Can we talk?

Happy Thanksgiving!

         We all survived the day. I managed on four hours sleep. But we had a huge meal, everyone was full. The children were happy and entertained us all. Now all the guests are gone, I took my nap during Jeopardy (anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes is a frequent happening, even when it's not a holiday). The pots and pans are washed and the floors are swept. I've opted to empty the dish washer tomorrow, so I can surf the web tonight and write. A very satisfying day nevertheless.

         The worst incident of the day is when the two year old fell out of the chair and bloodied his nose. Then the six year old was left unsupervised too long, and she hid the key to the backdoor, and taped up the doorknob very tightly, along with some drawer handles and the sides of the cabinets. She was gone when we discovered this. We finally found the key covered up in the kitchen, and I broke all my nails trying to scrape tape off everything.

         We missed a few traditions. No one had coffee with a slice of pumpkin pie. We just started too late in the day.We never had a sip of spiked eggnog. It's something just one of my brothers, my dad, and I do. We aren't real drinkers. We didn't even have wine with dinner this year. We're Southern ice tea drinkers. And a bottle of "spike" actually lasts us from year to year. But it's just that one little thing we do together. I sort of missed it, but he had a long drive home with a baby in the car.

         When my mom was alive, the same brother and Mom and I would sing Christmas songs together in harmony on Thanksgiving, after all the eating. The other two brothers and dad would just listen or ignore us. And, of course, none of us cook like Mom did. I only have one uncle left, and he can't drive that far any more. Lots of things change.

         We miss the ones who've shared our Thanksgiving in the past, most particularly, my younger brother who passed in 2012. He never got to meet our little nephew, and he only met one of the 3 great nieces. He was smart, generous and kind, and a good cook. He controlled the TV set, could speak loudly, and usually would disagree pointedly with someone during the day. But we loved him, and he loved us, and his absence was felt strongly today.

         Holidays always bring up memories.They are one of the things for which we are grateful. We are so blessed to have had such wonderful people in our lives, to have had traditions with them, and to remember them when they are gone.We are all the richer because they have been a part of our lives.