Positively Tuesday: POSITIVELY THANKFUL

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

POSITIVELY THANKFUL

Church Steeple

POSITIVELY THANKFUL
by Mauverneen

It’s Thanksgiving! I can smell the turkey cooking already. It’s a wonder the whole country doesn’t smell like a turkey in the oven on Thanksgiving Day – since almost everyone is cooking the same thing.

I am looking forward to Thanksgiving with my family this year. I’ve missed a couple in recent years. Living out of state it was not always possible to make it back for every holiday and my dream of my entire family coming out to visit over a holiday never happened. One year Rick and I previously did the buffet thing at one of the casinos and although the food was really very good, the lines were long and, well, it just wasn’t the same. Made me wonder if anybody in Reno cooked that day.

Blow up Turkey

Two years ago Rick and I were packing up our Reno home – early November, plenty of time to get back for the holiday. Unfortunately we had a fire. Just a small one but we were displaced for weeks because of the smoke damage. The entire house was stripped to be cleaned and we were sent packing. Everything we owned was sent out to be cleaned. And I do mean EVERYthing. Even most of our packed items were unpacked, cleaned, and repacked. Anyway, Rick and I spent that Thanksgiving in a rented, furnished apartment (thanks to our insurance company). We cooked a small dinner and spent the day inside, giving Thanks that no one was hurt and the damage wasn’t worse than it was.

Real Turkey - Thankful he's not dinner

Last year, I was back in town with my family. I baked the pies, got dressed up for the occasion and headed out for my youngest daughter’s house for dinner. Dropped off the pies and headed for the hospital. Seems daughter number two got into a collision with a pick-up truck on her way over for dinner. The two of us spent the next several hours gradually calming down, and beginning to find the humor in the situation. (You’d be surprised where you can find humor when you’re desperate.) At least we were the best dressed people in the E.R. that day.

Wild Turkeys - Door County, WI

When we finally left the hospital (nothing broken, just some nasty bruises) we joined the rest of the family. Although dinner was long over, we had a delicious meal waiting for us and everyone sat around the table with us as we ate, giving thanks that no one was seriously hurt (in either vehicle) and realizing cars can be replaced – daughters can’t.

Pumpkin Patch

I am so looking forward to this dinner. I am making the pies as usual. I hope we look a bit Norman Rockwellish sitting around the long table – myself, my guy, my mom, my aunt, three daughters, two sons-in-law, one fairly new beau, two step-grandsons and maybe an extra guest or two. Plus a number of dogs hanging out under the table hoping somebody drops a turkey leg.