Thanksgiving 2015

Thanksgiving is tomorrow.  Like moms everywhere I have a million things to complete before the family arrives for dinner. 

Yesterday, after spending an hour checking recipes, ingredients, and lists, I went to the grocery to get everything for the big day.  While wandering the aisles, I remembered that I had forgotten to get the cider for hot mulled cider (a hard and fast tradition, not to be messed with).  After backtracking and grabbing the cider I remembered that the last time I had made it I was out of one of the whole spices I used...but which one?  As I stood in front of the spices, racking my brain for the answer, an attentive clerk offered to help me find what I needed.  "What I need", I declared in frustration, "is someone to run home and see what I'm out of so I don't have to make a dash back tomorrow!"  A soft chuckle rippled out from behind me, "Honey, you can't ever have Thanksgiving without reaching for at least one thing you were just sure you had and don't!", declared a woman passing behind me. 

Another shopper waiting to pass us in the aisle, chimmed in, "I plan on being out of a few things," she laughed.  "Then when the menfolks get to bugging me too much in the kitchen, I send them to the grocery to fetch it for me."  Laughing harder, she proclaimed, "it works every time.  By the time they've found the ingredients and visited with all their buddies doing the same thing, I've got dinner ready."

The clerk, now laughing with us, agreed.  "The store is full of men all day Thanksgiving, hunting for odd ingredients and passing the time with friends.  We've actually thought about setting up refreshments and just letting them hang out!"  We agreed it was a good plan, and still laughing we parted to continue our shopping.

Today, while setting the table with the paper turkeys I bought at the local drug store when the kids were little tykes, I started thinking about some of our more treasured memories. 

The year my sister's son was little and was fascinated with the candles on the table.  For some reason (who knows how little kid's brains work?) he decided to blow out the candle in front of him.  Unfortunately, he had a mouth full of mashed potatoes at the time.  Hubby's dad was sitting directly across from him and received the benefit of the potatoes.  The kid survived, but it was a close thing.   Not a perfect memory, but it still makes us laugh!

The kids remember splitting firewood on Thanksgiving morning.  Hubby's instructions were to stay out of the kitchen and keep everyone occupied.  His solution was to fire up the splitter and split firewood until dinner time.  I'm pretty sure that is why my daughter decided to learn to cook. Then she could help in the kitchen!

My favorite memory is of the dinners at my Aunt and Uncle's home.  Without football games televised 24/7, the adults stayed around the table after dinner and told stories.  As a kid I loved sitting and listening to the tales grow "taller" as the after dinner drinks grew shorter.  I learned some fascinating things about my elders....who knew my genteel grandfather was such a rip or my dad and uncle were such terrors!

Tomorrow, everyone will bolt from the table to continue watching ball games or playing their video games.  Times change.   One thing stays the same.  We will sit down as a family, wrapped in the warmth of each others love, and be thankful for the blessings we have been granted. 

And stare at the paper turkeys marching down the table.