When I think back to Thanksgiving Day when I was young (yes I have a few memories from that far back), I seem to remember each Thanksgiving being about the same. My mom would cook for days. We would all eat with me and my cousins sitting at the kids table. Then we would play outside while my uncles fell asleep watching football. A little later it would be pie time as the desserts came out. I had one Aunt who could never decide between the apple pie or pumpkin pie so she would decide to do something we now call “The Braley Way”: a small piece of each. Try it the next time you can’t decide. Oh and I can’t forget going to my Uncle Al’s house on Thanksgiving night where Aunt Marge insisted, “Oh, let me make you a plate! You can’t go home hungry!” Ok! Here comes meal #3!
The first few years Priscilla and I were married we did the “in-law shuffle”: Dinner at my side of the family and then a second dinner at her side. After a couple years of overeating we figured out that if WE hosted the dinner we’d only have to eat once.
When the children were younger, Thanksgiving seemed to be about the same year after year. The numbers around the table changed a bit as time went on. Things really seemed to change when they got older and started their own lives.
Now of course we have the U.S. Navy influencing our holiday plans.
For those that don’t know, my son Doug, his wife Marla, and my son-in-law Steven are all in the Navy and they have all spent holiday time away from home. Doug and Steven are currently deployed on the USS George H.W. Bush and they’ll be away for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. We don’t really know where they are which I think is the way the Navy wants things I guess.
The last time Doug was deployed for Thanksgiving I remember emailing him and saying, “At least they cook you a Thanksgiving dinner out there right?” He responded and told me that while they do cook a Thanksgiving dinner, he was on the night shift so that by the time he got to eat… he had something with gravy on it and some mozzarella sticks. And he’s done it again this time as he’s working the night shift on this deployment.
Last year the Bush was in port at Norfolk but my son-in-law Steven had duty. I never quite understand duty. They have to be onboard for 24 hours. I guess they have to make sure no one steals the ship. They did serve a turkey dinner and the immediate families were invited so that was cool.
(Photo cred: Sarah Perez)
He missed the dinner with us but at least he got to spend some time with his wife and son.
This year we’re all scattered. Doug and Steven are somewhere out there. My daughter-in-law is in Virginia Beach but at least the Navy gave her the weekend off. Her family will be visiting so she’s not alone. As you may know, Sarah and my grandson, Liam, are here with Priscilla and my son Matt. And my daughter Kat and her new husband Josh will join us when Kat is done with her high school football game.
(Photo cred: Lancers.photography)
She’s the athletic trainer at Norton High School. We’ve had to move dinner a little later but that’s okay.
Our day usually starts with recording the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. We started doing that a few years ago because my wife never had a chance to watch it because she was busy cooking. An added bonus we discovered was that now we can fast forward through the commercials and any other act we don’t want to see. We’re pretty big football fans in my house so we watch all the games. It’s an added bonus to have the Patriots playing this year.
I do miss the big newspaper we used to get on Thanksgiving. We used to pass around the flyers and start thanking about Christmas shopping. Now you just go through all of the emails you get from the stores.
I am thankful that even though we are spread out around the country, and around the world this year, we will somehow connect. It might be through email, FaceTime or Facebook messenger but somehow we all connect.
I hope you have a wonderful holiday and are able to connect with those you love. I also want to say thank you for taking the time to read my ramblings over the years. Please know that I truly appreciate it.
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