thanksgiving........

for many years after my divorce....i spent thanksgiving alone... working through the holiday for an upcoming show... sometimes spending it with friends....but mostly... alone... while my sons were in new mexico skiing with their father, step mother and brother.... i still joked about it... turkey versus skiing...hmm not a tough one...especially when the boys didn't even like turkey....

up until 1975....the year my older brother joined the army....thanksgiving in my family was an event...planned for a good month prior to the day of dining...and football... never less than 20 people at the table...my family... consisted of 6... 4 kids, mom and dad...then there were the aunts and uncles their kids....grandparents.... friends... a feast of all feasts....of course meal time was determined by the football games being televised that day...

mom would put the turkey on sometime in the wee hours of the morning.... timing and temperature...an essential part.... basting the turkey every hour on the hour.... preparing the homemade dinner rolls... the scent of rising yeast...and roasting turkey...woke me every thanksgiving morning.... mom would also prepare a huge breakfast...which was to tide us over until the late afternoon dinner....

each of us had our dishes to prepare... except my younger brother kip.... i think he was forbidden to enter the kitchen...... chris would do the stuffed celery...with cream cheese, pecans, and a secret measurement of Worcestershire sauce... i always prepared the waldorf salad with apples and marshmallows.....and the relish platters... there were at least 5 different types of pies... pumpkin pie.... chocolate cream pie...coconut cream pie...pecan pie...and a fruit pie...apple or cherry......
my father's mother doris.... always brought chocolate fudge...her annual contribution to both thanksgiving and christmas dinner.... my mom would make a grimace look as she took the wax paper lined shoebox full of fudge... saying thank you doris...what a nice surprise....!!!

my sister and i always set the table in the formal dining room...used only for thanksgiving and christmas.... as well my grandmother thelma's china, crystal and sterling flatware....mom insisting it had been in the family for eons..... dad would extend the table.... what seemed like 10 extra feet.... cursing and moaning the entire time...mom making sure the special table protecting folding pads were placed on top....then the damask table cloths.. another family heirloom.... carefully my sister and i would place each setting..... an exquisite display.... fit for a magazine cover....

around 2:30 in the afternoon.... dad would take the turkey out of the oven.... mom would make the giblet gravy.... mashed potatoes.... relay of rolls going in and out of the oven...... the aroma was absolutely sinful... slowly the table would fill up....with dish after dish.... all of us helping....

dinner time.....mom would shout.... it's time to eat.... !!!!

dad at the head of the table...with the turkey placed in front of him....mom opposite... me being the only lefty in the family sat at the end so i wouldn't elbow people during dinner... everyone seated.... first bowing our heads.... giving thanks for every minute of the day... the family...the food...the football....

dad standing up like the king of his castle....hovering over the turkey.... electric knife in one hand and a serving fork in the other.... he would begin carving away with such precision....sneaking bite after bite...... everyone scooping small portions of each dish being passed clockwise around the table.... no one dared to take a bite until dad was seated.... let the eating begin.... the hustle bustle ....the chatter.... all fell silent.... the only sound to be heard was the scraping of forks on the china....the mmm....oh this is so good.... would you pass the green beans.... the potatoes.... eating and eating until no one could move.... suddenly mom...who seemed to have more energy than 10 people put together...would say...who wants coffee... and pie....

soon the feast was over....slowly everyone piling into the den to watch football...fire blazing in the fire place....even if it was 60 degrees outside....tradition.... one by one the guest would leave.... at night fall it was back to the 6 of us.... tired.... quiet... stuffed... grateful....

wishing you all a thanksgiving filled with family...friends...and wonderful memories....