Things To Be Thankful For!
I’m thankful for the help, love and attentions shown by my son, daughter-in-law, and daughter in getting this Thanksgiving dinner ready, served, and cleared away yesterday. (Please forgive some of the fuzzy pictures my physical state was not up to snuff.)
Wes, my eldest, took on the duties of cooking the sauce and basting it to candy the sweet potatoes.
He carved the turkey the best I have seen in a long time. It seems he either read or saw how it was to be done turning out a large pile for the platter and a very empty carcass when he finished. He helped set up the serving table.
Debra, his better half came in time to put the mashed potatoes, stuffing, and gravy into the appropriate containers for reheating, She then took over the warming duties of each dish. She put the home canned pickles, chutney, pickled beets, cole slaw, cottage cheese into serving dishes. She set out the plates and silver ware for me.
Where was I? Walking in pain around the kitchen watching things get done. Earlier I had drove to Davison to pick up the dinner thinking I had it made in the shade until I opened the box and read the instructions for preparation. Two years ago I picked up a ready made dinner and everything was complete. Just keep it warm or cold depending on the item. This time the turkey called for 2 1/2 hours for reheating and all the side dishes had to be warmed too. As extra I had already peeled and steamed the sweet potatoes, made the crab dip, try to roll it into a log with no success, and turned it over to Debra to do. I was trying to peel boiled eggs that I had cooked from the night before but the membrane wouldn’t separate and they were falling apart, No deviled eggs for the family this year.
Jay was in bed still not feeling well from the minor surgery the day before and Richard, our long time friend, who was the first to arrive was wandering around drinking coffee. When Wes wasn’t busy he kept Richard company. My grandson Dakota wisely stayed out of the way.
He found something to keep himself busy as he waited.
Next Cindy, with friend Lewis had arrived. ( My picture of them didn’t turn out.) Cindy pitched in to help with the set up. By this time my legs and feet ached so bad I couldn’t think. Nothing was working under my hands and I realized that my children were saving the day.
At last everyone was seated and the chowing began.
.
Richard started as Jay, after waking up, taking his medications, and filling his plate he followed suit.
After dinner the same crew that helped me get things ready started clearing, transferring left over to smaller bowls or to containers to take home with them, and loading the dishwasher. The dirty dishes or pots that didn’t fit Debra washed by hand. All three of them had me sit in a chair in the kitchen and supervise the proceedings. I love them dearly and don’t know what I would have done without them.
A special request for a picture was filled as son and grandson posed in the kitchen.
So despite my problems together we pulled the dinner off.
It is unnerving to realize that age and infirmities are finally effecting the way one can perform a task that used to be work but could be done comfortably . What am I thankful for, besides all the help—why that the whole thing is over with.
Comments:
I hope you have your feet up and are relaxing today. Tell Jay I am thinking of him and hoping he is well on the way to recovery. No matter how small a surgery, I know it can take a lot out of a fellow.
Posted by Maria on 11/28 at 05:00 PMLooks pretty typical of many families doing the holiday gathering thing.
You’ll be feeling better soon. . . I’m sure of it.~~love and Huggs, Diane
Posted by MrsDoF on 11/28 at 07:37 PMWell, it seems time has come for some of us to pass the wand! I too was not able to complete the task of sole cook and bottle washer for Thanksgiving. I turn the task over to my son,and daughter present for the festivities. They took over and sucessfully completed the meal and clean up. So, Mary we both are thankful for our children and there keen observations of “how” to do a thanksgiving dinner. Amen! Tell Jay I wish him good health, and I wich you a complete recovery for the Chirstmas Holidays.
Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 11/28 at 08:24 PMSorry for the pain (for both you & Jay) but glad the ‘kids’ (HA! KIDS! I remember when they WERE kids!) stepped in to ‘pick up the slack’. Knowing you, you worked until you couldn’t work ‘no more’!
Glad the dinner turned out, but much gladder it’s over and you get time to RECOVER!
Big Hugs;
PammiePosted by Pammie on 11/29 at 12:45 PMLOL! I feel the same, with the kids and everyone pitching in the dinner gets done. Thank God for good kids! I had to crash after our dinner too. The artheritis in my feet and ankles caused me to take a pain pill and lay down after. Glad yours came out so great as did mine. Now to think of the menue for Christmas dinner!!! Our work is never done. LOL!
Posted by Paula on 12/03 at 11:57 AM
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