Thanks for the Memories!

The Tarts are all running around like turkeys with their heads cut off, but we want to pause and thank you all for friendship and support and sharing life experiences that we sometimes adapt for our books.

We know you all are busy, too, but we'd love it if you'll reach back in memory and tell us of a particularly happy or funny Thanksgiving.

MARGARET: I'll start. It was shortly after those roasting bags came on the market and my mother, who fancied herself the hip one in the farm family decided to do the turkey for the big family feast. I don't know if she didn't read the instructions correctly or what, but the announced dinner time came and went and the turkey still looked raw. One of the uncles started a bonfire. One of the aunts straightened coathangers and we roasted hotdogs for our dinner. I believe the turkey was gobbled at midnight.

ELAINE: My grandparents always had Thanksgiving at their house, and Grandpa carved the turkey. While he carved he’d "drop" some white meat for the grandkids. We’d laugh and cheer his turkey burglary. The best parts of the turkey were reserved for the grownups. One Thanksgiving, Grandpa got carried away and gave away all the white meat to us kids. It was a taste of adulthood.

Comments

[Harley]

It was 1980. I was a student at NYU and I couldn't fly home for Thanksgiving so instead I worked a double or triple shift at the restaurant where I waited tables, on the Lower East Side. I was awakened by a ringing phone at some ungodly hour on Thanksgiving morning, exhausted, hungover from after-hours partying and I had to be back at the restaurant in a few hours to open it, and I was not happy to be awake.

It was my sister Dory on the phone, calling from Nebraska, euphoric. "I have a brand new son," she said. "His name is Joseph Kozak Goodman."

The whole world seemed to change with the news. A Thanksgiving baby!

And today I get to drive with my kids down the coast and eat Thanksgiving dinner with Joe, now 31 years old with a new son of his own. And with Dory and dozens of Kozaks and Goodmans and babies I rarely get to see. And I don't even have to cook. How lucky am I?

[Nancy Martin]

There was the one year we decided to invite the whole family--in-laws and out-laws--and my oven died halfway thru the bird. My husband and I closed the kitchen door, got out a hacksaw and ripped the raw meat apart. And I microwaved it. While sharing a rstorative beer with my husband at 11am.

Best. Turkey. Ever.

Today I'm thankful for all my dear TLC friends!

[xena]

And then there was the Thanksgiving my mother almost burned the house down.
She has an old GE stove top with an oven on the top and an oven on the bottom. The top one has a class door and a light so you can check out what's going on without opening it but the bigger bottom one does not.
She stores paper grocery bags in the bottom one.
Well it's better than a rat dying behind the paneling in the dining room a day before Christmas.
Remember to give thanks you all!

[William]

Grandparents in Indiana back in the early 1960's. 5 grandsons, 1 granddaughter. Enough food to conquer World Hunger as we know it....and it kept coming.

Eat until comatose. Nap. Then touch football, no rules. Well, the rules were made up as we went.

Come in when street lights come on. Pass out, do not move until late next morning...:)

[Karen in Ohio]

Just after midnight the very early Tuesday morning before Thanksgiving, 1970, I went into labor with my first child. We had a wild ride to the hospital in a 1957 Ford Fairlane convertible with a broken heater. The temps were in the teens. I had 16 hours of nothing much but contractions, and then some pains so sharp I asked the nurses to knock me out (no labor and delivery classes then, so I knew nothing). She was born a mere 10 minutes later, which I think I could have stood. As it was, I was so groggy I barely surfaced for the next 24 hours.

Thursday found me in the hospital, bonding with my sweet little redheaded Christy girl, and eating cardboard turkey and fake mashed potatoes. Still one of the best ever, though!

I was single for eight years in between marriages, and Christy often went to her dad's for holidays, so I was often an "orphan". Kind friends invited me many times to share their feasts, so over the years I have passed on the blessings by inviting others who have no nearby family to share with. Now my daughters have done the same thing. Something else to be thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all. I'm grateful for the many friendships I've made here, and for all the hours/days/weeks/months you've provided of high quality entertainment, both on the blog and in your many wonderful books.

[Storyteller Mary]

Happy Thanksgiving! I will be at my neighbor Kathy's house this afternoon.
I remember one Thanksgiving when my then-husband and I invited many of our "comrades" to dinner. I was making pie the day before, quite out of practice, and the crusts kept tearing. I was frustrated and crying, and in very-best husband mode, Jan said, "Tell me what I can do to help, and I'll do it," just the prompt I needed to think of what was missing -- waxed paper! He went to the grocery store, with not one complaint about the crowds, and we fed the masses a fine dinner the next day. Now I buy crusts, or just use graham crackers . . .
Another year I flew home for Christmas, slipping the dessert from my airline dinner into my bag because I was too full (remember when we were fed when flying?) When I got to my mom's house, my little niece was asking for "brown pie." Huh? "Oh she really liked pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, but sweetie, we don't have any right now." Pulling pie from my bag . . . oh yes we do! I love pumpkin pie, but loved my niece more . . .
A favorite student once coined an anti-war saying: Drop pies, not bombs.

