THANKSGIVING FOR THE MEMORIES

 Apropos of nothing..."What do ya' need? A gilded invitation from a sparkly unicorn?" Idle thought as I was waiting for someone to realize the light was green at what has to be shortest traffic light in the kingdom.  Anyway....

Holidays have a way of crystallizing moments. Time flies or creeps slowly depending on your point of view (old vs young). Each day is slow, but the years go by in a flash. Things I never thought I would forget pass silently into one of those little folds in the brain to come up at inopportune moments but they never stay in the forefront for long. Too much gets piled on top.  However holidays seem to punctuate the years like slivers of light creeping under a closed door in a darkened hallway.

Thanksgiving when we were children reminds me of my Father's Mother, Grandma Hackley. Never a great cook but there was variety. She was known for her paper thin pie crusts as she reasoned no one wants to eat the crust anyway. Might as well have fruit in a bowl. She had a lot of ideas that my Mom really didn't agree with but so be it. 

As young marrieds, we alternated between families but usually at my Mother's house. My older sister would usually do the cooking so Mom could be free to visit or, more likely, engage in the cutthroat eucre games we would get into. I loved it when Mom was on my team playing games. She was smart, funny and absolutely ruthless. We had a marathon session once playing Monopoly. Between Mother and myself we had cornered the rich side of the Board and destroyed all the other players except one. My brother had barely skated through the pricey rental district when he got a card that sent him back 3 spaces. Drop the Mic and put a fork in it! No mercy.

After my daughter entered the picture, we tended to travel North to the other side of the family. They started making the Florida sojourn earlier and earlier so it just became easier to hold Christmas at Thanksgiving. For awhile as the only local grandchild, she basically cleaned up as both the center of attention and gifting.

 I used to pray for good weather on Thanksgiving week as 250 miles north creates a whole new weather pattern to anticipate. The OH never had any qualms about the drive though I was quietly white-knuckling it in the passenger seat. One Christmas we decided to go at 2 in the morning in a blinding snowstorm. To assure you were on the road one looked for the little reflective lights that mark each mile. Considering all the driving I did for work around the State (even did a February trip to Marquette in the UP) I never did get over the apprehension that total mayhem was nastily lurking just over the next hill. 

Things changed again when Kristen started dating her "now" husband. She of course wanted to introduce him to the family dynamic (get it over all at once I say). As Burt (Other Half) always wanted us to dress nicely (you can never be overdressed), Matt purchased a sport coat for the dinner. At that point restaurants were the cook of choice. Although Grandpa and Grandma always dressed in Sunday best we clashed or contrasted nicely with the sweat shirt motif preferred by some of the younger set. Matt charmed all with his bon vivant attitude and upbeat personality.

Things changed again with the birth of my grandson and at six months he charmed the multitudes, as a pint-sized version of his Father, at the restaurant and later at his Great-Aunt's house in his snappy plaid shirt as long as Dad and Mom are right there. As the first great-grandchild he of course commandeered massive attention and gifting. As he is charming and unselfish he is more inclined to share his good fortune with others.

Now in the Age of Pandemic, the scene shifts again. Our Moms and Dads are long gone and Burt has  taken over the role of Chief Cook (I am the chief bottle washer as I hate to cook). But this year due to circumstances beyond our control it is just the two of us. Though the messaging that is going back and forth with the locked up family members makes it feel like we're all together anyway, but much quieter  

Thankful for what we have and hoping for better times ahead.  BTW We're having ham and wine and saving the massive turkey for Christmas, fingers crossed.