Our Thanksgiving Day meal has always leaned towards the traditional: turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, etc.

It still does, with one exception.

Every since Zappa grew up and moved out, he has been cultivating a somewhat creative, out-of-the-southern-Indiana-box attitude towards cooking. I think this is fantastic. He has always liked to cook, and he has always liked to experiment in the kitchen.

I don’t think there is any kind of edible ‘thing’ that he will not try. And if he likes it, he will learn to cook it himself.

Remember, this is the boy who describes a cow as “A steak surrounded by shoes.”

I’m not saying his contribution to this year’s dinner is strange, but I bet Mom thinks so when he tells her what it is AFTER she’s tasted it.

He made soup, and it looks really good. Homemade broth, full of vegetables and funky spices and meat.

What kind of meat, you might ask? And well you may, too.

It does look like chicken. I haven’t tasted it yet. I’ll keep you posted.

My baby boy. Seven feet tall, flaming red hair, Dean’s List twice this year, finder of truly awful interesting videos on the internet, and one of several computer ‘guys’ on the college campus. Call the desk for help, and you’ll be speaking to my baby. He’ll be right up there to fix your problem. Be nice, or I’ll come after you myself.

(I was going to say something about how he’s over 21 and single, but I decided it would be tacky.)

The kitchen floor is surely dry by now. The sponge on the mop is so old, it kind of left pieces of itself all over the floor. I’ll just sweep those up before the PEOPLE get here.

How much do I love these people? Hey, I mopped my floor for them. That’s true love.

The rest of the year, I generally clean it by scraping the really noticeable spills up with the toe of my shoe. When I’m wearing shoes.

Don’t you just love the way a baking turkey makes the whole house smell good? Don’t you just love a house that’s full of people, all trying really hard to behave themselves in front of Mom?

Me, too.

Come on over. There’s plenty of food. We have soup, too.

Update: The alligator soup was delicious. There’s a little bit left over, in a Tupperware* container in the refrigerator. Come on out and have a taste.

*The same thing, five for a dollar at the Dollar Tree. Who can afford real Tupperware any more?