Sunday, November 23, 2008

Indians and Pilgrims and pre-Thanksgiving Jitters and Bringing Home the Bird



Feeling a bit quirky in humor tonight and, sadly, my camera downloading cord is still missing so I was searching for an appropriate Thanksgiving image and ran into this one and thought it was appropriate since this country is becoming so multi cultural. I think Thanksgiving will mean something different to each one of us. I would not be surprised in ten years if it will cease to be a holiday along with being included in our history books. I'm not sure after grade school that American History is even taught anymore????

It's very cold here - ex son in law came to paint my door about 4:00 P.M. and decided to play with the children and toy army men instead of paint and now its dark, cold, and I've not been to the grocery store, nor am I likely to go since I have no front door on the house. The door is still lying in the front yard unpainted. I'm huddled up with a blanket and my computer and am refusing to turn on the heat and "waste" it by "heating the outdoors" (boy, is that playback of script from childhood?) It took him days to paint the bedroom so I am understandably nervous about this door business. So wish for the days when I cold do this all by myself. Things were so much simpler....

Worst scenario, I will be sleeping on the floor by the plastic with a baseball bat in case of intruders. The cats will not act as watchcats because they like warmth and will probably curl up under the far infared quilt with "H." After he goes to sleep of course, because he doesn't like animals close to him unless he's in an exceptionally good mood, so they have to sort of sneak it up.

I had to throw a pillow at them this morning to break up the brawl -they screamed, hissed, and yowled at each other at the foot of the bed, both of them thinking that one queen size bed was not big enough for both of them and people too.

Tried to reach "H" to tell him to bring home the bird he has postponed bringing home so it will thaw in time. He insisted on bringing home the bird, because he is a meatcutter and that gives him absolute superiority and seniority in choosing meat. I never could choose a cut of meat or bird without something being terribly wrong with it. So, the back-up plan - - - - we might have a vegetarian meal. I refuse to pay the prices for a "fresh" last minute turkey - which in reality is one thawed in the store and then marked with a much higher price. Tonight a nice buffet at a restaurant where someone else does the cooking and the dish washing sounds very appealing. And there are no tempting leftovers.

Two oldest children should never get married, they both think they have to run things. Next, two youngest should never get married because they both want to be the babies. The middle children according to some psychologists, are the "lost children" - now two lost children would never find the turkey, the two oldest children would not get the turkey because they both wanted to be in control and the loser would refuse to participate....and the two "babies" would never bother getting the bird because someone should bring it to them, cook it, and that's that!

A simple "Let's get together for a nice and easy Thanksgiving meal" has turned into a complicated, staged, complete with menu, back spasm inducing, tiring, fattening, sprawling spread. Minus the turkey. Complete with family dynamics a la mode. One son in law will compulsively begin to cook and make a bunch of the best food you ever tasted. The other will feel rejected because he has been forced into a cooking role and is unsure of himself and will think everyone else likes someone else's food best. "H" will happily be oblivious and glad for something besides diet food. The rouge male coming to dinner will be in a bad mood because his wife leaves and goes to her mother's for dinner and his son goes to his girlfriend's house. I will be cringing as all these scenarios play out - - -

I think the Thanksgiving movie writers have chosen scripts from real life!

Speaking of movies, grandson and I went to see "Bolt" yesterday. I laughed until I couldn't laugh anymore. There were three marvelous characters - a cat, Bolt - the dog, and a hamster. Wonderfully developed characters and hilarious.

Oh well, I wasn't going to eat Thanksgiving meal anyway - yesterday's grilled fish po'boy was my treat of the week topped with red licorice. For dessert - the sandwich was not topped with licorice, haha - but it might be good?

Heavily spiked up eggnog, anyone?

4 comments:

Wandering Coyote said...

You should have had buffet night on Thanksgiving instead and avoided all the kerfuffle! And dishes! And general pain!

Gardenia said...

Great idea, Coyote - that would sure reduce the pre dinner stress!!!

punxxi said...

when we were married the first time, we lived in between our families. i decided right then that we would have the holidays at our house so that no one would get there lil feelers hurt and say well you went to their house. it worked out very well, since my dh is an only child .my mistake was thinking that one of the kids would take it over someday...we still have it at our house, but it's not that big of a deal, i only have to do everything but the turkey and we have pared down the amount of food over the years. oh yeah, i get to clean up after, too. i love my dishwasher.

Milla said...

Have you ever watched the Addams Family movie where Wednesday and her brother are sent to the summer camp and there they put up an 'alternative' Thanksgiving celebration? It's brilliant!