Sunday Before Thanksgiving

Sarah and Kate are both here.

It's cold outside, and there's a fire in the fireplace.

Charlie left today and will return on Tuesday, bringing his Mother to our house for the T'giving holidays.

We're all hoping we don't get Ellie's germ. She continues to be a very sick little girl. If it doesn't subside this afternoon, then it's probably the flu virus instead of just a basic virus and will likely continue for 2 or 3 more days. I got my flu shot last week, so did Steve and Charlie. It won't kick in to protect us until 2 weeks after the shot. Tomorrow is one week - so - hope noone gets the flu. Ann hasn't had her shot and was cautious about it - although pregnant moms are supposed to get it. She was just nervous about that and had questions.

Luke is at my house now - just to get him out of the house where Ellie is. He's so noisy and she feels so bad - it's hard to keep him still and quiet - of course. So - he came to my house this pm and enjoys the attention he gets from Sarah and Kate - although nothing compares to being with his Daddy. He is absolutely crazy about Steve. So cute!!

The Red Berries on the Nandina are such an encouragement as we head into the dormant season. I'm also glad that the two biggest holidays are during nature's gray season. Color is so abundant for Thanksgiving and Christmas - and the warmth of indoors feeds our emotions as we live through this winter.

What does your Thanksgiving Menu look like?

Ours:

Turkey Breast, Dressing, Gravy, Squash Casserole, Green Bean Casserole, Smashed Sweet Potatoes(grown on Skyline Mountain - so sweet), English Peas, Butternut Squash Casserole(New - I sampled it at Williams Sonoma - so good!) Frozen Cherry Salad, Spiced Peaches, Cranberry Sauce-Jellied and Whole, Homemade Yeast Rolls, Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie, and Pumpkin Trifle.

We'll have 6 + 2 + 3 + 1 + 1 = 13 folks

I like to set the table really pretty. I have already ironed the cloth napkins - I really, really like cloth napkins and the tablecloth. We'll use a hodgepodge of china and silver. The whole experience is first, visual and scented - in the kitchen - and then the table - dressed like a lady and man - but then we eat it and the tastes are so good.

MY MEMORIES OF THANKSGIVING

It was always at my grandmother's house, Ella's house - or it was at my Aunt Mary's house. (here's an aside - houses - they are named by the lady of the house - my grandchildren refer to this as Near's house, or their house is Mommy's house -awwwww! sad for the men who work and labor over those mortgage payments - and it is named as belonging to the mommy or grandmother) Okay - so at my grandmother, Ella's, we all piled in - we're not talking huge rambling farmhouse - but if I described her house - well - that's another post - I LOVED her house - and she made it so attractive - yet it was small - compared to today - but we had 21 to begin with, but soon it became 24, and then 25, but then it would vary - it was always a large crowd. When we had our Thanksgiving at my Aunt Mary's - well - she lived "out". It was a farm, but not like you might imagine - not a typical farmhouse - very ranch style with style - it was nice - and a huge front yard - HUGE - So - the ladies who were doing the meal - they'd send all the men and children out to the front yard to play "football" or "baseball". I didn't really enjoy sports but I got in the mix and was always put "way out" - somewhere so that I could do the least damage - and I considered it a very social time with whomever I was standing the closest to. I was tolerated. :-) The men, as I recall, were soooo serious about it all. Didn't get that!

Well, that's my T'giving memory - but it was always that, year after year, large crowd - so much food - so good - and cold weather, usually, for South Alabama

Thanksgiving just meant a lot of people, a lot of fun and laughter and noise - everyone talking - and eating - Ella's house didn't have the huge front yard, but she had a great "side yard" - again, another post. I can see it all - and I wish I had pictures - But mostly we stayed inside - with a fire - It was just fun in Ella's house - and all my cousins and aunts and uncles were fun - to me - I don't know if in their adult world there was stuff going on - but I didn't know about it. We all got along and loved each other very very much. I did sense that at the end of the day the moms were really tired and ready to go home - so we did.

That's my Thanksgiving memories - and now I am making some more.