Each year in gets more difficult to gather the family for Thanksgiving. The problem is that there is more and more family to gather and they are sooooo far apart! Years ago we would actually have two Thanksgiving Dinners!!!! The first was in the afternoon at Harry & Betty's home in Lantana and the second was in the evening at my mom's home in West Palm Beach. When Harry & Betty moved to Orlando it became impossible to do both in one day so we alternated years. After my mom's passing we usually went to Harry & Betty's although I was usually drafted to do the turkey and stuffing. Times change and children grow-up, marry and move away. This Thanksgiving, as usual, we will not be with our children but with other family members, dear friends and new friends!
In addition to Katie & I, we have invited:
Grandma Betty
Aunt Fran
Mike, Laura, Wes & Glen (not sure but possibly Haley)
Ron Auremma & his wife
Don & Deb
Our neighbor & dear friend Rod and family
Should be a good group & we'll definately need a "Big Bird".
The following, for those of you who don't know the name, is from Kendra's husbands mother (Jeff's Mom). This was sent to me a few minutes after I posted the blog entry and I thought it was SOOOO much like our family dinners that I had to cut & paste it to the blog. Thanks Janese!!!
p.s. I've been to Janese's home and it is Martha Stewart perfect & beautiful!!!!
I see from your blog that you are getting ready for Thanksgiving. Thought you might enjoy the humor in this letter.
Janese
To All Our Family and Friends:
Just a note to let you know we are hoping to see you Thanksgiving Day. But..
Martha Stewart will not be dining with us this Thanksgiving. I'm telling you in
advance, so don't act surprised.
Since Ms. Stewart won't be coming, I've made a few small changes:
Our sidewalk will not be lined with homemade, paper bag luminaries. After a
trial run, it was decided that no matter how cleverly done, rows of flaming
lunch sacks do not have the desired welcoming effect.
Once inside, our guests will note that the entry hall is not decorated with the
swags of Indian corn and fall foliage I had planned to make. Instead, I've
gotten the kids involved in the decorating by having them track in colorful
autumn leaves from the front yard. The mud was their idea.
The dining table will not be covered with expensive linens, fancy china, or
crystal goblets. If possible, we will use dishes that match and everyone will
get a fork. Since this IS Thanksgiving, we will refrain from using the plastic
Peter Rabbit plate and the Santa napkins from last Christmas.
Our centerpiece will not be the tower of fresh fruit and flowers that I
promised. Instead we will be displaying a hedgehog-like decoration hand-crafted
from the finest construction paper.
The artist assures me it is a turkey.
We will be dining fashionably late. The children will entertain you while you
wait. I'm sure they will be happy to share every choice comment I have made
regarding Thanksgiving, pilgrims and the turkey hotline. Please remember that
most of these comments were made at 5:00 a.m. upon discovering that the turkey
was still hard enough to cut diamonds.
As accompaniment to the children's recital, I will play a recording of tribal
drumming. If the children should mention that I don't own a recording of tribal
drumming, or that tribal drumming sounds suspiciously like a frozen turkey in a
clothes dryer, ignore them. They are lying.
We toyed with the idea of ringing a dainty silver bell to announce the start of
our feast. In the end, we chose to keep our traditional method. We've also
decided against a formal seating arrangement. When the smoke alarm sounds,
please gather around the table and sit where you like. In the spirit of harmony,
we will ask the children to sit at a separate table. In a separate room. Next
door.
Now, I know you have all seen pictures of one person carving a turkey in front
of a crowd of appreciative onlookers. This will not be happening at our dinner.
For safety reasons, the turkey will be carved in a private ceremony. I stress
"private" meaning: Do not, under any circumstances, enter the kitchen to laugh
at me. Do not send small, unsuspecting children to check on my progress. I have
an electric knife. The turkey is unarmed. It stands to reason that I will
eventually win. When I do, we will eat.
I would like to take this opportunity to remind my young diners that "passing
the rolls" is not a football play. Nor is it a request to bean your sister in
the head with warm tasty bread.
Oh, and one reminder for the adults: For the duration of the meal, and
especially while in the presence of young diners, we will refer to the giblet
gravy by its lesser-known name: Cheese Sauce.
