What's up with Whatsit

Cooking

When our relatives are at home, we have to think of all their good points or it would be impossible to endure them.
George Bernard Shaw

My kids and I usually go to my mother's house the day before Thanksgiving or the day before Christmas and help her cook. We mostly help make the dressing, since there are a lot of steps. We crumble the cornbread and chop the celery, and I am called upon to help remember how Bigmama, my great-grandmother, used to do this or that. We are somewhat funny about our dressing. At Thanksgiving, we just bought a turkey and some dressing from a caterer that my husband knows. The turkey was fine, but the dressing was not our dressing. Therefore, we are cooking for Christmas.

Usually I get my behind up and go on over there before Mama can do too much, because I don't want to listen to her moan and groan after standing at the stove too long. But I am tired this year. The tiredness of the whole year has fallen on me on this one day. I have been in the bed with Anna Claire, snuggling with our dogs. I will get ashes and switches and bowlegged britches in my stocking for not hurrying over to help my mother, but this year I do not care. Or at least, I'm pretending like I don't.

My sweet Anna Claire just toasted a bagel for me. I suppose I will eat it and head on out. Merry Christmas Eve, y'all.