[Nancy Pickard]

I am sick, and therefore grateful I don't have to cook, and everybody else is also grateful I'm not cooking today. While sick, I'm reading a fabulous how-to writing book that is showing me all the ways I could have made my last book better. Believe it or not, I'm feeling enormously grateful for this, because at least I know now, in time for the next one!

Thanksgivings at my former sil's were always mysterious and funny because she couldn't quite master the knack of getting everything on the table at once, so we never knew what was coming out first or next. She is such a sweet person and great cook that we hardly minded if we got the gravy before the salad and half an hour later got the mashed potatoes. She was a legend, but now I understand she has mastered that skill, darn it. There goes all the fun. :) I'm glad I was there for the adorable ditzy days.

[Nancy Pickard]

Ack, where are my manners? I hope you all have a lovely day with nice people and good food!

[Gayle Carline]

As food goes, nothing beat my grandmother's Thanksgiving extravaganza. She'd work on everything for days, it seems, and the feast would take hours to consume. She lived in a teeny house and would have too many people there, so you'd just find a place to sit with your plate. Maybe you'd get the table, but maybe you'd be in the living room, cross-legged on the floor. It was that big family loveable chaos.

My most MEMORABLE single Thanksgiving, however, was about 15 years ago. We had invited hubby's family to dinner. I told him to let them know we'd serve around 2 pm, but anytime after noon they were welcome. Two o'clock came and went, and so did three. They showed up at 4:30 and HAD ALREADY EATEN. At one point in the afternoon, while I was trying to keep the food from coagulating, I walked into the kitchen and found our cat straddling the turkey, nibbling the breast. We didn't invite them after that.

The weird thing is, we have a great relationship with his family, and they're not mean people. I think somewhere, everyone got their wires crossed. Either that or they don't like my cooking and don't know how to tell me.

[Karen in Ohio]

Feel better, NancyP.

[Laraine]

Happy Thanksgiving, Tarts and friends far and wide. I have no one favorite turkey day, but quite a few of our family ones, growing up, were similar to William's description--treasured somewhat then, a lot now.

Harley, have a terrific day with your clan. Happy Birthday to Karen's Kristy!

Among the many thanks I am giving today is one for TLC and its authors and denizens. Better than pie.

[marie]

The most memorable Thanksgiving for me was early on in our marriage, waking up to my husband in the kitchen after he had got the turkey ready around six in the morning. We had a dinky kitchen and had to improvise with plugs,etc.
But the turkey was in the oven and ready to go.
I want to wish a Happy Thanksgiving to all here on TLC.
I am grateful for all the wonderful people and books and camaraderie. Thank you again!!

[Elaine Viets]

Happy birthday and Happy Thanksgiving to Karen in Ohio.
Feel better, Nancy P.
My other Thanksgiving memory was my grandfather leaving early for his job as a security guard. Bless those poor workers at Walmart and other places who have no choice but to work on Thanskgiving.

[Reine]

Nancy, I hope you feel all better very soon also that you can enjoy dinner today with your family.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I am thankful for books and all the people who work to make them possible.

[gaylin in Vancouver]

One of my favourite Thanksgivings was the year my mom made us each a 7" pumpkin pie so we wouldn't argue over who got the biggest piece of pie!

Then there was the year she forgot to take the paper out of the store bought pie shells and couldn't figure out why the pie was so hard to cut!

It is not Thanksgiving today in Canada but I am thankful I have leftovers and only have to heat food up today instead of cooking!

Enjoy your turkey comas!
Harley, enjoy your tofurky coma . . .

[lil Gluckstern]

Enjoy your day. I hope you feel better, NancyP. I loved Thanksgiving dinner, and it was "my day" for years. The prep began on Sunday and by Thursday night, we were all very full and happy. Now it's a quiet day with family spread far and wide, but I am thankful for all you guys. Eat hearty.

[Storyteller Mary]

Gaylin, I did that once with a cream cheese pecan pie. Fortunately my friend and his sons had a good sense of humor, and it did taste good, once we got the paper out. That darned paper looked too much like the crust . . . should have had a warning in red . . .
Nancy, I hope you are better and enjoying the holiday. I have to ask, if the gravy came half and hour before the potatoes, what did you have with it, bread?
Gayle, you've reminded me of a WW leader talking about being invited for dinner and arriving at noon, because that's dinner in the rural area from which she had just moved. She and her husband, both very hungry, drove a ways to (finally) find a restaurant . . . and returned to their hosts' home at proper supper time . . .

