Has everyone has a Thanksgiving dinner that goes something like this...? Years ago, Cletus and I fly 1,200 miles in holiday mayhem to see my Dad for Thanksgiving. Upon arrival, I find that: Yes, they did buy a turkey...um, 20 plus pounds for five people! Wow that's a lot of turkey! However, they did not take it out of the freezer. So, I am madly trying to quick defrost and put the bird in the oven. Then I start on the dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, bread, and pie. Somewhere along the way, my brother gets mad and eats a turkey tv dinner in protest. That leaves four people to eat twenty pounds of turkey. So, shortly before we are supposed to eat, I realize that the turkey is not getting done. I end up whacking off parts of the turkey and throwing it into the microwave. Some two hours after the original dinner time, everyone is quite hungry. We finally sit down to eat. Dad announces that he doesn't really like turkey and he would prefer a nice ham. For twenty-some years we ate turkey every year and Dad never said a word to Mom. Then Dad's girlfriend announces that she is a vegetarian and does not eat turkey. What? Are you kidding me? Could this not have been made known to me earlier? We could have gone out to eat!! Not long after, Dad called and said that the element on his oven died and that must be why the turkey was not cooking. Well, at least we can all laugh about it now...almost.
At least I know my Mom had some times like that too. I remember one year we were done eating and we were getting the coffee and dessert... when Mom discovered the green beans still sitting in the microwave. Hey, would anyone like green beans with your pie and ice cream? And there was the year when she left the papertowels in the bottom of the salad bowl. Well, at least it makes for a good story. I have many more Thanksgiving tales but I'll save them for a later date.
