"It is the poet's job to remember"
Gerald Stern

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

A Grown Daughter's First Thanksgiving

(In loving memory of all the Moms and holiday cooks whose chairs are empty at our tables)


For many years my mother and aunts hosted all the holiday dinners. We gathered on a more or less rotating basis at the table of whoever was cooking, my young cousins and I never giving it much thought except to agree that the day was always delicious.


Somewhere along a not very clearly drawn line, the torch was passed and my generation became the dinner doers. The graying and slightly fragile women took a well deserved backseat to the hubbub, appearing with a baked offering and memories to be shared from a comfortable seat out of the kitchen. I accepted my torch willingly and held the holiday Olympics at my table for 20 years or so.


Last year, my daughter married and moved into her new home. She reminded my mother that she had long ago promised her Great Grandma’s dining room furniture. Moving day found it in her dining room with my daughter excitedly promising that the next holiday, Thanksgiving, would be at her house. I held my breath a little. Could the next relay of the torch be commencing?


In early November, the discussions began. “Mom, you are going to bring the stuffed mushrooms?” my daughter asked. “You know they’re my favorite and nobody makes them like you do.”


“Of course,” I told her. How easy, I thought. Just make the mushrooms. I’ll finally get to watch the parade on Thanksgiving morning. I could see myself lounging on the sofa, sipping coffee and watching the balloons float past Macys.

“How about making the stuffing?” My daughter asked a few days later. “You make the best stuffing, “ she went on, “It’s the only kind we like.” Well okay, mushrooms and stuffing. Still pretty easy. I can do it the night before and still relax all morning. “No problem,” I agreed.


Then the matter of the old oven in her new house and its unreliability surfaced. They were going to try to replace it after the holiday, my daughter explained. It wasn’t working quite right. I envisioned a half-cooked turkey or dinner eaten at midnight after waiting hours for the bird to brown. “Since I’m already making the stuffing, why don’t I just cook the turkey at my house and bring it over?” I said. “Fine, “ she said. “Oh, and could you make the gravy? Mine never tastes as good as yours.”


“Well, I guess I’ll make it at your house while you’re getting everything else together,” I told her, making a mental note to add the necessary ingredients to my shopping list.


My son asked if I would please make the candied yams. “I don’t think Lorraine know how to make them,” he said, frowning at the thought of his favorite part of the meal tasting any different. “And you’re making the pumpkin pie, right? Yours is the best.” I nodded and added it all to the list.


I bought the ingredients and located the baking dish for the green bean casserole before I was asked.


Wednesday afternoon the aromas in my house teased of the next day’s feast. All requests were finally completed and stowed in the refrigerator sometime after midnight. I roused myself at 3 a.m. to get the 20 pound turkey stuffed and in the oven, having calculated extra cooling, wrapping and transporting time into the usual minutes per pound rule. This of course was after my earlier nightgown clad run to the backyard trash can to retrieve the turkey wrapper that stated exactly how Tom weighed in.


Later that morning I packed up the hot turkey and it’s trimmings. On the fifth or sixth trip to the car I caught a glimpse of the Macy’s Parade Santa as the credits rolled, continuing my personal 20 year tradition. Heaven knows that I’d hardly recognize him without the words scrolling over his beard and button nose.


My daughter was setting the table and opening cans of olives when we arrived. Hunks of cheese and marinated mushrooms straight from the jar gave off a lovely aroma from the wedding gift serving dishes being used for the first time. “I made a chocolate pie,” she told me. “You know, instant pudding in a graham cracker crust.” “Uh huh,” I said as I handed her two pumpkin pies and the apple pie I knew my brother liked.


I heated and stirred and concocted the gravy from my arsenal of mobile ingredients. She boiled potatoes so I could mash them but I was relieved of that task when she accidentally dumped them down the drain.


