Last year I was calling N. up at 3:30 -- are you ready yet? We're all ready over here...and she and B. and the kids arrived a few minutes later. Bro-in-law (who we had just met the night before, was still Sis' boyfriend) popped up from his seat, saying "More family?"
"No, well, yes, practically..." from me. Later, N. weighed in on Bro-in-law, asserting that he may be the one. "He says he'll follow her anywhere."
Last year it was so warm that we all ate outside on the back porch. There were macaroni & cheese, fried turkeys, turnips and turnip greens (the fancy version), mashed potatoes a la Sis, green salad a la N., gravy, cranberry sauce, sweet potato biscuits, oyster stuffing that was a bit odd, maybe spanakopita? Individual pecan pies, N. -friendly. Actually, if I remember correctly almost everything was N. -friendly, which means no butter, no milk. The mac & cheese and stuffing were the exceptions.
This year we ate at Yia Yia and Pa Pou's. We had fried turkeys (we love these...and it leaves the oven free), mashed sweet potatoes with crispy shallots, Mediterannean-flavored turnips and greens, potato croquettes, green beans, stuffing (the less said about it the better), rolls, and two amazing pies. Pear and pecan. Lots of butter used.
Afterwards we played Monopoly. It was a lovely Thanksgiving. There are so many things I am thankful for this year. My family, my friends, my work, the beautiful area in which we live, my sister's happiness with her new husband.
Some things I am devastated by, of course.
I wanted to leave a seat open for you tonight, Nancy. I'm sorry there wasn't physical room around the table. I felt your presence, though. Thank you. I will forever be thankful for your friendship, and for having known you.
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I thought about her too, of course. Many times. I thought about her when I was cooking because I was reminded of the year we cooked Thanksgiving dinner together. When I was mixing my stuffing, worried it wasn't right, I remembered how she merrily made hers and I wished she was there to guide me. Stuffing came out well, so maybe she was! At the table before we ate, I said a private, silent prayer for her (to her?) and kept her in my thoughts during dinner. Not exactly a fair trade, but it's nice to have her in my heart all the time.
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