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Sharing some humor, a bit of writing and way too much information

Home / Etcetera / Perspective

Perspective

Etcetera

It took me three days and eight grocery store trips to shop for Thanksgiving. I made five lists, lost four, and retrieved the last from a hapless garbage toss. I’ve searched the Internet for homemade stuffing recipes dozens of times because I forget which bread I’m supposed to use, switched the turkey cooking method to barbecue to deep fry to roasting to back to deep fry, and made phone call after phone call to my dad, my neighbors, mother-in-law, and friends.

 

“Is bourbon the same thing as whiskey?” I ask.

 

“Do I cube the bread before I dry it out for the stuffing?”

 

“Are waxy Yukon golds better than Idaho for mashed potatoes?”

 

And in a particularly low moment:

 

“Do I remove those bags of body parts before I marinate the turkey?”

 

I’ve got boxes of stuff — electric knives, carafes, extra silverware — scattered around the house. I don’t know where to put the kids. I’m still trying to decide on buffet or sitdown.

 

It’s been hard for me to quiet my mind, as always, but more so these last few weeks. I can’t quite think straight. Come up with the right words, decide on a game plan, calm down. It feels like my mind is a Japanese movie converted to the English language; the words of the actors aren’t matching the audio and everyone is speed talking. My brain and body aren’t calibrated. One or the other is going too fast.

 

And now I sit here at 6:42AM on Thanksgiving Day — surveying the thumbprints on the dining room table I’ll have to Windex later, cycling through who is going to sit where, pondering the epic cleanup later tonight — and something intrudes upon my hamster-wheel thought process. Something that woke me up early, pushed me downstairs, and sat me at the table in front of the computer to write before I let the words go.

 

Grateful.

 

Grateful.

 

Grateful.

 

That’s the something.

 

That’s the only thing.

 

If I hold on to “grateful,” it doesn’t matter where anyone sits or if I use Italian bread instead of wheat for the stuffing.

 

The word isn’t particularly profound, but a few seconds ago my six-year-old daughter came scampering down the stairs whispering “I’m so excited!” and “How big is the turkey again?” and I think “grateful” need not be profound, it just need be.

 

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November 25, 2010 · 8 Comments

Sure I’d love to see you again

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Comments

  1. Jill says

    November 25, 2010 at 7:23 am

    Happy Thanksgiving friend. Grateful is a great way to be … This year, my first year back in the States for Thanksgiving in 7 years, I’m feeling the same too.

    Reply
  2. Laural Out Loud says

    November 26, 2010 at 4:22 am

    My daughter’s joy for the Holidays makes all the hard work worthwhile. Totally worthwhile.

    Reply
  3. Sugar Jones says

    November 26, 2010 at 5:28 pm

    Oh girl… this made me want to do two things… come over and hug you…

    and never ever ever have Thanksgiving at my house ever again. One day, when I slip and forget, will you send me this post?

    ;)

    I am grateful to know you and to call you friend.

    Reply
  4. Sondra says

    November 26, 2010 at 5:29 pm

    Seriously, Deb, your write with such grace. I cannot think of a better word but you pull me in each time. Hope your Thanksgiving went well. *hugs*

    Reply
  5. melissa says

    November 26, 2010 at 6:24 pm

    yes, grateful!

    Reply
  6. Jen says

    November 26, 2010 at 7:14 pm

    Perfect! Happy Thanksgiving!

    Reply
  7. flutter says

    November 26, 2010 at 10:41 pm

    Happy Thanksgiving to you, sweet friend

    Reply
  8. Corinne says

    November 29, 2010 at 6:49 pm

    Hope it went well!! We’ve hosted Thanksgiving twice (and both times it was for four adults… so nothing crazy!) but it’s always amazing to me the amount of planning that goes into it all!

    Reply

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