New Traditions for Thanksgiving

 

With my mom standing at number 1 on the waiting list for a senior apartment, this very likely could be the last Thanksgiving celebration we have in our family home.  We have encouraged mom to let the house go to another family, as it is too costly for her to maintain.  It took her awhile to get to the place where she was ready to let it go...she raised two girls, had a son, lost her son, remodeled every inch of the place, and cared for her husband while he fought cancer and eventually losing that battle.  The house held a lot of memories, or, was it her?  Of course, the answer is her, wherever she is, so are all the memories.

So we are looking now at closing a chapter on the house on Lake Street.  I hope we will use the Frankoma brown dishes, with all the matching serving pieces.  Those dishes will be divided between my sister and me after Thanksgiving.  Mom cannot take all those dishes with her in her new tiny place.  It would be fun to use them together one last time.  As we wash them up, we can divide them and crate them to take home.

Mom is making the turkey.  She has done this for 50 of my growing up years, as I recollect.  Mom doesn't claim to be a good cook, that's probably because her own mother, my Grandmother Lorraine Wilson Holt, was a fabulous cook.  Mom cooks pretty good, I think.  I love her potato soup and the way she makes hamburgers and fried potatoes.  Yum.   She will make a green bean casserole, sweet potatoes with marshmallow topping, mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey gravy and cranberry sauce.  In the past she has made the noodles, but I am going to take on that task this year.

I will admit, I am a bit nervous about making the noodles.  For YEARS Tammi and I have made fun of mom and her noodles.  They are on the chewy side.  Mom said her mother's noodles were always tender and melt-in-your-mouth texture.  Frankly, I like the chewy noodles!  Mom has always liked our teasing, but I am not sure I have the same grit as her.  I guess we will be finding out. 

Tammi always makes the rolls.  She used to use Grandma Holt's recipe, but I believe she has found her own that she likes better.  All I know is, if I have Tammi's rolls, Mom's noodles and a slice of dark meat turkey, I can call that Thanksgiving!

Ashley has had nothing good to say about Thanksgiving food ever since she was able to say, No!  The only thing she would eat were noodles and sometimes a roll.  Now Mom will make her meatloaf, Bob will bring roasted Brussels Sprouts and I have promised to make mini brie and apple quiches. She'll have her own style of Thanksgiving!

Typically I would bring pies but this year mom wanted to order them from a lady in Marceline.  Mom loves her pies and mine usually were squashed by the time we hauled them up to Marceline.  My favorite memory of my pies was the last Thanksgiving when Dad was still alive, I made a pumpkin pie using honey instead of sugar.  He said it was the best pumpkin pie he ever had.  He offered so few compliments that I was really excited about this one!

I am excited about seeing my cousins, my nephews and their families, my sister and mom and spending time with Ashley and Eric and Bob.  Who knows what memories we will be making this year!