both Fifi and Innocencio had to skip out on supper. A church member had passed away, so they spent the evening at her funeral. We sent Fifi off with a loaded plate and many regrets. Innocencio told us he would come back later for his portion of the meal.

The five of us sat down to a tremendous spread.

Chicken (which was better than most turkey I've had)
Mashed potatoes & butternut squash with gravy
Green bean casserole (FRESH green beans, fresh mushrooms, and caramelized onions)
Dressing
Pumpkin custard for dessert

I had followed my usual holiday custom of eating lightly during the day so that I'm good and hungry for the big meal.

Tasty food plus carefully hoarded hunger.

It was wonderful.

Then the power went out.

We three adults lay about in a semi-comatose state. The kids reveled in the fact that they could FINALLY USE THEIR FLASHLIGHTS! 

When Innocencio returned, his first Thanksgiving meal was illuminated by the light of headlamps, flashlights, and a cell phone light. This combination seemed rather appropriate, all things considered. We ate our pumpkin custard together, the lights came back on, and Innocencio went home.

And that was how we celebrated an American holiday,

That may have been originally based on a Jewish festival,

In Africa.

During a power outage.