Giving Thanks

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So, Sarge is down south a ways visiting family for Thanksgiving and he left the door open for us part-time semi-regular, and in my case, oft-political bloggers du-jour.  A little on that later.

It's the Holiday Season- my favorite time of the year, and Turkey Day is my most-favored of that.  The food is excellent, the family time is wonderful, and the best part, it's a one-day holiday!  Do some shopping in the days ahead, have your one-day shindig, then eat some leftovers in the days following.  No pressure, no expectations, no gifts, just hopefully a good time had by all.  

While I have family in Oregon, the majority of us are in/around San Diego so I don't have to fight holiday traffic- on the roads or in the airport.  However my local family is undergoing a bit of a diaspora.  

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For many years my dearest Aunt Jo, the matriarch of our family as the oldest of my mom's sisters,* would host Thanksgiving every year at her home in Vista.  My gruff Lt Col, USMC (Ret) Uncle Art was there too, but he'd just hold court as she orchestrated it all.  Even after moving from San Diego to Southern Oregon when my father retired from the Navy, we would still drive down to spend it with them all.  She had 6 kids, my Aunt Mary - 3, Uncle Paul - 4, and our family of 6, not to mention 3 other "Aunts" in the area.  It was always a wonderful get-together.  And seeing all my cousins was the best part of it.  

Yet, we're all grown and married now, including a few of the grandkids (aka my first cousins one-removed), and several of them with in-laws out of state.  Salt Lake, Denver, Minneapolis, and Seattle draw some of us away for holidays periodically.  So we don't have as big of a group to get together, and our families are smaller- no more big Catholic families anymore.  Not big, nor Catholic for the most part 😞

It's also harder to find someone to host.  My Aunt Jo passed back in August, but had retired from hostess duties a dozen years before.  Two cousins lost their husbands this year- far too early, and they're still grieving.  One is even planning a move out of state.  So some of us now wish to "do our own thing" vice open themselves up to the requirements of host, and have everyone over.  While I lament the fact, I understand it.  Our 1450 sq ft house isn't optimum, but we've held it there before thanks to a large sunroom we have, and tables borrowed from the KofC hall.  Yet, the house now looks like we're amateur hoarders.  I joke, but it's not in "having guests over" shape if you know what I mean.

About half the family will be going over to my cousin Kathy's (the eldest of all cousins across a 16 year spread) with the others alone, or with their in-laws elsewhere.  Smaller groups for sure.  I miss the big to-dos, but I understand it.  I'm all in with our group though- stepping up to bring one of the 2-3 turkeys required, stuffing, rolls, cranberry sauce, and wine to round out our contribution.  I never shy away from bringing more than expected, partially because I love the day, it's a drop in my bucket, and because there are several who might bring only a bottle of soda or paper plates.  The chintzy food-bringers aside, it seems to be a struggle to keep us all connected, despite how we're all connected.

Something else I'll contribute is the blessing over the food, and a nice playlist I'm putting together.  I seem to be the family Emcee', giving eulogies, saying grace, and even marrying off one cousin and my sister, thanks to a couple one-day minister licenses.

So on Thursday I will put on my eating pants, load up the SUV with my wife's cooking (I lied about it being "my" contribution), and go pick up the Minnow, aka Son #1, aka my eldest, from his group home, and drive 35 minutes north to Escondido.  One sister, aka The Hermit, lives nearby, but she always seems to have to work on Thanksgiving (me-thinks it's intentional).  She's an events coordinator for an Indian Casino so they never close.**

The rest of the season will be busy.  I promised myself to put out Christmas Cards this year.  Yes, an old tradition, but I like to hear from others and connect with old friends, however so briefly.  Maybe I'll get the Christmas lights up this weekend.  I'm also playing Santa at a nearby VFW/Legion Hall which gives out toys my Mustang Club and others donate for deployed junior military families.  My red convertible Mustang will serve well as a sled, and it goes so nicely with the suit! 

I've got a few parades I'm driving in, some VIP or dignitary that I meet and quickly forget.  There's also a food distribution we're volunteering for as a club later next month.  Yes, it's good for the receivers, but it does gladden the heart of the giver, and helps stave off some Catholic guilt that is ever-present.

I wish all of you Chanters a Happy Thanksgiving and continued joyous season.  Remember, it's not Christmas until the pumpkin pie has been consumed, so don't even think of playing that Mariah Carey song.

I haven't waxed political in quite a while, and I won't do that much here, other than to say this next year is going to be fun, scary, and "cringe-y" to watch.  Yes, I'm right leaning, and I'll support whomever the GOP candidate is, but we all know who that's going to be.  I don't see how he won't be, as those kangaroo courts don't seem to be swaying any needles, and there's not enough toner in the world to print enough fake ballots.  Yes, he's bombastic and not traditionally presidential whatsoever, but I thought his foreign, border, and economic policies were outstanding.  The current admin is an embarrassment.  It's only the hard core D's that support him, and those that just can't put aside the personal reservations for the clear policy superlatives.  I just want our country back, whether or not we put the lying rat-bastiges in jail.

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*There was one older, but she had passed in the late 60's, as did my youngest Uncle at 17.  Good time to remember them all and be thankful for life.

**I've been in there on Thanksgiving before, but just to say hello after a family dinner- it's kind of depressing- all the gamblers and what I sense is a mixture of addiction, depression, and loneliness.  My sister is their 'Aunt Jo.'