Thanksgiving Dinner?

[jingle]

I hope everyone has nice plans, nice menu, nice company and lots to be thankful for.
This year, the first time in 13 years, I will be with family.

[agate]

jingle, I hope that the family gathering will go well. I know some family gatherings are dreaded by some of the guests because you can't choose your relatives, as the saying goes. I hope that your get-together will go smoothly and involve substantial amounts of delicious food.

[houghchrst]

Jingle that is wonderful. Too right Agate, definitely can't choose family. I will have my brother over, as usual, this year. He is making a turkey breast. We aren't very fond of dark meat and I am not fond of turkey broth so won't use a carcass. He may though I know he is not fond of dark meat either. Always have the basics, cheese, crackers and sliced polish sausage, chips and dip, shrimp and cocktail sauce for pre-dinner snacking then turkey, mashed taters, dressing, gravy and corn , shells and cheese, broccoli/cauliflower with cheese on top, whole cranberry sauce, rolls. Chocolate silk pie, Cherry pie, and a lemon meringue pie.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day.

[jingle]

Hi Christy -- Very good to see you! (Did I spell your name correctly?) Sounds like you're having a great meal. I hope you have a wonderful day.

[agate]

Sounds like a very nice Thanksgiving at your place, Chris! I'm sure it will be appreciated. The effort that goes into fixing a meal like that is considerable.

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Hugs to All)))))) ~

Jingle, I hope that you have a lovely reunion with your family. Agate, what are you doing on Thanksgiving? Chris, that is a lot of food! I hope others are contributing, and you don't have to cook all of it. In our family, everyone brought a dish, and the hostess made the turkey.

I was invited to join those who remain in my family. There are only three elders left, and I'm one of them. It has been almost 20 years since I have seen them, and there are new members, who I haven't met (children). Unfortunately, it is too far for me to drive, and I haven't driven for a year, so I don't want to try. I'm sure I'd be nervous and get lost. Also, I haven't had my booster, so I feel vulnerable and don't want to be in a large group.

John also invited me to join his family. He would transport me, as he lives close to me. But, again, I feel vulnerable. COVID has really messed with my mind.

The holidays are an extremely difficult time for me, as I miss Jon, Michael, and Jim. If not for COVID, I may be in a place now, where I could manage putting on a "mask" to hide my sadness for a few hours to be with my family, instead of a mask to protect me from COVID.

I have been isolated for so long from large gatherings, that the thought of being with more than two people at a time feels daunting. My aunt, who is like a sister to me, as she is my age ~ actually, I'm a little older than she is, understands so well. She is caring for my uncle, who is like a brother to me and just a few years older, who has Alzheimer's. She wrote to me: "But you are waking up in a whole new world playing catch up, complicated by the COVID crisis."

Exactly, because life without my beloveds is a whole new world to me. A part of me longs to be able to be with my family and friends during the holidays, and another part of me, which has a stronger hold on me, resists. I'm just not ready. I'm still processing and learning ways to cope.

I am grateful that my aunt and John and family understand as well as they can about how I feel and what I've been going through these past years. As John said, "We understand, but we're your family, and we love you, and we want to be with you. So, we're always going to ask, and one of these days, you will feel up to it."

I give thanks for the blessings in my life, and the support I receive from family and friends is near the top of the list. While my beloveds are not here physically, they are very present spiritually, and I know that they are watching over me. They are my greatest blessing.

Prayers for safe travels, loving reunions, and peace and blessings on all ~

Love & Light,

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Rose

*Virtual Hugs Are Germ-Free!


THANKS!

[agate]

Rose, holidays for me have been quiet for many years. It seems odd but I do better that way. Things need to be pretty simple and quiet.

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Hugs to All)))))) ~

For me, a major part of my resistance to social gatherings is that I am managing profound grief and depression. Of course, everyone knows this in my family and among my friends, but I know they will be compelled to offer me comfort and condolences. Some people, meaning well, will say the wrong thing.

So, my presence can really bring down a room. How many different ways can I say, "I'm fine," when I'm asked how I am doing? I don't even know what "fine" is or means, but it makes people feel better to hear me say it. If they had a few hours, I could tell them how I am really doing. But, that burdens the listener, and it doesn't help in my healing to see others sad for me.

I am one-quarter of who I used to be, because three-quarters of me are missing. A person doesn't just bounce back from that kind of loss. It takes years to recover or at least feel some healing to be at peace with your grief. That is what I meant by "I'm not ready." I probably wouldn't be ready without COVID in the picture. COVID just magnifies it a million times.

My decision to decline is always conflicting, because I know how fleeting and fragile life is, and I may not see some of these loved ones again. What if this is my last opportunity?

When I woke up to whistling wild winds this morning, I realized that my decision was definitely the best one for me. If I could still drive the van, and felt comfortable driving that far, I wouldn't do that today. It's a high profile van, and I could get blown over in a 50 mph gust.

This weather also means that people will stay inside, rather than gather on their outdoor patios/areas. That is also unsafe for me.

I am cooking today ~ boiled baby potatoes, baby carrots, with Field Roast apple/sage sausage sauteed with onions, mushrooms, assorted sweet peppers, garlic and simmered in a veggie gravy, and asparagus sauteed in ghee, with cashews, onions, and garlic, and curry seasoning.

Last week, John asked me if I was making a Tofurky roast for Thanksgiving, as that is what I usually made for us. I laughed, "I can't possibly eat a whole Tofurky roast, and it doesn't freeze well. I might make a Field Roast celebration roast for Christmas, if I can find one."

This is the kind of stuff, which reminds me of what was and no longer is. More than any other time of the year, these holidays do that to me. They are all difficult to trudge through, but November, December, and January are really challenging.

And, that is the long answer to "How are you doing?"

The short answer is: "I'm doing the best I can."

That is all that any of us can do. Our best. And I believe that is what all of us here are doing. Our best.

Thanksgiving blessings upon everyone ~

Love & Light,

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Rose

*Virtual Hugs Are Germ-Free!


THANKS!