The most important dish for me at Thanksgiving is the mashed turnips. It was something my grandmother made that I never even particularly liked, but it was unique to any other Thanksgiving meal and I came to love that slightly bitter taste. I even now know it is best to have smaller turnips instead of large ones to minimize the bitterness. This year we traveled to spend Thanksgiving with Granddad, Grammy, my brother, and my uncle. I brought the turnips, and Sarah helped me mash them.
As you all well know, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is a day of heavy traffic. As we reached our first slow-down, we heard Sarah whisper with glee, “Yes!” The drive continued to be wonderful when we encountered two cats at the next rest stop! One seemed to be on its own, and Amy sat to befriend it but didn’t make contact. Then Carl noticed a kitten in a car, and as Amy went over to appreciate it, the owner offered her a chance to hold it. She was in heaven. The day was easy overall, but we didn’t expect to arrive to an airbnb with the thermostat literally set to 90F!!! It was intolerable. We quickly opened windows and adjusted the thermostat to make it more livable. Over the next few days the temperature continued to drop inside and out. We noted how drafty the place was, lamenting the old windows. Then we realized that we hadn’t closed all of the windows we had previously opened!
We had a delicious time celebrating Thanksgiving, turnips and all. Amy made personalized place cards for everyone, with Carl as a potato wearing a shirt, and made Snoopy drawings for people to tape to their matching Peanuts shirts that were missing the beloved canine. Everyone had a color buddy, and Sarah’s buddy was of course Granddad. She had been waiting eagerly for this moment for days. Sarah was thrilled to have so much time to be with Granddad. She liked to sit next to him and copy his positions. If he reclined in his chair, then she reclined in hers. She loved watching Mickey’s Christmas Carol with him, and running a turkey trot on his street while he cheered. Carl and the girls opted out of the official turkey trot because it was cold and rainy, but I joined them for the jog on my parents’ street. Sarah told the knock-knock banana/orange joke that she has been practicing, and she brought the house down at the end. Instead of saying “orange you glad I didn’t say banana again” and said, “orange socks!” It was so unexpected we all cracked up.
We have been staying near a historic house where I used to work so we drove by one morning. I swear the place seemed smaller, even though I was fully grown when I worked there. I wish it had been open, but it is only open on Sundays and we don’t have time today. We also are a sneeze away from a diner where I used to go for cast parties after my high school plays. Again, it seemed smaller than I remembered, and the booths seemed tighter, but I suppose I’m not quite the string bean I was in high school. Or maybe they have remodeled!
Yesterday we celebrated my step-father’s 90th birthday. It was a heart-filling party with Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop and aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends of the family. It had been at least 30 years since I had seen some of the people who came, and yet remarkably we still recognized each other, new grey hair and all. As we prepared for the party I got to bump up against my parental tight spots as Sarah DID NOT WANT to wear the nice blouse she had packed to wear for the occasion. She was determined to continue wearing her orange Peanuts shirt. We compromised with her wearing a light black button down jacket on top of the orange shirt so she could be buttoned for pictures. It is such a challenge to walk the balance beam of how to support and guide one’s children, being responsible for them, and yet also allowing them their freedom for self-expression and not taking any of it personally if they choose to do things differently from what I think it appropriate or desirable, thus letting go of responsibility. It is helpful to have Carl and his more relaxed self by my side as we navigate these waters of children becoming adults.
Love and turnips to all of you.
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