Post-Thanksgiving Musings

It's sunny and around 36 degrees here in idyllic Salem, the city of peace. The traditional leftovers are in the fridge, including four kinds of pie: pecan (unusually good except for Jack, who's allergic to nuts), apple (classic), lemon meringue (spelled correctly the first time and made beautifully by Jack the first time as well), and pumpkin (if one counts that as real pie). The mashed potatoes were made from our experimental potato patch. We'll plant some again next year. The cows and horses are grazing and dozing in the sunshine.

Jack left this morning at 5:30 or so for Black Friday at Dilliards. He was not looking forward to waiting on, as he put it, people to go shopping at the Mall before 10 or so. I dropped off Steven at the MTC at 9 where he'll work for 12 hours (he picked up some extra shifts for those who wanted the day off). Delys was at K-Mart at 6 for the opening to be sure she could purchase some . . . items that will remain Christmas secrets. Now she's taking Marissa to the Mall to purchase some long sleeve shirts. It took Marissa literally 90 minutes to get ready. Unbelievable. Later this afternoon Delys and I are going to see No Country for Old Men, the new Coen brothers film based on the Cormac McCarthy novel. I think it will be terrific. The novel reads almost like a screenplay.

[Note: I can see several revisions I should make to the above paragraph, but, in the spontaneous spirit of the blog, I'm going to refrain, which is not easy for me. I'm not very good at spontaneity or non-revised prose.]

[Note: After I wrote the above note, I went to get a homemade roll for a snack, but when I got back in the chair,I had somehow forgotten my non-revision resolution. I added a few things.]

Thanksgiving was my father's favorite holiday. I think he enjoyed the leisurely pace of a meal that takes hours to prepare and consume. We never had a crowd in Fullerton, so the hustle and bustle were minimal. I like the energy of lots of people gathered together and pitching in to help with the meal, the table, the dessert, and the clean-up. We only fed nine this year: our regular five plus Delys's parents and Kathryn and Geoff (Delys's second daughter and Kathryn's boyfriend). I kept thinking about everyone who wasn't there with us, imagining their Thanksgivings in Boston, Scottsdale, Fullerton, Bloomington.

No offense to the children and their spouses, but I really miss the grandsons, especially Luke, because I'm so used to having the little fellow around. I was sad that I didn't get to see him last Sunday before he left with his parents for a week in Scottsdale. I was busy doing Church stuff. The last image I had of him was his heading out to the truck ahead of his dad and mom late one night after having spent the evening watching Ratatouille (another first time correct spelling)with everyone. He was really very upset, having been forced to put the bow and nerf arrow he had been playing with back in the toy basket rather than take it home. As he half-ran out toward the truck, I could hear him sobbing, "my bow and arrow, my bow and arrow, my bow and arrow. . . ." He is in a Robin Hood phase right now, as you might have guessed. I'll bet Heidi is Maid Marion and Travis is . . . well, I'm not sure: Little John, Friar Tuck, the Sheriff of Nottingham, Prince John? I'll have to find out. I think I'll play Richard the Lion-Hearted.