Talking Turkey, Finally

Finally, after almost a week without my computer I am back, breathing again. What a horrid time of year to lose the internet, no shopping, no checking on fresh v canned pumpkin conversions, no quick peeks at the weather to see when this snow will stop (still going), I've been lost. Thankfully I had two children, one husband, a sister, a non related great aunt (and her new paramour) and a dashing man friend of the sisters to keep me busy, all eight of us packed around the table on Thanksgiving night, what joy! And all reasonably healthy, save the husband and me, who picked up the childrens' colds, as I knew we would.

No great disasters, although the rolls, which I always blunder, did turn out a bit thick and heavy, but edible, a vast improvement over years past. Somewhere in the family photograph archives is a picture of my dear aunt (related) and I, both hunched over the stove, stirring and sipping and tasting, while next to us a great fire roared out of another burner. Thankfully someone had the good sense to take a picture before blasting the fire. I believe it was that same year that her dog Cassie dug out the turkey organs from the garbage and dragged the neck into the dining room just as we raised our glasses to toast another fine year of being together.

Then there was the year, long ago, that my roommates and I decided to make Thanksgiving dinner. Not a cook amongst us, we got their moms, and my dad, on the phone and dived right in. And we left the "bag" in the turkey, plopped out right as we began carving in our living room (the dining room being used as a closet at this point), icky semi cooked organs in a bag on our beautiful table, disgusting. But a fond memory, and of course we are now all accomplished cooks who create amazing holiday meals each year, although Heather still insists on the GBC, and she fries the bird.

My belated Thanksgiving best to all, so much to be thankful for, this and every year.