Whew!!! What a day it was! I love Fall. I love the changing colors, the reds and yellows and the clear skies and wind. I love the entire season as it moves toward Thanksgiving, which for me, is the high point of my favorite time of year.
Yesterday 38 family members joined me in celebrating one of my favorite holidays. I have been working for about two weeks on chores. We’ve put the gardens to bed, had the trim on the house painted, washed windows and chandeliers inside and out, and generally readied the house for guests. I wound down my activities with Scraps on a Mission so that I could tidy up the studio, and put the dining room back to order, where I had been using the table to quilt lap quilts.
This week I washed everything that sits on the counter in front of my kitchen sink, and washed the inside of the windows above that counter. All our bird feeders are on the north side of the house and my family will stand at the kitchen windows looking out on the feeders, asking me about the birds that have come to dinner. I wanted everything to sparkle and shine. I made sure that the feeders were filled to capacity!
I made dough for refrigerator rolls and for sugar crisp, because I wanted to have them on hand as gifts to my sisters. I could not accomplish this dinner without major input from them. I dusted, and wiped down the faces of the appliances and cabinets, and I took the time to reorganize the cookie sheet cabinet and the Rubbermaid stash! My youngest sister has a way of keeping me on my toes about the Rubbermaid, and if I haven’t gotten to it, she’s been known to help me out with it.
My-Sister-The-Nurse came to spend Wednesday with me to set and decorate the tables. We had four tables with either table cloths or antique crocheted mats, and real silverware. I was talked into using heavy paper plates again this year. I’m sure the kids all felt that was something to be thankful about. *G* Sis cooked the hamburger and Italian sausage for the lasagna, while I finished baking the last of the rolls. Dear Husband put together his traditional lasagna when he came home from work. It just needed to be reheated on Thursday (and it was REALLY GOOD!)
Frankie and her husband, their oldest daughter and two dogs arrived after dinner on Wednesday. We chatted for a bit, and most of us turned in early. Thursday morning, Frankie created a wonderful breakfast for us, so that everyone could make it to 3:00 when appetizers would be available. She created a sausage and egg casserole with peppers and broccoli that was divine, and cheese grits. Well, one out of two ain’t bad! I ate a full serving of the grits, but I’m just not a grits girl. From our discussion I learned that the mush I ate when I was a child is the same thing, with less moisture content. I assume that the texture is what bothers me about the grits, but I can say that I prefer good hash browns to mush, too! lol
I made four recipes of bread dressing, and got the turkey into the oven. Family began arriving by 1:00. Of the 39 people present, seven were between the ages of three and eight. My oldest sister has the tallest family members, and I think two dozen of them might have congregated in the kitchen until it was time to serve.
The meal was astonishing, as usual. Everyone contributed something to our feast, but I have to say that the companionship was the best part of the day. I really tried to talk to everyone. For the most part, I got quick little visits here and there, and I didn’t get to everyone, but I tried! There were members of three generations seated at my table, and it was fun to find the connections the youngest ones shared with the older ones. I hope that when they went home they took with them the ties to our family that are so important to me.
So, it was an exceptional day. We have so very much to be thankful for. I’m glad that we were able to come together to celebrate and give thanks.
And for those of you who have read this post, thanks for your friendship!