Thanksgiving Reflections

[Guest jackdm3]

As a child, you resent eating at the "little kids table." Wanna be with the adults. When you get to your 20's, 30's and 40's, you actually gravitate to your peers' table. It has a lot of smartphones and laptops. What's it called? The "kids table". But you don't mind.

And those considerably older than you group together and talk about us and our gadgets and whatnot and they just laff.

Being younger and with decent hearing, they forget we can hear them when they think they're whispering. But since they don't hear so well, they whisper SO LOUD. And we just laff!!!

But they don't care that we know what they're saying, so we all just LAFFFF!!!

So what were your observations about Thanksgiving?

[shaftbass]

People are more likely to drink the egg nog if you have Clark Griswold's moose mugs.

I would have had some today, but there no moose mugs, so I didn't.

[56FordGuy]

It's hard to believe that America is still going strong since Jesus' three ships -- the Mayweather, Pacquiao and Santa Marina -- struck ground at Jamestown TN that day in 1492. I'm so thankful those first Americans were welcomed by Sitting Bull and Dances with Wolves, and that they and the rest of the Aztecs gave us this land we love. I like to imagine what it was like to sit down at the First Supper as the Indians tried "Greenbean Casserole," while those new Americans tried their first "S'mores" (which were called "maze" by the Aztecs). So much love spread across that first harvest table... May we all be rewarded for our steadfast perseverance with great savings tomorrow, such as the HP AMD Dual-Core Laptop available only at Wal-Mart for $248 (Walmart.com: Save money. Live better.). The Great Savings start at midnight tonight! Be sure to check out Wal-Mart's other great deals! Wal-Mart: Save Money. Live Better.

What? Is that not right?

Edited November 25, 2011 by 56FordGuy

[Guest jackdm3]

That's how the kids of today's history classes view it. And burnt pecan pie. Can't forget that part. Well actually, I AM trying to forget it.

[56FordGuy]

We didn't have any burnt food today. I had a frozen pizza get a little extra crispy last night, but that's a different story.

[Oh Shoot]

I was particularly grateful this Thanksgiving, was gonna pass the day alone, but was invited over to another TGOers home for traditional meal with all the fixins. And got to shoot some there too, which made it even more an all American tradition!

- OS

[Guest jackdm3]

Any observations/reflections?

[ls3_kid]

Well I noticed that after eating two thanksgiving dinners (One with my parents at noon and the other with my girlfriend's family at 5pm). After stuffing myself twice with no battle nap, my car could not get traction in this 40 degree weather with my data** in it.

When did the whole turkey thing start on thanksgiving? Didn't the original meal include deer, squirrel, and corn?

[Oh Shoot]

Any observations/reflections?

Me?

I observe I had to let my belt out a notch, and reflect that even one comfortable with being alone most of the time is yet quite thankful for good company on Thanksgiving.

- OS

[Jasongar8]

Just thankful for my family. Really enjoyed my time with them today. This was the first time in a while that we have had my cousin home for Thanksgiving. It was nice seeing him spend time with his two little kids. I also thought about his brothers in arms that couldn't spend today with their families, and how thankful I am for them.

[Timestepper]

As much as I love East Tennessee, Thanksgiving just isn't the same as it was up home. It's this time of year when I really get to missing Western Kansas; going pheasant hunting on a frosty Thanksgiving morning then sitting down to a wonderful meal with family and friends. Shooting the breeze afterwards until someone decided it was time to go hunting again or maybe just wander down to the creek to do some plinking with the .22s. We'd follow that up with a trek back to the house for some late afternoon spirituous refreshments to wash down one last slice of pumpkin pie before yarning away the last of the daylight and a good portion of the evening. I miss those days...

I am so far removed from everything I used to know that it somehow seems pointless to even observe the same holidays. It seems odd somehow to live in such close proximity to such a densely populated area and yet be further removed from my fellow man than I have ever been. I love East Tennessee and I love my wife, but I miss my Western Kansas traditions and I miss having friends to spend time with. And driving a truck and being a loner isn't very conducive to making new friends and traditions.

I have so many things to be thankful for and I am. Not the least of which is memories of past Thanksgivings. But sometimes I wish the memories would go away so I wouldn't know how much I miss them...

...TS...

[enfield]

It was a strange Thanksgiving - just me and my wife. We've always had a kid or two and, lately, grandchild at the table but not this year. Family is spread out all over - Texas, Michigan, Ontario, West Virginia, Virginia. We're the only ones sane enough to live in Tennessee.

In retrospect, it didn't make much sense to spend that much time preparing a meal for two people. But it was good!

[Timestepper]

In retrospect, it didn't make much sense to spend that much time preparing a meal for two people. But it was good!

Yeah, that's one thing I have to admit to despite the melancholy I'm feeling: That turkey cooked in the smoker grill with cherry wood and mesquite chunks w/Woodchuck hard apple cider in the drip pan to baste with... man, talk about a gastronomic orgasm!

[Mike.357]

growing up we never had a kids table. Mom and Dads dining room table had four leaves to add and you can easily sit ten or twelve people at it. Accomodated all of us and a couple of their friends as well. I possess that table now and several times over the years we have added all the leaves to it and stretched from one end of the dining room to near in the living room now. I always recall those days long ago with the entire clan sitting around that table.

No need to add leaves to the table this year, only four of us plus one dear friend for dinner. But it was as enjoyable Thanksgiving dinner as I can recall. The food was wonderful, I am blesssed with a wife that really knows how to cook.

My contribution was doing the turkey on the grill and making cranberry sauce. The cranberries always give fond memories of my Grandmother who has been gone now for near twenty years. It is her recipe that I follow, and her cranberry bowl that we use for serving. It is the only time that bowl is ever used.

My tradition on Thanksgiving is to do a bit of shooting before dinner. Before living here in Knox we used to get together on Friday and head out to Indiana for some gun play. Since living in our current home it has become a Thanksgiving day tradition. It is one I really look forward to. A chance for the menfolk to bond. And from the sound of things on the ridge yesterday several others must have the same tradition. it was 9mm carbines yesterday, lots of fun.

Family, friends, food and a beer or two before taking a nap on the couch next to the fire. Of course the nap was late in the day and only a precursor to getting the strength to go on ahead to bed.

Wish I could do it again today.