Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Our Thanksgivings Together

Looking back on Thanksgiving what do you remember the most? Rushing around gathering up the proper foodstuffs and preparing a perfect meal, beginning the day prior only to watch it all consumed and packaged up to be carried away in less than thirty minutes, a weeks worth of turkey sandwiches, the forgotten giblets baked in the little paper package within the turkey, I see you smiling but you know this has either happened to you or almost did—right? Or do you remember the large gathering of family and friends filling your house with love, laughter, and tears.

Cindy and I always put a lot of work into Thanksgiving, I always helped her with the turkey from picking it out at the store, getting it thawed, rinsed and making sure all the innards were removed, Cindy always fretted and fussed just knowing that something was going to fall apart, or one of her dishes was going to turn out horrible and end up the talk of the town, but her meals were always perfect, so perfect that I can’t even come up with one to tell you about just to give her a hard time, she invented green bean casserole in my opinion and her stuffing has always been to die for, and the most moist turkeys have always come out of her kitchen. These meals like I mentioned above began the day prior and were always gone in what seemed like a heartbeat.

We always had a houseful with the Kids and some of their friends, Friends of ours who shared this day with us made up for the lack of Cindy and I having any Family in town, our day was always filled with love, laughter, and tears and one of the most important things I remember about each of our Thanksgivings was when we joined hands around the table and received the blessing for this meal, then one by one each of us stated something we were thankful for, the things each of us were thankful for brought on a lot of the laughter and tears, but the gathering together of our bunch surely filled our home with love.

Now that we have moved to California the routine is a bit different, Cindy and her Dad share the kitchen, and as good a cook as Cindy is she still receives lessons from her Dad, Cindy is still fretting and fussing about the arrangements but her Dad is just smiling and reassuring her, because he knows as well as you that it is all going to be just fine, our first Thanksgiving here was last year, it was a reunion so to say with all of Cindy’s siblings attending, the house was packed and we all joined hands around the table to receive the blessing, Thursday the crowd will be smaller with a couple of her Brothers dining with us, Melissa (our Daughter) and her new Husband will be here making the crowd only about a dozen, Leg of Lamb has been added to the menu and I just know the turkey will be moist as ever, I had better check for the giblet package though, just so I can say that I helped.

One thing I remember about Thanksgiving is a time when I sat alone in my apartment with no one around, across town a young woman was doing the same thing as I, so needless to say after we got together and began sharing our Thanksgivings together, the thing I remember the most about this day is the warmth of having people you love sitting around you sharing with you what they are thankful for.

13 comments:

  1. OMG....what a BEAUTIFUL post, Jimmy!

    I enjoyed this whole post, but your last paragraph was sooooo touching.

    "the thing I remember the most about this day is the warmth of having people you love sitting around you sharing with you what they are thankful for."

    You're so right!

    And please tell Cindy that I APPLAUDE her in always having the most moist turkeys come out of her kitchen. That's when a turkey is at it's best. She must be an excellent cook!

    Wishing you, Cindy and you're entire family, a very Happy Thanksgiving Day!

    P.S. I love your new template look!

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  2. Thank You Ron, Cindy is an excellent cook in my opinion, loving friends and family are a blessing and I always enjoy good times with both.

    I had to dress up the blog a bit for Thanksgiving :^) will have to come up with a change for Christmas.

    A Happy Thanksgiving to you Buddy I hope your day is the best ever my Good Friend.

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  3. Great story Jimmy! It's good to hear that you are going to have a nice meaningful day tomorrow!
    Same for me! And it will be buried in that fantastic gravy!

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  4. Happy Thanksgiving Jimmy. I hope you and Cindy and your lovely family have a beautiful day enjoying all the great things you are so blessed to have.

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  5. Beautiful post Jimmy!!
    Oh I hope you have a wonderful day...and make all new memories Together!
    Family and friends are what make the occasions for sure!

    Happy Thanksgiving to you both!

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  6. Jimmy,
    Have a beautiful day tomorrow and enjoy family. I will be with family as well, eating, laughing and being thankful.

    Not tooting on my posts, but on the innards bag, well todays post of mine tells a little story on that..lol

    Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

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  7. Yes, it's all about the people.....well, the pie doesn't hurt either!

    Have a wonderful day tomorrow, Jimmy!

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  8. Happy Thanksgiving, Jimmy! You really nailed what it's all about. The turkey is great, but it's not the point. The point is having people you care about around to share the day with. Thank you for reminding me!

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  9. And that is really what it's all about. Being thankful for the love and friendships that fill our lives with laughter and our souls with love. One of the many things I'm thankful for this year is the remarkable online friendships I've forged. The truly supported me through what's been a trying year.

    Have a beautiful day tomorrow Jimmy. You and Cindy certainly deserve it.

    ♥Spot

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  10. Lovely post. Happy Thanksgiving to you, Cindy, and the family. I love Thanksgiving...it is my fave. This year I am cooking instead of going to out of town to MIL's. I am looking forward to it....and yes, I also have left the giblets in before,but hopefully NOT this time!

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  11. Thank You Pat, A Wonderful Thanksgiving to you and your Family, I too am looking forward to that giblet gravy :^)

    Hey Susie, Happy Thanksgiving to you and Tim, enjoy your time with the kids once you both get there, I am so happy you will be getting to see them as they are a blessing to your family.

    Dawn, You are so right “Family and friends are what make the occasions for sure!” I hope your day is the best my dear friend.

    Hey Lynne, Eating, Laughing, and being Thankful with your family is a blessing you just have to appreciate.

    And a Happy Thanksgiving to you also my Friend

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  12. Thank You Cocotte, It is all about the people, Family and friends make this day a lot more special and yes there will be pie involved. We are wishing you a Great Thanksgiving.

    Hello Linda, The turkey always gets the attention but it’s the people who always stay within your heart, Thank you my friend and I hope your day is filled with family and fun.

    Spot, This has been a very trying year for you and your family, I am proud to see that you have all toughed it out and risen above all the challenges with head held high, I am proud to call you a friend and wish you, Mike, and the rest of your fine family a blessed day.

    Hey Suzicate, It is always fun to go out to be with family during this time but it also feels good to cook Thanksgiving dinner at home, we will be having turkey minus the giblets cooked inside because I myself was in charge of removing them :^)

    Happy Thanksgiving my Dear Friend

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  13. Wonderful post Jimmy. You definitely brought out what is most important. PEOPLE! Hubby started d-boning the turkey before he cooks it which #1 insures we don't leave the giblets inside :-) and #2 it cooks faster and takes up less room in the oven and on the table!

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