Thanksgiving Memories

I am thankful for many things not the least of which is family, friends, health and a job that I actually enjoy. I am thankful that I have friends that will come over for non-traditional Thanksgiving fare. I don't eat turkey--I actually do try it most years to see if the judgement has changed--it hasn't yet. I don't eat ham. Well actually I spent many years eating both but the caveat is that I needed a full bottle of either ketchup or BBQ sauce to get them down. So now that I am an adult, I can choose not to eat them and there are plenty of Thanksgiving foodstuff that I actually love--a lot--pumpkin pie, pecan pie, sweet potato pie, just to name a few.
There are several memorable Thanksgivings and one that I would rather forget. The good stuff first. Thanksgivings after I left home and missed a few were always good. The best thing was that people finally became sensitive to my non-redneck taste buds and began preparing things like shrimp, roast beef, and venison--OK so deer is pretty redneck. I also spent several fantastic years in Hawaii with friends. Pound and Jojee hosted great gatherings with a myriad of food that always included lumpia and panset (Filipo specialities). OK so maybe I am into traditional food--just not American.
The bad Thanksgiving was spent in 2000. My mom called me the week before to tell me that I needed to fly home as soon as possible to say good-bye to my dad. Otherwise I might not have the chance. I spent a week with my dad in the hospital and we were able to bring him home for Thanksgiving, but what a homecoming this was. The house had recently flooded--a pipe had burst had time to run while my mother was at the hospital with my dad. The house was in serious disarray. My brain was in serious disarray with trying to deal with my father's frail mortality. Thanksgiving was hard that year. The ensuing year was hard with grief but I remember feeling a little light creep in next Thanksgiving signalling that grief was waning. C and M spent the day making a fantastic traditional Thanksgiving meal that involved C waking up at 4:00 in the morning. I believe that I am the only that actually woke up at 4:00--so I was pretty grumpy most of the day. So I ask forgiveness if I crumpled any good memories on their part because on my part I see it as the day light came back into my life after a season of darkness. And now I am able to cast Thanks toward the past for that rather bleak holiday I spent. I am thankful that I was able to say good-bye to my father because he had only 5 more weeks and an Idabel covered in ice prevented me from attending his funeral. I have much to be thankful for especially all the memories I have of family, friends and taken opportunities.
Happy Thanksgiving.