Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Thank You Girl (1964)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Who were you talking to the last time you said, "thank you?" I worked retail on Black Friday, so I thanked many a customer.

2) Paul McCartney recalls that "Thank You Girl" was inspired by all the female fans who had written them fan letters, pledging undying love. Have you ever written a fan letter? If yes, did you receive a response? Danny O'Shea played for the Chicago Black Hawks when I was in 8th grade. I loved him madly and was devastated when he was traded to the St. Louis Blues. The moment I heard, I wrote him a farewell letter. Imagine my surprise when I got a reply! On a postcard from a St. Louis hotel, which is where the Blues put him up temporarily. "Your kindness will not be forgotten. Danny O'Shea." I remember exactly what it said because I kept it tucked in my bedroom mirror for years.

3) Recording engineer Geoff Emerick remembered that John Lennon was easily winded while recording this song. John had a bad cold and went back to bed when they were done for the day. We're in cold/flu season right now. How are you feeling? So far, no complaints. I'm up on my vaccinations, so fingers crossed.

4) "Thank You Girl" is this week's song because November 27 was Thanksgiving. What are you thankful for this year? That I have enough. Three women in my circle are struggling financially and I can see firsthand that being over 60 and broke is stressful. I am not a wealthy woman – would I be working at a card shop for $16/hour if I was? – but when something comes up I can pay for it. I had to use funds earmarked for my kitchen remodel to see Sir Paul last week. That was unexpected and my condo will have to remain a hovel a bit longer. But I can afford Christmas in Michigan with my niece's family and the TCM Film Festival in Hollywood this spring. I don't panic when I have to make a dental appointment for myself or a vet appointment for one of my cats. While much of this is the result of my own hard work, I am not ignoring the role luck plays and I am thankful I'm getting by while others aren't.

5) While the big meal is referred to as Thanksgiving dinner, most Americans enjoy it earlier than they usually serve dinner. 3:00 PM is the most popular time for the holiday feast. When did you have dinner on Thursday? 5:00 PM

6) Cranberry sauce has been a Thanksgiving staple since the late 1800s. Was it on your menu this year? Yes. In fact, here was our entire menu:

• Butternut Squash Soup with Spiced Pumpkin Seeds and Sour Cream
• Slow-Roasted Turkey with Pan Gravy
• Traditional Stuffing
• Roasted and Glazed Green Beans & Carrots
• Mary's Potatoes
• Cranberry Sauce
• Eli's Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake (I ate too much and brought this home. It's in my refrigerator right now.)

7) The Thanksgiving Turducken is said to have originated in New Orleans. Chef Paul Prudhomme is often cited as the first to stuff a deboned chicken into a deboned duck into a deboned turkey. Prudhomme's recipe has more than 85 individual steps and takes a full day to prepare. Did you face any challenges while cooking your Thursday dinner? No. Because I didn't cook. We went to Cooper's Hawk Winery again this year.

8) Leftovers are popular after Thanksgiving, especially turkey sandwiches. Some cooks recommend serving cold, sliced turkey on wheat bread, but white bread, pitas and flatbread are also popular. When you head into the kitchen to make a sandwich, what's your go-to bread? Wheat, I suppose. I'm not big on making sandwiches. Usually when I reach for bread it is to mop up the last bit of marinara sauce.

9) The day after Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday, the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season and sales. Black Friday got its name in Philadelphia back in the 1950s to describe the traffic clogging both highways and side streets as consumers raced out in search of bargains. When is the last time you were stuck in traffic? I expect to be stuck in traffic this afternoon, as we are in the midst of the first big snow of the season.