If a young diner questions you regarding the origins or type of Cheese Sauce,
plead ignorance. Cheese Sauce stains.
Before I forget, there is one last change. Instead of offering a choice between
12 different scrumptious desserts, we will be serving the traditional pumpkin
pie, garnished with whipped cream and small fingerprints. You will still have a
choice; take it or leave it.
I hope you aren't too disappointed that Martha
Stewart will not be dining with us this Thanksgiving. She probably
won't come next year
either. - Author unknown
The following, for those of you who don't know the name, is from Kendra's husbands mother (Jeff's Mom). This was sent to me a few minutes after I posted the blog entry and I thought it was SOOOO much like our family dinners that I had to cut & paste it to the blog. Thanks Janese!!!
p.s. I've been to Janese's home and it is Martha Stewart perfect & beautiful!!!!
I see from your blog that you are getting ready for Thanksgiving. Thought you might enjoy the humor in this letter.
Janese
To All Our Family and Friends:
Just a note to let you know we are hoping to see you Thanksgiving Day. But..
Martha Stewart will not be dining with us this Thanksgiving. I'm telling you in
advance, so don't act surprised.
Since Ms. Stewart won't be coming, I've made a few small changes:
Our sidewalk will not be lined with homemade, paper bag luminaries. After a
trial run, it was decided that no matter how cleverly done, rows of flaming
lunch sacks do not have the desired welcoming effect.
Once inside, our guests will note that the entry hall is not decorated with the
swags of Indian corn and fall foliage I had planned to make. Instead, I've
gotten the kids involved in the decorating by having them track in colorful
autumn leaves from the front yard. The mud was their idea.
The dining table will not be covered with expensive linens, fancy china, or
crystal goblets. If possible, we will use dishes that match and everyone will
get a fork. Since this IS Thanksgiving, we will refrain from using the plastic
Peter Rabbit plate and the Santa napkins from last Christmas.
Our centerpiece will not be the tower of fresh fruit and flowers that I
promised. Instead we will be displaying a hedgehog-like decoration hand-crafted
from the finest construction paper.
The artist assures me it is a turkey.
We will be dining fashionably late. The children will entertain you while you
wait. I'm sure they will be happy to share every choice comment I have made
regarding Thanksgiving, pilgrims and the turkey hotline. Please remember that
most of these comments were made at 5:00 a.m. upon discovering that the turkey
was still hard enough to cut diamonds.
As accompaniment to the children's recital, I will play a recording of tribal
drumming. If the children should mention that I don't own a recording of tribal
drumming, or that tribal drumming sounds suspiciously like a frozen turkey in a
clothes dryer, ignore them. They are lying.
We toyed with the idea of ringing a dainty silver bell to announce the start of
our feast. In the end, we chose to keep our traditional method. We've also
decided against a formal seating arrangement. When the smoke alarm sounds,
please gather around the table and sit where you like. In the spirit of harmony,
we will ask the children to sit at a separate table. In a separate room. Next
door.
Now, I know you have all seen pictures of one person carving a turkey in front
of a crowd of appreciative onlookers. This will not be happening at our dinner.
For safety reasons, the turkey will be carved in a private ceremony. I stress
"private" meaning: Do not, under any circumstances, enter the kitchen to laugh
at me. Do not send small, unsuspecting children to check on my progress. I have
an electric knife. The turkey is unarmed. It stands to reason that I will
eventually win. When I do, we will eat.
I would like to take this opportunity to remind my young diners that "passing
the rolls" is not a football play. Nor is it a request to bean your sister in
the head with warm tasty bread.
Oh, and one reminder for the adults: For the duration of the meal, and
especially while in the presence of young diners, we will refer to the giblet
gravy by its lesser-known name: Cheese Sauce.
If a young diner questions you regarding the origins or type of Cheese Sauce,
plead ignorance. Cheese Sauce stains.
Before I forget, there is one last change. Instead of offering a choice between
12 different scrumptious desserts, we will be serving the traditional pumpkin
pie, garnished with whipped cream and small fingerprints. You will still have a
choice; take it or leave it.
I hope you aren't too disappointed that Martha
Stewart will not be dining with us this Thanksgiving. She probably
won't come next year
either. - Author unknown
1 comment:
Priceless!
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