When I was growing up — and even into my young adulthood — we went two hours away to my mother's best friend's house (they were like sisters) for Thanksgiving. They had a large, boisterous family (unlike the four, then three, of us). The food was always incredible and plentiful. My mother's friend's husband would get up super early on Black Friday and go out bargain hunting (he found me my first real camera, the Pentax K1000 workhorse, and lots of cool accessories for it). He would also get up in the middle of the night to sneak drinks from the vodka bottles he had hidden around the house. My first hangover was the day after Thanksgiving at their house. After my mother died (and then her friend) and I bought my house, I got into doing Thanksgiving for Daddy and one of our friends. I really enjoyed making that (small) special meal for my father. It was a lovely reason to use my mother's good china, and my grandmother's silver and linen tableware. I found that turkey is super easy, and delicious. I would gladly make my mother's (best in the world) pumpkin pie and simple side dishes. Turkey and rice soup on Black Friday. It's been a struggle to fill that void since he's been gone. Like Christmas (which was my mother's holiday) I know he wouldn't want me to be sad or alone, but sometimes I am. Then I look at this remembered face and I go on.
When I was growing up — and even into my young adulthood — we went two hours away to my mother's best friend's house (they were like sisters) for Thanksgiving. They had a large, boisterous family (unlike the four, then three, of us). The food was always incredible and plentiful. My mother's friend's husband would get up super early on Black Friday and go out bargain hunting (he found me my first real camera, the Pentax K1000 workhorse, and lots of cool accessories for it). He would also get up in the middle of the night to sneak drinks from the vodka bottles he had hidden around the house. My first hangover was the day after Thanksgiving at their house. After my mother died (and then her friend) and I bought my house, I got into doing Thanksgiving for Daddy and one of our friends. I really enjoyed making that (small) special meal for my father. It was a lovely reason to use my mother's good china, and my grandmother's silver and linen tableware. I found that turkey is super easy, and delicious. I would gladly make my mother's (best in the world) pumpkin pie and simple side dishes. Turkey and rice soup on Black Friday. It's been a struggle to fill that void since he's been gone. Like Christmas (which was my mother's holiday) I know he wouldn't want me to be sad or alone, but sometimes I am. Then I look at this remembered face and I go on.
Gobble. gobble. 
