December 12 — Thanksgiving dinner gatherings filled much of the special holiday.

Myrtle Lee Stimpson visited on Thanksgiving Day in the home of grandson Barry and Betty Jo V. Speas, of Oilville. Others sharing the meal included: Gail S. Doss and family, Carroll and Debbie Gillispie and family, Mike and Amy Vaughan, and Dickie and Marie Vaughan.

The annual Thanksgiving Supper was held Brown Church on Saturday, November 23, with many families attending. Carroll Gillispie led the Thanksgiving program.

Betty Foster spent Thanksgiving with the Walter Young household in Henrico. On Friday she attended the family gathering with the Jill Foster family of Bon Air, including grandchildren Courtney and Foster Woodburn.

Diane C. Young spent Thanksgiving in Troutville at the home of Hunter and Sue Young.

Gathering on Thanksgiving with Walter Stimpson and Grace Ownby were Anna S. Garrett; Bob and Macy Welsh of Camden, North Carolina; Majorie and Ray Hufham; the Dawn and Tim Bonneford family of Maryland; Jeremy and Chrystal Jones and son Levi, of Culpeper.

Grace Ownby recently returned from a visit with Jo Kimsey of Gloucester Point. Her hostess was celebrating her 95^th birthday. Bob and Macy Welsh assisted with transportation and all made a visit with Blanche Ownby at the home of her daughter Phyllis, of Mechanicsville, as they returned.

C.T. and Barbara Stimpson had their four children, along with spouses and grandchildren, with them for Thanksgiving gathering.

June Warriner visited Chris and Angie Warriner, Katlyn and Colby on Thanksgiving Day.

Anne N. Varner gathered with about thirty or her extended family and friends at Lawrence and Linda Varner’s for the Thanksgiving celebration.

Alice A. Higgins had visits from her sons and families during the Thanksgiving weekend.

Angie Kercher and Victor Decker, of Tallahassee, Florida, visited their grandparents, Paul and Frances Asal. Frances returned to Florida with them for a brief stay until Sylvia A. Hingham of Valdosta, Georgia, visits here in December.

Judy Ringgold, of Pennsylvania, is visiting with her son and wife, Dale and Paula E. Totten, and participating in area craft and musical opportunities.

On Thanksgiving Friday, Audrey Robinson enjoyed food prepared by sixteen family members; some were local, some from Abingdon, Charlottesville; North Carolina, California, and Maryland. Added to this was a phone call from family in Arizona.

Antioch Church’s Christmas Cantata will be Sunday evening December 22 at 7 p.m. The Children’s program will be that morning.

Losing Weight

This is a topic often covered in the media. But does it need to apply to frozen turkeys?

Now there are options available to purchase frozen turkeys with some amenities. On the positive side, the turkey may have been basted with turkey broth and seasonings, amounted to 9.55 percent (think juiciness and tenderness). Also the wrapper may state that a gravy packet is included. This was found to weight 1.25 pounds and contained water, seasonings and thickenings.

Having purchased a turkey of 16.25 pounds I am now down to about 13.5 pounds of actual turkey. How does this affect the cooking time, and the servings available?

I prefer – if the above is included – that the gravy packet contain dry ingredients only. I can add the water in my kitchen!