Thanksgiving Thoughts

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving (American Thanksgiving that is). Canadian Thanksgiving was over a month ago. Once again I find myself in a foreign land. Our family has celebrated Thanksgiving in Egypt, Trinidad & Tobago, England, Azerbaijan, and now Canada. Except there will be no traditional celebration tomorrow. Husband has a regular day at work and then a fancy business dinner. The kids (all grown up) are heading for different places to celebrate. Looks like Tally and I will be ordering Chinese for one (leftovers for Tally girl), or perhaps a rotisserie chicken? Pumpkin pie has always been a favorite of mine but I certainly won't make one for myself! That would be dangerous. 

I was thinking today about previous Thanksgivings. One thought led to another . . . to remembering back when I was a child and the way my Grandma Jewell LOVED to cook for our family. She was an amazing cook too, one of those who could manage to have everything ready at the appropriate time, looking lovely and tasting great. There was nothing like Grandma's hot rolls that would melt in your mouth. Now don't get the wrong idea- Grandma could also play a serious hand of bridge and was usually a few strokes under on the golf course, but that woman loved to cook! Holidays were always best when my cousins were there too. Our grandmother wisely saw to it that the girls (one cousin and I being almost exactly the same age) spent as much time together as possible. She wanted us to have a special relationship, and we do. Grandma passed away many years ago but I appreciate all those holidays that she made special.  A couple of years ago my mother gave me THE roll recipe. I make it but I know Grandma did it so much better! And what a table she could set!  She had a lovely collection of cut glass water goblets that she was so proud of. They would always grace the table for the holiday meals. They were wonderful colors (blue, red, yellow, turquoise , purple) and all a bit different in style. I remember the shouts of "I want the red one!" or  "I want the purple one!" as we would gather around the table to be seated. Personally, I always loved the red ones. I remember once asking Grandma about the goblets, about where she got them. She said she just collected them here and there. She told me she saw one she wanted once in a gas station (of all places) but that Grandpa thought it cost too much so she passed it up. On the return trip Grandpa stopped at the same station to fill up the car. He went in to pay and came back out carrying the goblet. I'm sure he was proud of himself. (I wish I could remember which one that was now.) Before Grandma died she divided the goblets. Part of them for me, and part for my cousin. I love those goblets. I also love that my cousin and I share them. I keep them safely high on a shelf. Never have they been with me overseas because I would not trust packers to handle them. I only bring them out for Christmas at my home in Colorado. I think of Grandma and Grandpa, of their house full of familiar voices, each time I bring out the goblets. You know, I hope I will not be too "careful" with them when we finally have grandchildren around our table for Thanksgiving and Christmas someday. I want to hear those same shouts of "I want the red one!" and "I want the yellow one!" It will be music to my hears:) 

Happy Thanksgiving.