Ah, thinking of Thanksgivings past provide such wonderful, such rich memories and maybe it isn't until one of our most vital family members is gone that we fully realize the value and the depth of their contributions to the holidays.
Right now, at this moment, if Mom were still alive, we'd be planning how best to spend our few dollars on a turkey, a ham, the marshmallows and noodles, the cranberry sauce. We'd be trying to decide, 'do we have turkey and ham for Thanksgiving this year, or just turkey and then, a smaller turkey with a ham for Christmas?'
I'd soon be pulling my hair out trying to find those little yam patties at Price Cutters or Food 4 Less. They put them somewhere new every year! I always bought more than what Mom asked for because they were my favorite. Some people like the cranberry sauce for a bit of sweet, for me, it was always Mom's candied yams with toasted marshmallows on top and it seemed there was never enough left over to get to take all I wanted home with me.
Mom would be worrying about what kind of pop to buy because Traci really enjoys having some pop to drink and doesn't buy it at home. Coke or Pepsi? Pepsi, and Dr. Pepper. How many cans of diet as opposed to regular? And if we DO get a ham, don't forget the 7-up, not Sprite, 7-up. Mom always cooked her ham in 7-up. And... 'Why does Traci ASK if she can have a can of pop, she knows I got them to drink!?' Mom would ask, every year Mom would ask.
The elbow bumping, the fighting over who gets how much broth and for what, but not to worry, Mom would remind us, 'There is plenty of canned broth in the cupboard if we don't have enough turkey broth to share.'
Mom will sit at the table and chop the onions and celery for the dressing. Mom will peel the potatoes, with Traci's help, 'how many?'
Will Vicky and Jerry be late again? 'Maybe we should tell them 1:00 and then really have dinner at 2?' (We never did that but we were tempted every year.)
Will Sharron come this year??? If Sharron comes I'll have to make Gabe a pecan pie, and Vicky likes them too.
'I'll have to make Larry a raisin pie, Larry loves raisin pie, you know? I wish I had Mom's recipe...' says Mom, 'We'll have to make plenty of noodles, that was Reagan's favorite, we'll send some home for Traci to give her if Reagan can't come.'
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3 comments:
One Thanksgiving grandma made squash that looked like sweet potatoes. I got sick and we always blamed it on the squash. Our running joke. Can't do that anymore.
My Mom is having a very hard time with the loss of her mother. Cry and move through it, we say. Doesn't mean it's easy, though.
My heart goes out to your Mom.
We are all fortunate to have family to lean on in times like this!
I think continuing to remind ourselves to be Thankful for what we DO have will help a lot and one thing to be thankful for is those memories. It makes me feel closer to Mom to remember those things, to continue those things will be a sweet blessing, doing it without her is bitter sweet but we still all have each other. Thank God for that!
This post brings back so many sweet memories for me. It seems that in the last few years our family has fallen apart in a lot of ways. I miss those old Thanksgiving dinners and try to keep them going with my siblings. It is so hard sometimes and I find myself missing what used to be.
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