So the images of a "traditional" Thanksgiving are just that -- images and memories. So many locales are having snow and the more expected weather for November time.
The colors of fall are still around us suggesting so much of what we are thankful for. This is another of the magical times of the year -- for me, there still is that wonderful sense of the buffer day (the day after Thanksgiving) even though Gail & I have loads of buffer days.
On Thanksgiving we did celebrate the holiday with friends and family -- about 30 folks at dinner. The talking noise level was quite high between bites of delicious food -- for me I didn't say too much while eating opting to concentrate on my plate -- I think I made up for it after dinner though . . .
Since we were having dinner at the traditional "Andrew & Silvia" Thanksgiving get-together that meant that we would not have "left-overs" to call our own -- so, last night we roasted our own turkey in the new fryer that we got a couple of weeks ago and along with all the traditional trimmings we had a second turkey feast.
The fryer (no oil) turned out a great bird -- tender and juicy with a slight smoked flavor. The yam dish that Gail makes every year was excellent as was the cranberry relish she makes. For dessert we had a super tasty pumpkin pie -- courtesy of Elizabeth our across-the-street neighbor.
And so went our Thanksgiving, and I certainly remember the many Thanksgivings that I recall at my Grandparent's house (Mamie & Bapa's) in Chicago -- especially the pool game after dinner and the later turkey sandwiches in the evening.
From the Tree: Birthdays & Anniversaries for Next Week
Park Friday
Years ago I used to join the crowds and head to retail stores to take advantage of the special sales associated with "black Friday". These days I am very content to shop mostly online for so many obvious reasons. The parade of delivery trucks throughout our neighborhood is amazing and fun to watch -- as long as deliveries are made to the correct addresses . . .
But this year we walked the two blocks over to our local park and met some of the family along with their kids enjoying the day.
In the above collage the kids enjoyed the day outside and the meeting was very casual and enjoyable. Later in the day most everyone went into town to join the celebration of Thanksgiving time in Healdsburg. Dayton & Olivia are both back from their respective colleges and were really enjoying the time seeing family and many of their home-town friends.
And Lastly -- Spoontime, the Tradition Continues
For the last twenty or so years we have been engaging in the giving back and forth of a spoon -- the kind of spoon like you see in tourist shops. Gail received the "Healdsburg" spoon from Andy for her birthday many years ago (about 1990 maybe).
The immediate reaction was one of disbelief in that Gail did not have a spoon collection and the final analysis was that the "gift" was one of expediency (correctly characterized and proven later). So at an occasion shortly later the spoon was returned to the giver(s) at the bottom of a full bottle of spirits . . . since those two exchanges the spoon has been passed back and forth in many, many configurations . . .
While the above is NOT the actual picture of THE spoon, prior to Thursday it did find itself as one of the hands of a clock hanging in the kitchen at the Andrew Hiles' house . . .
It has been a couple of years since Gail has been the recipient of THE Spoon and usually the most public of times was when the Spoon was sprung on an unsuspecting Gail -- and the closing of the Thanksgiving dinner was suitable for that to happen.
The newly received "Spoon" can be seen in the lower right corner on the plaque. It looks very much like some sort of "insect" now and it wants to play tennis . . . go figure. Over the years the spoon has been transformed many times -- but it is still recognizable. What will be the scenario next?
The above occurred this morning when we dropped by to retrieve the Spoon -- they all were having a brunch outside -- Dino was impressed . . .
Actually we have a book on many of the spoon exchanges, but it needs updating especially now. You have to wonder what our ancestors might think if they were to see this saga . . .
That is a bit of our Thanksgiving Holiday for 2013. We are still enjoying the last two days of the four and wish the same for all of you!
AND we are going to have our third in-a-row dinner of turkey and all the trimmings -- probably why we only roast a full turkey a couple of times a year.
See you all in a few!
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