Turkey Day

Thanksgiving past...because I was too sick today to take pictures...

When I was a senior in high school, my dad and I got the stomach flu on Thanksgiving.  Of all the days out of the year to get the stomach flu, we got it on a day centered around food and it was horrible.  In fact, I was so sick that day that it took me a couple of weeks to regain my appetite.

This year, a cold has been circling around the house.  The thing about a staycation is that you are with each other all the time…and each other’s germs.  I mentioned that Katy had been sick, well, then Lucy fell and now I am sick.  I keep reflecting on that Thanksgiving many years ago, and I am so grateful to have a cold, instead of the stomach flu.

It was a bit touch and go this morning.  I thought, well, at least I made pie the day before.  We can at least have pie.  A good morning nap helped turn things around, at least long enough to get some other food prepared, and the turkey in the oven. 

The turkey.  I purchased it a little less than a week ago.  Since it is just the four of us this year, I wanted a small breast.  The smallest one I could find at the store was 12 pounds.  Seemed like a bit of a mutant turkey.  Until I opened up the package today to find that I actually purchased a whole turkey.  That made me feel more comfortable with the 12 pound weight.  But didn’t I read the packaging?  Oh well, I’ve made a whole turkey before so it wasn’t a kitchen emergency.  More of a kitchen surprise. 

Feeling less than stellar has made me reflect on some other Thanksgivings that weren’t up to the Hallmark commercial standard.  The stomach flu one, of course.  Billy and I have had many years of working odd shifts.  There were many Thanksgivings when one of us might be sleeping from an overnight shift, we would share a quick meal and one of us would end the night back at work. 

I guess I have been thinking about those because in the grand scheme, having a cold isn’t such a big deal.  We are all together.  Germs and all.  There is yummy food to eat, beer in the fridge and another episode of Sherlock left.    And pie!

And that’s what this holiday is about, after all.  Being thankful for life.  Being thankful for the big and little things.

I hope on this holiday you are surrounded by friends and family.  I hope you have a moment to reflect on those big and little things.  And I wish you many more of those big and little things in the next year.