Thanksgiving 2015

I’m not sure about this but I think tomorrow will be the first morning I’ve ever woken up on a major holiday in a house by myself—in my whole seventy-seven years. I was always with family. This year Thanksgiving is the holiday that my children go to their in-laws, although a couple of them would always welcome me. But I’ve decided to spend the day at my brother’s with his extended family…and he seemed pleased when I invited myself. I will take two old family favorite dishes—the best blue-cheeseball in the world and raw cranberry relish, which I wrote about the other day. I made it this morning and what I thought would be a simple task turned out not to be—my back screamed at me to sit and rest three times during the process.

Because this is not “my” Thanksgiving, it will be “my” Christmas, and I will have all my children and grandchildren together. What a joy!

A nice day today. Jacob spent the whole morning propped up in my bed with his iPad. When his mom arrived for lunch, she was astounded he hadn’t eaten. I said, “He didn’t ask, so I didn’t offer.” Bad grandmother, I guess. But he had four Eggo waffles for breakfast/brunch/lunch while we ate tuna salad—Jordan makes great tuna with lots of lemon. I did explain that he was the reason my bed wasn’t made at noon.

After they left I suddenly got on a tear and took care of a lot of little details, which included several emails to Jordan. She said tonight on the phone she wanted to scream, “Go take a nap and quit emailing me!” Eventually I did just that.

So tonight I’ve been reviewing a book I am to blog about but otherwise being generally lazy.

For each of you I wish a bountiful Thanksgiving. Not all of us want the big family celebration (though I do), so I hope you celebrate in whatever way is comfortable to you. But as you give thanks in your own way for all that is bestowed on us, please pray for our divided country. I don’t remember a time of such dramatic and nasty divide, with hateful rhetoric. I’ve been impressed with a Molly Ivins quote to the effect that dividing a country is a sure way to bring it down. Whatever your belief—admit Syrians, turn them away; repeal Obamacare or not; approve women’s right to privacy of health care or pass rules governing it—please pray for our good old U.S. As you give thanks remember that it is our country and our freedom that makes us thankful.

Blessings on y’all.