I still like to think of it as the simplest and most "American" of all holidays -- just a day to share our bounty and express our gratitude for it. Even the obligatory news reporters telling us how crowded the airports and roads are always warmed my heart, because, well, people want to go home for Thanksgiving, apparently even more than at Christmas. They want to share it with their loved ones, because maybe one of the loneliest images on the planet is that of someone alone on Thanksgiving day -- no turkey or gravy, no cranberries or pumpkin pie. Worst of all: no stuffing!
So I figured I'd revive the tradition of Thanksgiving here on Glen Road, given that it's almost surely the last Thanksgiving I'll live here. I know all about the hard work of making the meal, but I can practically do it with my eyes closed after all these years. (And, actually, my first idea was for all of us to get a cabin at Blackwater Falls and have the gathering there, but that didn't work out.) But it's not easy being the one who is a Meyers-Briggs J in a family of MB P's.
Here's the way it looks as of now. Beth has only "the day" itself off and is standing by to help Bryan make the meal with his family so can't commit to any of the alternatives, which are: Steve wants to have the crowd at his and Beth's house; Mitch and Laurie apparently want to have it at their house, since that's been recent tradition, and they are getting a new puppy a few days before, hampering their ability to travel; I wanted people to come here so I don't have to drive on the holiday; and Zach just wants to be with his family.
It's too complicated for me to figure out. I'll leave that to the Falter P's and maybe just go to the Rescue Mission and volunteer to lade out the food to the men there who are grateful to have a hot meal and not be alone on Thanksgiving. There's the tension -- wanting to be with my own family or showing my gratefulness by serving others. I'm pretty sure I know WWJD.
3 comments:
Are you gonna make me ask what WWJD is? How is possible that we grew up 2 feet apart and you've always loved it and I've always dreaded it -- the hard and fast rule on when it is, ready or not, the total gluttony, and most of all, the memories of women up in the dark and going to bed in the dark, slaving in the kitchen, and the men slouching in a food coma on the sofas watching the games, belching and doing all the other things men are known to do when they've got a heavy carb load and a ball game on. Oh, it's all too grim for me to think about. ;/ However, Walt will get his turkey, one way or the other, and it won't be one that was sleeping by his bed then night before as happened last year!
I always loved it because the food is easy to make, and it helps if people bring the sides. Hey, I loved it so much that when Steve and I were in Panama, I cooked the whole meal in a cockroach-infested kitchen with no running hot water and NO AIR CONDITIONING. I like thinking about all of the families gathered around, and it's not a complicated holiday like Christmas with what it holy and what is secular. And I always remember Daddy bringing home a box of little ice cream turkeys in a box with dry ice and putting them in the basement. I was fascinated by the dry ice and thought those turkey ice creams were the most marvelous things! I hear you about the men and football, but Mitch cleans up as much or more than Laurie, and Steve now cooks but doesn't clean up.
And WWJD comes from those maddening bumper stickers and means "What Would Jesus Do?" only in deference to Bethy, in this case, it means "What Would Jebus Do?"
I would like to have thanksgivng dinner with my family. I might be able to get a day off on either end (wed or fri) and we could do it then if anyone else can make it. If you have it on t-giving day, i will find a way to be there and I will bring the Cutest Dog in The World (take THAT Mitch's baby puppy!) to eat leftovers.
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