Thanksgiving and stuff



1968 Thanksgiving at Grandma Hammett's



Thanksgiving is almost here.  I have the turkey in the frig thawing (I hope it's thawed by Thursday) and, of course, there's always last minute items I need to run out to the store to get.  Thanksgiving isn't what it used to be.  When I was a child I used to go to my grandmother's for Thanksgiving with family, but most all of my family has passed away now.  But it was so exciting to go to grandma's to see how she decorated her table.  Grandma would make the best egg noodles.  After she would get done rolling out the dough and cutting it into noodles she would let them sit out on the counter to dry.  However, I couldn't help but to sneak a few raw noodles to eat and grandma would tell me if I ate all the raw noodles there wouldn't be any to cook. 



Me with the turkey

Sometimes, though we didn't have Thanksgiving at grandmas...I think it was after my aunt moved to Florida  it became my mom's job to cook the turkey.  Mom's kitchen wasn't very big and I know it was a great stress for her to do all that by herself.  But I think she pulled it off nicely and even decorated the table, just as her mom did.


Mom and her Thanksgiving turkey



So where did all the tradition go?  I miss it.  I miss having a big family around me, smelling all the different foods cooking in the kitchen; waiting in anticipation of eating so much you'd feel as if you'd bust open!  And the leftovers....homemade dressing...yum.  If my grandma made the best noodles ever, than mom made the best stuffing.  Hours after the big feast. I would reach into the refrigerator and grab a handful of leftover homemade dressing and eat it cold.  Then a few more hours later I would heat up leftover noodles and eat a big bowl full.  And the pumpkin pie with more whip cream than the pie...oh so good!  My children have never really had a huge family to have traditions with.  Their grandparents passed away when they were small so they have missed out on the excitment of family gatherings for holidays.  I have tried to do the best I can to make them feel excited about holidays, but in the back of my heart I know what they have missed. 

Last Sunday:

My daughter called up and asked if her dad would take her for a motorcycle ride.  She gets a hankering for a ride every once in awhile when she wants to clear her head or go somewhere for a little while.  I suggested they go to the beach, Beverly Beach. The husband and I used to go fishing in a little pond at Beverly Beach when were dating.  Of course when I told daughter that little bit of info, she was like 'oh yuk.'  Hahaha.  From the pictures they took, though, it looks like they enjoyed themselves.

Beverly Beach used to be the place to go back in the day.  Everybody went there...it was the beach.  Now it is privately owned and no one is allowed on the beach.  Shhh..don't tell anybody these two trespassed.  Husband's family took their kids to the beach there and so did my parents.  I often wonder if husband and I were at the beach at the same time.  How cool would that be knowing we were little kids at the beach at the same time? 

Daughter decided she wanted to go to black Friday.  I have never been, so it should be interesting.  I hate to shop and I hate crowds so I'm gonna have to be on my best behavior!