Holiday Donkey

A long time ago my husband and I didn't have time to take off from work and travel to either his parent's or my parent's house for Thanksgiving.  Instead we stayed at home.  He watched football and I cut up magazines, you know, the "wishlist"; the things I wanted, the things I liked or the way I wanted to look.  It was on that day that I discovered Verushka, a tall, leggy model.  Yes, I wanted to look like her. I may still have her picture somewhere, and for the record, I never looked like her.

About 4:30 in the afternoon an immense sadness crept over me.  I suggested we go to a new store (a Convenient Store) and buy a turkey t.v. dinner.  We did just that and as I ate the turkey slices from the aluminum section and the corn from the other section, I vowed that we would never again  be without family on Thanksgiving. 

It was perfect timing because the next year, our first daughter was five months old and we would always be with family.  We prepared our first Thanksgiving dinner for both of our families and it was delicious, even the permission pudding (which was more like a flan).  It was to be one of thirty something Thanksgiving dinners I would make.  Often, after lunch, we would do something crafty.  Many years I started my woodcut for my Christmas cards or we played board games.  

One year when our second daughter was about eight years old, she taped the "Holiday Donkey" on the back of the door.  It started out as a "tape the tail on the donkey" game, but ended up with a pilgrim hat and of course for Christmas it got a red nose taped on it.  I love that horse.

I am a "tradition" person, and there is always room for change. The last five years the kids have assumed the roles of cooks and chefs and prepared delicious meals for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.They have children of their own now.  It is sad to let it go, but what a wonderful, delightful change to "go" to Thanksgiving dinner.   Have a Happy Thanksgiving everybody!  Don't eat too much!