I’m thinking about doing a big meal for friends and family next week for Thanksgiving – always the last Thursday of November apparently. I have a lot to be thankful for even if I am probably in some sort of strange “Transition” phase at the moment. My friend is going to lend me a book about Transitions….and what it means to end something and move on and start again and all that stuffing (note interesting segueway back into Thanksgiving – although not sure I could face a turkey so close to Christmas though). Is that the point of Thanksgiving then? To be thankful….I know it’s a harvest festival sort of thing so hopefully not only iåçn a massively religious way – but I’m not sure exactly how Americans celebrate it these days.
Anyway. I’m going to do a brief update. For future reference you understand. Archives.
18 YEAR OLD
He is doing well. Managing unexpected vast swathes of time relatively well. It’s all new to him, this space and of course it is very tempting to waste the whole day in bed – but he isn’t doing that. Mostly. Occasionally I have to text him from the bottom of the house “GET UP!!”. “I AM” is the usual response. He has got a job in a bar which he’s loving and he’s doing his revision, rewriting his personal statement, reviewing his options and courses and plans for his travel, spending time with his girlfriend and even getting to the gym.
Impressive.
16 YEAR OLD
Such a shock for her to lose her best friend (our cat) this week. She went into TOP mourning position but is emerging now from her misery and hopefully she will be fine now. A brilliant distraction for her is that she’s managed to get herself a job in Gilly Hicks and she couldn’t be happier – they basically sell underwear so I’m not so sure, but, as a subsidiary of Abercrombie and Fitch at least it will be too dark in there for anyone to see her and too loud for anyone to speak to her. She can’t wait to fold clothes and use the scanner. I get that. I always wanted to work in a shop full of lovely clothes. Good for her. Christmas money sorted.
11 YEAR OLD
Funny as ever although he too was deeply affected by our cat’s death. Working hard to get fitter and lose some weight. We managed to service an old bike of his and now he’s cycling to school everyday which is good for him but fills me with horror. It’s so dangerous and they hate wearing their helmets. I bet he takes it off en route.
He was telling yesterday that his friend has a “kidney bean infection”.
CAT
Dead
OTHER CAT
Pining
ME
Not dead.
FISH
May or may not be dead (don’t really care tbh which I know is a really bad thing to say, but they’re just so unloveable aren’t they).
Shiny
November 21, 2011I had a goldfish once, at university, after a host of unsuccessful other pets. He was bought for my birthday one year and his name was Humphrey. I bought him a mate because I felt sorry for him. He loved her and kept kissing her in a goldfishy kind of way. He shouldn’t have, though, because she gave him whatever dread disease she had and they both died. End of story. Nope, they’re not the most loveable of pets… xx
Family Affairs
November 21, 2011Yup. Never trust a goldfish x
SusannahS
November 21, 2011I can’t speak for all Americans but I don’t think Thanksgiving is a religious holiday so much as it is a federal (government) holiday….also an excuse to eat as much of everything as possible, take naps and watch football. And if you are in my family, mimosas, bloody marys and champagne are included throughout the day.
Tradition holds that 5 kernels of corn should be placed at each place setting on the table as a reminder. Supposedly that first winter was so bad that the Pilgrims were rationed to 5 kernels of corn apiece.
I think most people have lost sight of why we celebrate Thanksgiving and spend most of the day prepping for the Black Friday sales (obviously that’s the day after Thanksgiving when all the stores open at ridiculously early hours and hold really massive sales. One year, in the 1980s during the height of the Cabbage Patch Kids craze, a man knocked my dear sweet grandma down trying to get last of those dolls. Fortunately the store manager saw it happen and gave the doll to my grandma, who gave it to me. Her name was Barbara and she wore a yellow & white shirt and blue jeans. The useless trivia that occupies my brain…)
It’s very confusing because in North America, we (the Americans) celebrate Thanksgiving on the 4th Thursday in November, but the Canadians celebrate their Thanksgiving (and I don’t know the story behind it) on the 2nd Monday in October.
Family Affairs
November 21, 2011Thank you so much – very informative comment – much clearer now and off to find my 5 kernels x
Karin
November 21, 2011From another American . . . I’ve never heard of the five kernels thing! The turkey is the star of the day (though I like Susannah’s mimosa, bloody mary, etc. interpretation!) Traditionally, cooked-to-death green bean casseroles with dried onion-thingies and tooth-achingly-sweet yam dishes also appear. And lots of football (American football, that is) on TV, and parades. And there’s supposed to be some uncle who undoes his belt after dinner and falls asleep. – Oh, and pie! Apple! Pumpkin! Pecan!
It’s actually a very lovely holiday, usually spent with extended family. I think most people remember that the abundant meal is a way to celebrate the abundance in all of our lives.
Family Affairs
November 21, 2011Yes but then don’t you do all the same stuff a month later? Lx
Karin
November 21, 2011Actually, I don’t think we ever repeat the full-on gluttony of Thanksgiving. (Maybe because by the time Christmas rolls around we’re all fattened up by parties, cookies, etc.?) The Christmas menu can be much more varied – not necessarily a turkey – though obviously individual family traditions will dictate. I’ve had roast beef, ham – even a goose once. And dessert at Christmas might not be pie – it ALWAYS is at Thanksgiving.
Perhaps it’s because Thanksgiving is all about the meal, whereas Christmas is more multi-faceted?
Family Affairs
November 22, 2011OH, I see – although we always have to have turkey …. but I guess the difference is presents then ? Lx
Karin
November 21, 2011If you really want to do it up, you can do what all elementary school kids do at least once, which is to dress up as Pilgrims and Indians and reenact the “original” event!