[Storyteller Mary]

I like the idea of little 7" pies! One of my favorite students coined a slogan: Drop pies, not bombs. I see thousands of pies with little parachutes . . .
My late MIL stopped portion arguments with her three sons by ruling that whoever cut the pieces had to choose last. They learned to be very precise and she was out of it . . .

[NancyP]

I'm thankful for all your kind wishes.

[Alan P.]

My Grandfather would cook the turkey. He would also render down the fat and make grebbens (Fried turkey skin. Think pork rinds, but Kosher and poultry). My mom tried to stop him from eating them. Grandpa lived to be 90.

For the first few years we were married, Molly would work on Thanksgiving as a youth director. She would be out of town having horrid meals (to this day they have not changed the form to include, 'I am a vegetarian but would like a turkey Thanksgiving dinner' as an option. So the staff get the uneaten veggie plates.) I would have dinner with my family and then desserts with Molly's.

Shortly the girls will be hearing the household tradition of "Two Thanksgiving Dinners." It is an old column by St. Louis' favorite columnist on Thanksgiving dinner in divorced households and one solution.

[gaylin in Vancouver]

Alan, I would love to try grebbens!

My german ex-inlaws would roast goose and when the fat in the bottom of the pan had congealed they would spread the fat on toast. Yech.

[marie]

Nancy P..feel better soon.
Thanks for all your witty and fun posts this year.

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

How did I miss this??? My mother made two turkeys every year...one with regular stuffing, which we kids loved. And one with oyster stuffing, which we kids HATED. Loathed. Yuck. No way we were going to eat that.

MAny years later, when I was about..twenty-five..I was in the kitchen when mom was getting ready to put the turkeys in the oven. She put the SAME stuffing in both turkeys. Oyster.

I was shocked--terrified! She was making such a huge mistake!

Mom! I shrieked, You're putting oyster stuffing in BOTH turkeys.

Of course I am, dear, she said. That's what I've always done..you think I'd make two different stuffings? Forget about it!

For all those years, she'd been putting....and we'd been eating...Sigh.

[Sandi]

I just returned from Thanksgiving at my aunt's house. We're in Wisconsin and most of my family are big Packers fans, so we scheduled our meal around the game. Everyone was happy, so who cares if it wasn't exactly "famiy time." I brought dessert and completely trashed the kitchen this morning in the process. Pumpkin pie filling leaked from the food processor, coating the counter, the sink, the floor, the front of the cupboards and the oven mitt. It also splattered all over the stove top. Fortunately there was exactly enough left to fill the pie crust and seven custard cups (for the aunt who doesn't like crust). It just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie! I was afraid I'd be coming home with 3/4 of a peanut butter chocolate pie, and the experimental cherry cranberry pie would turn out inedible, but fortunately both went over well. I still have far too much dessert in my fridge, though.

[Margaret Maron]

Nancy, with all the good wishes coming your way, you should be well enough by now to tell us the name of the book that's inspiring you.

Love the 7 pies. What a wise woman.

My 14-year-old g'daughter's taken desserts as her specialty. She brought an apple pie and a cheesecake to die for -- so rich that I would indeed die if I had a second slice: A sort of brownie bottom crust, vanilla cheesecake in the middle, with a glaze of hard bittersweet choc. Oh my! Our granddog's here, too, looking soulful every time anyone approaches the turkey for sandwiches or salad. When his people weren't watching, I let him lick the juices from the turkey platter before I stuck it in the dishwasher. He seemed very thankful.

[Storyteller Mary]

Trying again . . . please be nice, Mr. Typepad . . .

Sandi, I'd love to be at your house -- though darling Kathy did send me home with some pie -- pumpkin, cherry, and pecan -- small slices and some turkey, so I'm quite content! (a friend's blender did exactly that to me when I was making cheesecake at his house. A friend who had borrowed it for daiquiris had left off a part when returning it. I was less fortunate; he had to go buy more ingredients, and I had to remake the recipe).
My dad used to tell us that he and his buddies would have multiple Thanksgiving dinners, going in turn to everyone's house. Teen-age boys do have notorious appetites.

[Reine]

Hank, I made it through the day without pigging out. Thanks for the encouragement back a couple of weeks. I'm finding more pleasure in that accomplishment than any I have e et had in eating wonderful food.

Nancy, can you tell us the name of that helpful book?

Alan, all dads should be so attentive. And I love fried turkey skin! I know it isn't nearly as good, but I've developed a nearly as good baked version.

[Reine]

Alan -- OK that didn't make sense -- what I just said . . . "not nearly as good" but "nearly as good." Think it's late?

Thoughts on today: Why is it I'm surprised when my adult son looks at the platter and says, "Lovely presentation, Mummie."

[pat pennhallow-adams]

I remember as a child we always went to my grandmothers (MOMS MOM) for thanksgiving. wow there was so much food, and we always loved to put olives on our fingers because grandma was doing it and we didnt get into trouble. miss you grandma