Nov 26, 2008

Thanksgiving Meme and Thanksgivings Past


My dear bloggy friend Chatty Kelly posted a Thanksgiving meme and I am joining in. Feel free to play along if you're not too busy cooking. I want to wish all of my dear bloggy friends a Very Wonderful Thanksgiving! I am So Very Thankful to know all of you.



1. Which do you like better: cooking at your house, or going elsewhere? Cooking at my house.


2. Do you buy a fresh or frozen bird? Frozen.


3. What kind of stuffing? My Grandma taught me to make the cornbread dressing (not stuffing) which is why it is the BEST.


4. Sweet potato or pumpkin pie? Pumpkin Pie. I will put the Cool Whip in my Mocha.


5. Do you believe that turkey leftovers are a curse, or the point of the whole thing? The point. Turkey sandwhiches are a must have!


6. Which side dish would provoke a riot if you left it off the menu? We don't have enough people to have a riot. Dressing or my baked Mac & Cheese would cause lots of whining if they were missing!


7. Do you save the carcass to make soup or stock? That is waaayyy too much trouble.


8. What do you wish you had that would make preparing Thanksgiving dinner easier? A double oven.


9. Do you get up at the crack of dawn to have dinner ready in the early afternoon, or do you eat at your normal dinner hour? The only time I get up at the crack of dawn is when I go on overnight field trips to the zoo and have to sleep on a cold hard floor. I prepare what I can the day before. My daughter brings some of the sides. We generally eat about 3:00.


10. If you go to somebody else's house, what's your favorite dish to bring? I don't go to someone elses house.


11. Is your cranberry sauce fresh or canned? My daughter is the only one who eats cranberry sauce. Like my friend ADHD-Jo said... They make it fresh?


12. What's your absolute favorite thing on the menu? I love the skin off the turkey right after it comes out of the oven. Mmmmm.


***----------***


~ Thanksgivings Past ~


Growing up, everyone always went to my Grandma's house for Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve night to exchange gifts, and Christmas Day for our Christmas dinner. We always had a house full and always enjoyed spending time together. The women usually helped my Grandma cook the meal (under her direction of course), the men hung out in the living room watching sports, and the kids ran in and out of the house playing and asking when we were going to eat.


The dressing was the Riot maker. My dad especially needed the dressing. My Grandma never measuered anything so there was lots of taste testing of the dressing to determine if it needed more sage or more pepper. My dad always said more pepper and my Grandma usually listened to him (until she thought he was wrong).


After dinner the women cleaned up so Grandma didn't have to (at least not much), and the men went back to the TV. LOL. Then we would gather around the table to talk or play a game of Rummikub (Rummy Tile) or UNO. We would usually break out the desert and coffee during the game. Sometimes we would all go outside and play a watered down game of football or something like that.


Grandma was the "Head of the Household" and she was always the one everyone looked to for the final say when it came to our family get togethers. If anyone wanted to do something different we would always ask Grandma first.


Grandma went to be with the Lord on August 5, 2000 and my dad on August 5, 1985. I do miss them and I miss those days. I hope that my grandaughters will want to come to my house for the holidays, and think of me with love and respect the way I think of my Grandma. Even after they are grown and have familys of their own.



Edie

"Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." Corrie ten Boom

11 comments:

Kelly said...

I know they will feel the same about you, even more so. You are truly the family matriarch and the spiritual head as well. They are blessed!!

My sister (ADHD) felt the same way about our grandma.

You two are similar in lots of ways, even more than bringing leftover containers.

Kathryn said...

Oh, Edie, thanks for sharing those precious memories. I was just remembering similar ones today.

And, I enjoyed reading your Thanksgiving meme! I assembled my cornbread dressing today ... it's the dish most earnestly requested by my husband and my daughter! And, for the first time EVER in my life, I made a pound cake from scratch for our dessert tomorrow. (I snuck a taste ... it actually turned out very well!) :-)

Rich Thanksgiving blessings, my friend.

Daphine said...

Beautiful post with lots of treasured memories!

I sure remember the special times at my grandparents' home too. Seems like ages ago...but I'll never forget them.

Happy Thanksgiving dear friend!

Dorothy Champagne said...

Have been out of town, but wanted to post a big Happy Thanksgiving to you!

Angela said...

Happy Thanksgiving, Edie! I hope you have a wonderful day! And oh, yes, I will be eating until my mouth don't work anymore. Don't worked better than doesn't, I think. I love you and you are one person I am very thankful to know! God is good! Happy Turkey Day!

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed reading the memories especially. As you know, I have sooo many wonderful memories created with my grandmother too. A very rich gift.

Kelly said...

By the way, I loved your Thanksgiving graphic. You are quite talented.

Hope your day was great. Mine was good, everyone is gone...I have a head ache, I'm exhausted, but all in all a good day.

Tammy said...

I loved reading about your Grandma and Thanksgiving past.

It made me homesick,since my parents death,Dad in 2001 and Mom in 2003,I now do all the special holidays.But it's not the same. :(

Jennifer said...

Aww Edie, I hope your Thanksgiving was full of good food and full stomachs :)

Thanks for praying! I am going to Nicaragua over my spring break(March 7-14). Keep Praying!

Thanks! Love ya!
Jennifer

Bonita said...

What wonderful memories. Thanks for sharing.

My ADHD Me said...

It is official, we MUST be related. Ist of all...you have dressing, not stuffing.
2nd of all your grandmother was the best (after mine) She was my favorite person for almost all of my life. And she could cook a completely homemade Thanksgiving dinner for 50 without blinking an eye. (she did have just a "little" drink or two in the process.)
Also, all the little sides that no one thinks about anymore like pickles (canned by her), cucumbers and onions soaking in oil and vinegar (from her garden)...the cucumbers silly, not the vinegar.
Anyway there were tones of turkey and ham, tons and tons of sidedishes, appetizers and desserts. AND there were ALWAYS left overs for the next day.
I don't remember her ever complaining or ever seeming stressed either.