An odd brain loop to wake up to but that is where the frequency is stuck. (There is also residual, "did you know you only manged five written pieces in September?")
My attention has been so centered on mission "Upsize Living" that I miscalculated the arrival of my very favourite holiday of life! Generally in the week leading up to Thanksgiving I have my squashes picked, my pumpkins baked, pureed and waiting to be transformed into pies and napkins pressed at the ready. So far this year I have....done nothing. That's not entirely true I guess, We picked up a store bought pie on grocery day this week and I have two acorn squash in the fridge from our trip to the apple farm last week; where by the way, there were no apples.
Usually I have things well organized and planned. We create a table for 25, set up a 'crockpot station' for the vast array of dishes that arrive with family and friends and dedicate a side table exclusively to desserts. This year I have packed all of my cookbooks in boxes, my linens stored, there are no 'extra dishes'. I have missed my last Saturday opportunity to harvest our feast at the farmers market and somewhere a turkey is on his knees saying his very own prayer of thanks that I did not get him ordered in time for the roasting pan.
We have only ever missed one thanksgiving. It was the year E had H1N1. Thanksgiving Sunday was the first day in seven that either one of us got out of his bed. Our regular guests where not so much disappointed that year as they were terrified of our self imposed quarantine. I can't remember exactly what our little family of five had for Thanksgiving dinner that year but I recall thinking at the time that it was one notch above 'Swanson's Hungry Man' dinners. I also recall crying all the way through that dinner. I cried because of how sick E was, how exhausted we were as parents, how disappointed the girls were that there was no 'Turkey, stuffing, green goop salad or screaming relatives'. I cried because I missed weeks of tradition in preparation and anticipation.
And I promised myself it would never happen again!
So this year even with our world in it's topsy turvey don't touch the walls or lick the windows state I'm going to pick it up double time! I'm going to get some baking on, whip up a batch of green goop, a pot of cranberry sauce and some cod cakes. Then when I have it all together I am going to drive it all over to my Mother's...
...Because She knows just how important turkey and Gratitude is to me. I'm just glad she called me first so that I didn't have to spring it on her! It's not just turkey; it's dogs that want to pee in the house, overturned Lego buckets, upside down pumpkin pie and whip cream on the carpet, laundry, rearranged furniture, leftovers, and smeary fingerprint portraits on the stainless steal.
Gratitude to my Mother and her willingness to sacrifice her home for a little gratitude.
Gratitude, Hope & Smiles are meant to be shared...get busy!
Michelle
