A Pot
The past few years we’ve sort of followed the three-part series version of Thanksgiving…
Episode One – Christ OPC, which was housed in a new facility in St. Charles, and where The Bear and Curly violin-ed and guitar-ed the hymns. And though I still find some bitter flavor in Pilgrim-aic and Puritanical roots, the sermon was good. I also noticed that Carrie had dyed Joe’s eyebrows…
“I look ridiculous,” he frowned.
Episode Two – Silverspoon Thanksgiving.
Instead of incorporating piles of fancy china and flatware – which neither side of the family really gets behind – the boys [all but Theodore, who was busy attaching window shutters] repositioned the tree swing for Puck. Then they stuffed themselves on chips and crackers with different kinds of goat cheese spread, blueberries, cranberries, goopy dip and stuff before the big plates arrived, including the bison Joe had carted all the way back from New Mexico in the summer. As Curly explained it…
“Have you ever been so full you can feel it in your ears?”
Gloria also provided six bottles of sparkling cider and sparkling grape juices in the basement fridge, “just for” me. Which I greatly appreciated. Knock in a basket of Sister Schubert rolls, and I was set. Puck also enjoyed the sparkling aspects of the drinks, being so polite enough as to delicately inform the table that…
“This is going to make my nose throw up!”
On the deck – wind, cigars, pipes, bluegrass, and snapping acorns. For the four oldest males anyway. Plus a few more sets of hands to push Puck “as high as Mr. Judah” on the tree swing, and it was a relaxing middle day. Upside-down apple pie – Curly had made it himself – was shared before departure, with vanilla ice cream.
Episode Three – Snicketts Thanksgiving.
They were already in the thick of it. I just helped myself to a plate of mac and cheese. Puck was bathed in gifts… Mini walkie-talkies from Mom. Rose and Francis alone got just as much fun out of making them work. Rose trucked out her work tool set. And test conversations were conducted. A box of juggling balls from Grandma Combs.
Mom and Aunt Petunia took a walk in the neighborhood once all the turkey had settled. I snatched some conversation with Dad about current church affairs. Mom set out a glass bowl of Reesus cups and Andes mints – they were gone in a wink without even trying. Dad and Uncle Mo fired up the old tele with – no, not football – but The Rockford Files. I chatted with Rose and Linnea on the bunk about the frustrating details of work and life while Linnea rested from her carb crash – it’s our Snicketts girls curse. Carrie and Puck played computer games in the bunny room. The adults – yes, I still fail to include myself in that category – including Uncle Larry, camped out around the patio fire with plates of pie before the rain fell again. While catching up with Joe on developments and his weekend trip to Nashville [he would be assisting Izzy with photo shoots], I heard some raucous laughter coming from around the table where almost everyone was playing Apples to Apples.
It’s good, no matter what’s happening in life and all around it and in between, to see everyone having a good time together.
And home, rain falling lightly.