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Roseann Bischoff's avatar

I’m sure Gillian had a little laugh watching your antics trying to cook! But she us also proud that you saved the roast!

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Ken Tingley's avatar

We thought about Gillian several times on Thanksgiving. Might have cursed her a couple times, too.

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June Woodard's avatar

Believe it or not Ken, I think we ALL have had days like that at least once in our lifetime. I think I can pretty much be sure you will all be laughing at the memory come next Thanksgiving! Happy Holidays!

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Ken Tingley's avatar

Hope so. It will be a piece of Tingley Thanksgiving lore for sure.

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Frederick L Grunewald's avatar

Given your loss this year, you now have a funny memory with your son and brother to bring some joy back into your life.

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Jane Carusone's avatar

Cheers to a very entertaining recap of your Thanksgiving from hell. So relatable.

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Mary Ellen Collins's avatar

Happy Holidays Ken.....you and your boys will look back on this with a big measure of humor and love for your wife. I applaud you willingness to "give it a try"..and it sounds like it all turned out well. I'm sure your wife is looking down on you all with such pride...YOU SAVED THE ROAST...hahaha

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Ken Tingley's avatar

It was a great roast.

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Mary Ellen Collins's avatar

Let's hope they pass this...time is running out!!!

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Sandra M. Watson's avatar

Kudos to Ben and for you for adding the recognition of his service to the people in GF and the county.

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Susan Andrews's avatar

Quite the story of Three Hungry Men determined to salvage Thanksgiving dinner! A unique bonding experience of perseverance - despite the M.I.A. 🥩 meat thermometer!

You and the staff and volunteers and donors can all be proud of this year’s splendid Chapman House Christmas displays. In my tour yesterday noon, I was filled with nostalgia and awe as I walked slowly in and through each room… which kindled so many memories of the past. And Gillian’s Nutcracker collection is such a star attraction! A true reflection of her enduring Christmas spirit.

And the steep stair climb was well worth it to view the delightful 🐧 Penguin collection at the top! Along with the vintage bedrooms and antique furniture and original bathroom fixtures upstairs. And all the donated Christmas stockings with embroidered first names hung on the stair rails and fireplace mantles reflect local family memories of Christmas Past.

The Chapman Museum is a definite must-see Christmas season destination for area folks and out-of-town folks this month.

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Ken Tingley's avatar

Thank you. Our committee is pleased with the way it turned out.

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Christine Hubbard's avatar

We took the time last Sunday to get a sneak preview of the Chapman Museum, driving over from Salem. I enjoyed hearing your tales of pulling together the beautiful holiday through the past year, and for us, also facing the holidays without an important member, it was a nice way to begin celebrating the season... something new for a new reality. Thanks for sharing your stories and insight. A peaceful holiday to you and your family.

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Mary Miller's avatar

Maybe the melting plastic in the oven WAS the missing meat thermometer?

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Ken Tingley's avatar

Oh my, I hope not.

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Bob Stromberg's avatar

This morning, with your report about the PRESS Act (I had missed the TU editorial), I sent the following email to Senator Schumer, with similar to Senator Gillibrand. Note that indents and links are not supported in substack comments.

BTW, I consider this example to be a "free gift" -- no strings attached. Please copy and modify as you like when you send to your Senators.

Subject:

urgent: pass the PRESS Act so President Biden can sign it

Body:

Dear Chuck,

According to a recent editorial in the Times Union, the House has twice passed the PRESS Act with overwhelming support. I strongly support this bill.

From the Times Union editorial:

The PRESS Act, as it is called, would protect reporters, social media companies and providers of telecommunications services from being forced by courts to disclose information that would identify sources, except when disclosure is needed to stop terrorism or imminent violence. The legislation would also keep the government from spying on journalists’ conversations with sources, with appropriate exceptions.

There's nothing particularly novel about the law. In fact, 49 states including New York have laws that to some degree protect the anonymity of sources, which is recognized by courts as an essential part of the First Amendment. But there is no such protection on the federal level.

There is also nothing partisan about the proposed legislation. Indeed, the PRESS Act has twice passed in the House with overwhelming support from Democrats and Republicans, an encouraging sign during this time of hyper-partisanship and diminishing trust in nearly all the vital institutions of our democracy.

Please pass this bill so that President Biden can sign it.

Respectfully submitted,

Bob Stromberg

Round Lake, NY

Cell: (518) 791-9708

@rlsnys on BlueSky

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Ken Tingley's avatar

Hopefully, this text is something others can use to get Mr. Schumer to move on this. Thanks Bob.

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Beatriz Roman's avatar

Three Men and an Oven. So much to think about. That plastic must have been placed there by another renter. How did you get it cleaned? (I think you'll be checking for oven contents before ignition from now on. That is, if you venture to cook again.) I'm glad you weren't affected by the toxic fumes and that your gathering wasn't a total loss. I hope you try again, with better prep time. Men can cook!

I like the idea of a new chapter for the Chapman Holiday celebration. What a really nice, loving, innovative job was done by the committee! Congratulations!

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Ken Tingley's avatar

The plastic is a mystery and my brother did some extensive scraping to get the oven in acceptable conditions again.

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Beatriz Roman's avatar

That was some ordeal, but you three not only survived, you pulled it off!

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Ken Tingley's avatar

We did it the hard way. Who need a darned meat thermometer anyway!

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Beatriz Roman's avatar

Totally agree!

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Barbara Bubar's avatar

Truly a wonderful Thanksgiving meal description---does that beat the story of a turkey being carved and landing in the carver's lap, or thawing a turkey in the sink and having water flow all over the floor, or forgetting to add the sugar to the pie? All details in family story telling futures. But....where DID that meat thermometer GO???

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Ken Tingley's avatar

We suspect we will be telling the tale of the missing meat thermometer for years to come.

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Edward Low's avatar

Not sure if I am proud or sad.. but you learned the lesson all those with an oven learn!

Enough people use it for storage that you should ALWAYS check it before turning the oven on. Fortunately your son learned the lesson early.

It reminds me of a couple years ago, there was a get together and a friend of mine showed up in a huff. Her husband had put last night’s pizza (in boxes) in the oven and she turned on the oven not knowing this. As people are want to do, she was mad at her husband.

I told her my story of turning on the oven when I was in my 20’s.. smelling plastic I looked in and saw my Tupperware©, all gooey and melting.. I saved the oven from scarring but not the Tupperware©. She was mad that I (kind of) sided with her husband.

But the time four other people showed up.. with four more stories about their oven stories... said friend was livid that no one understood her husbands mistake.

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Patti Gray Whann's avatar

Ken what a wonderful piece. I just loved it, and what I loved most about it was that I could actually imagine it from your writing as I read it. I also want to tell you that I would love to read more about your journey with your new circumstances and especially with the 3 men and some sort of adventure. Sometimes the vitriol of politics gets old. Again, reading about your adventure allowed your readers to see a part of you that needs to be seen and enjoyed. Thanks again for sharing your story. Also, I met Ben Driscoll 35 years ago in Saratoga Springs when I worked for Domestic Violence Services/Rape Crisis in Saratoga Springs. He was working for the Saratoga EOC and was just beginning his career in helping others. He was wonderful then as he is now, always there helping everyone. He truly is a special person and deserving of any award.

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Ken Tingley's avatar

Ben is one of those guys that is the backbone of a community.

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Carol L. Clark's avatar

Those little items such as meat thermometers have a way of disappearing. Worse than socks, and completely undiscoverable. Gremlins. Gotta be gremlins.

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