Thanksgiving Memories

Thanksgiving Meal -
Our Thanksgiving meal consists of usually a fried turkey, ham, dressing, giblet gravy, cranberry sauce, macaroni and cheese, english peas, congealed salad, sweet potato casserole, rolls, deviled eggs, and lots of dessert. Every year, we say we are going to cut down on the menu, especially the desserts. But, it never fails that we have too many desserts. Usually, we have bread pudding, sweet potato pie, chocolate pie, cheesecake... to name a few. One year I made death by chocolate but I wished I was dead after I ate it because it was too rich. My head was spinning. Nanny usually wants to make a fruit salad. I don't know why.... she just always does.

Thanksgiving Traditions -
When I was growing up, we followed the same routine every year for Thanksgiving and Christmas. We ate lunch at PapPaw and Nanny Smith's house, and ventured to Grandma Savell's house in Silver City in the late afternoon. Yes, this meant we were eating pretty much all day. The menu at both houses was basically the same. However, the one thing I remember about Grandma Savell's house is that she would throw a table cloth over the food on the dining room table when lunch was over. People would go back all day and eat.

Visiting with family members was the main activity of the day, other than eating. At Nanny's house, we were always waiting on our relatives from Yazoo City to get there. It seemed like they were always late. At Grandma Savell's house, there was usually so many people to sit and visit with. My dad grew up in a house full of sisters. Unfortunately, many of these sisters had the same personalities.... at least that's my explanation for why there was almost always a little spat between the sisters at Grandma Savell's house. It never failed that someone would say something to someone else the wrong way or maybe intentionally and sparks would start flying. As a child, I honestly thought some of these people needed a good visit out behind the woodshed or maybe some psychiatric medicine. Truly, some of them acted like little spoiled brats. Gosh, I hope they don't read this.... I may be in for a good old-fashioned chewing out. At the time, it seemed like those days would never end. Now, that many of my family members have died and gone on to glory (PapPaw, Uncle Clayton, Uncle Merlee, Aunt Irene, Aunt Barbara, Uncle Glenn, Grandma Savell, Uncle Harold)... I long for just one more of those family get togethers.... At some later date, I will have to describe this menagerie of people. Each one of them was unique in their own way.

This year, we will be celebrating with Nanny, the Yazoo relatives -Aunt Shirley, Uncle Rusty, Angela, Tracy, Preston, Stone, and Uncle Larry and Aunt Linda Duett. I will likely not see any spats and the table cloth will never be draped over all the food...... but I plan to be stuffed nonetheless.

Things I am thankful for today:
1. Making it home from Jackson.... I rode with Brookie... He can't drive.
2. The sweet hug from Savell.
3. Dwayne telling me how good his hot chocolate was I made him.
4. Memories..... they truly are sweet to have and our loved ones live on in our hearts.