Between do and over-do

It is the between time. The turkey is in the oven but too early to peel potatoes and that kind of thing. The table is set but too early to put the things on the table. The floors are clean but, well, but nothing, it is rare they are clean, not waxed but at least mopped! I always feel like I should be doing something but there is really nothing to do for an hour or so, might as well sit down and write for a minute.

I was remembering a couple of Thanksgivings that really stand out in my mind. When I was a teen we went down to Ran and Esther Ericson's house for Thanksgiving. It was the first time (and only time) we ever had Thanksgiving away from home, first time I didn't do any cooking for Thanksgiving. It was a good day but that is not why it stands out so much. We sat down to eat and the snow started to fall. It fell all the way through the meal and dessert. We actually left a little more early than we might have otherwise left because the roads were getting a little dicey. We got home safely but it made the holiday unforgettable for me. It snowed the rest of the day and was beautiful as only the Island can be beautiful in the snow.

Another very memorable Thanksgiving was at my new house in Auburn. Kenneth and I had just moved in at the end of October so everything was still new to me (the house was 20 years old when we moved in, but so new to me that it was amazingly exciting). I know my parents came and I can't remember others, but I remember the feeling of finally cooking the traditional Thanksgiving meal in my own kitchen with my own family. I was pregnant with Emily at the time and things were not going well. Kenneth was sick and going down hill rapidly but it still felt magical. Little did I know at the time it would be my only Thanksgiving under those circumstances.

And then I remember the first Thanksgiving Luzvie was with the family. She had never heard of such a thing but thought it sounded like a wonderful idea. I explained to her how the meal was rather traditional and why we ate certain foods for that meal. She loved it all but her little nose curled when I said we were doing pumpkin. She didn't like pumpkin. (we looked it up in the Tagalog/English dictionary because we needed to now we were talking about the same thing). I was shocked as everyone loves Pumpkin pie (Wrong, James doesn't like it!). When the meal was eaten and dessert presented Luzvie agreed to try to pie....and loved it. When she had pumpkin in the Philippines it had been as a vegetable and she didn't like it at all, and I understand that. I am not sure I would have liked it myself! From that day to this I can not make a Pumpkin pie without a little heart tug for Luzvie.

I remember Thanksgiving dinner when my grandmother was alone and could not come to the house, it was her last Thanksgiving. I took down a plate and ate with her in her trailer. It was beautifully touching to have that solo dinner with my Grandmother. I came home and ate with the family too, but it was nothing compared to that shared time with her. The same thing happened when my parents could no longer join us, I think it was Emily that took dinner down to them and enjoyed their company.

I remember Yukiko and the amazing changes she made in the traditional American dinner, and how much I loved those changes! She is magic with food and with Children. Heck, she even prepared macaroni and cheese right out of the box because it was Lawrence's favorite food and she wanted everyone to have something special!

And now I need to remember to get away form the computer and back to reality. A few more corners to clean and then food to fix. I am beyond words grateful that Linda, Curtis and boys are with us this year. Joyce and Jock are here too, but it is the children that make it special for me. All others are at family dinners but not my family dinner....it is good all the way around, but the best part is I have Linda home to share dinner with. God bless us all, everyone!