Details!

[Whitehorse]

How was your Thanksgiving? What did you do, who was there, who hogged the whipped cream, and who sat on the pumpkin pie? I expect a full report in the morning!  

Blessings,
Whitehorse

[Willowbirch]

We had a quiet, non-eventful, just-the-immediate-family Thanksgiving. Only ate one meal, and it lasted the whole day...(I think it'll last most of today, too!)

The fun ain't over yet, we're having all the aunts and uncles and cousins and their spouses over on Saturday!

[Symphony]

Oyster chowder, leftover meatloaf, lemon lime soda.  It was all very fine.  And punkin pie.  

[Willowbirch]

Welcome to our Family Thanksgiving Saturday...

We've got a little house, with a lot of food and almost enough people to eat it all...wherever you happen to wedge yourself in the kitchen or hall, you have to wait an average of 5-10 minutes before the crowd disperses enough for you to change position...so far there have only been minor emergencies: the lady that poured hot cider on her hand, the rolls that burned to the pan, the cousin that brought up the wrong baseball team, the jalapeno that found its way to the wrong mouth, the aunt that grabbed a pan from the microwave without potholders, the cat who got a toy jammed in his mouth by the baby, the kid (uninvited! ) that threw a pound of good ham in the trash. (The day isn't over yet, though. And I'm digging out that ham.)
I'm tucked cozily away in my bedroom while the clamor goes on outside; someone stole my computer chair. In the crowd there's a cat begging for snacks and attention, always the people-lover. The other cat is huddled in the protection of my lap, shivering, wishing we had invited coyotes to dinner instead of these wierdos.
Oops, somebody's yelling. Perhaps they've blown up, if they're as full as I am from Thursday...

[Symphony]

Wow, what a description, Willow.  You're a good writer.

Thanks...

[Whitehorse]

Wow, Willow! That *is* an exciting Thanksgiving! That's awesome. I'm glad you guys get to have all your relatives over.

We have pretty small ones around here. We used to have the whole family, either here or at a relative's house, and it was neat to see the people we hadn't seen for ages. But we had one relative who started charging five dollars per person. (No, I'm not kidding.) Plus everyone brought a dish for everyone else to share. So the people who supplied the goods were also the people paying for the turkey, and the relatives hosting it were the only ones who didn't have to chip in.

And then, check this action: after my father paid the five dollars per person for our family, by the time I got to the turkey there wasn't any. They didn't buy enough for everyone.

As I recall, that was the last time we went there for Thanksgiving; somehow being charged admission by close relatives just took the Thanksgiving spirit away. We started having it at our place, and it was really nice. The people who had been hosting it were, of course, invited, and they would call up (or not) an hour after dinner was supposed to be served saying they were doing laundry.

So now it's small. Immediates and inlaws.

Everyone makes something, and it's very nice. I should have made a fire this year. My father would have liked that. [Edit: *opps!* Almost forgot to clarify that he would have liked it if he were still here. No, we didn't get any creepy visitations or anything, just for the record! ]

Symphony, I owe you a couple of recipes-I'll get them to you tomorrow. Sorry it's taken me so long, but I think you'll really enjoy them.

Thank you for the chowder recipe. Yummerz!  

[Willowbirch]

As I recall, that was the last time we went there for Thanksgiving; somehow being charged admission by close relatives just took the Thanksgiving spirit away.

I definately agree with that!  

[Symphony]

Gee, "charging".  Yech.  That does kinda ruin it.  

Hosting is hard work.  I've prepared a meal, for guests.  They showed up late, then said they'd eaten on the way.

Next time, 'did the same thing again.  Same thing.

Next time, just a minimal sandwich.  Same thing again.  And never any gesture of appreciation or whatever.  Just dismissive, dictatorial.  *sigh*

So, next time, okay, I won't fix anything anymore.  

So now I don't fix anything.

But that's okay.  You learn not to build too many happy hopes into your brain, and that makes it easier.  

[Whitehorse]

Oh, that is just cold. Saying they've eaten on the way? Now that takes some serious guts. Hats off to you for inviting them again. I don't think I could have.

I agree-hosting is a lot of work. I kind of like it, though. I like decorating. But at our Christmas party last year I was up until 5am and our guests arrived at 9. (I didn't choose the time; I'm not sure why they selected a morning Christmas party. But we had a blazing fire, stacked up to the top. We're talking a raging inferno. Well, mini raging inferno. To compete with the patriarch of the family, you have to blow out at least one set of glass doors.  

[Symphony]

Thank you, Whitehorse.  Yes, I learned some lessons from it.  How cavalier, or dismissive, we can easily become of others' gestures towards us--sometimes w/o realizing it.  It's made me look at myself, and try to be more aware of when or if I'm doing the same thing!  

Yes, hosting can be a lot of fun.  For me, I like to plan, and delegate(dictate, hehe, if I can get away with it ), and make sure the burden is equally shared as possible.   It's a lot of fun to see what everyone brings.  I guess there's a jillion ways you can do it.

[Willowbirch]

Wow, what a description, Willow.  You're a good writer.

Thanks...

Don't encourage me.  

[Brother Love]

Good Food

Brother Love

P.S. Its all gone