We finally gathered around Great Grandma’s table sparkling with the new china and crystal on it’s maiden voyage. Satisfied looks and groans assured that dinner was just as expected. As always, food and conversation were savored far into the evening.


Much later when the dishes were done and the leftover packed up for journey home with their perspective takers, I eased myself into the corner of the sofa and relaxed. My middle-aged muscles ached and I gave into the overwhelming urge to close my eyes. I was just drifting off comfortably when my daughter plopped down beside me. Leaning against me she exhaled a long sigh.


“I’m exhausted,” she exclaimed. “This sure was a lot of work.” She paused and I felt her nodding her head with conviction. “I think we should have Thanksgiving at your house next year,” she said firmly.


I pretended to be asleep.



Linda Radice 2003

(Note: This article was previously published in the Westfield Leader Newspaper, November 17,2003.)

2 comments:

  1. 2
    CIAO A TUTTI. SONO SIMONA PREMOLI, EX AMANTE DI MARINA BERLUSCONI PER BEN 13 ANNI ( E 13 ANI... CHE MI SON DOVUTA RIFARE, IN QUANTO LA LESBICA PERVERTITA E SATANISTA, ANZI, SATANAZISTA MARINA BERLUSCONI, AMA TANTISSIMO VENIRE SODOMIZZATA MA PURE SODOMIZZARE). E MOLTO STRETTA COLLABORATRICE DELLA CIA IN DIVERSI PAESI DEL MONDO ( BERLUSCONIA, WASHINGTON DC, PUERTO RICO, REPUBBLICA DOMINICANA, INGHILTERRA, SVIZZERA, ECT ECT).
    https://twitter.com/premolisimona?lang=en
    https://twitter.com/PremoliSimona/status/937885752003723265
    https://twitter.com/premolisimona/status/876055837420158976
    https://twitter.com/PremoliSimona/status/946915645756715009
    https://twitter.com/PremoliSimona/status/946923968245784576
    https://twitter.com/PremoliSimona/status/977570748847050754
    https://plus.google.com/113646548587006228899
    https://it.linkedin.com/pub/dir/Simona/Premoli
    OLTRE CHE PORNOSTAR AMATORIALE DI ENORME SUCCESSO. HO APPENA FINITO DI GIRARE A MIAMI IL MIO GRANDISSIMO NUOVO PORN MOVIE, DAL TITOLO LUNGO, MA ELOQUENTISSIMO " LECCO LA FIGA DI MARINA BERLUSCONI, GIORNO E NOTTE, ANCHE NEI SUOI UFFICI DI (MA)FI(A)NINVEST " ( IN ANTEPRIMA MONDIALE, SI, MONDIALE, VI FACCIO VEDERE UNA VINCENTISSIMA FOTO DEL FILM
    http://it.cultura.linguistica.narkive.com/XV3Bw8gY/sono-simona-premoli-ex-amante-lesbica-di-marina-berlusconi-e-per-ben-13-anni-e-13-ani-che-mi-sono:i.1.1.thumb ). SON PURE STATA PER TANTISSIMO TEMPO, COMPLICE, COLLUSA, STRETTISSIMA COLLABORATRICE DEL NEO PIDUISTA, NONCHE' MEGA RICICLA SOLDI DI MAFIE DI TUTTO IL MONDO: GIANPIERO SAMORÌ DEL CRIMINALISSIMO MOVIMENTO "MODERATI (MALAVITOSI) IN RIVOLUZIONE". MA ORA DICO BASTA A STA MERDA DI COSA NOSTRA, CAMORRA E NDRANGHETA FINANZIARIA CHE DA SEMPRE STI PEZZI DI MERDA BERLUSCONICCHI RAPPRESENTANO ( VI ASSICURO, SPESSO PURE PEDOFILI, STRAGISTI ED ASSASSINI, IN QUANTO ORDINANTI DOZZINE DI STRAGI E MIGLIAIA DI OMICIDI MASCHERATI DA FINTI SUICIDI, MALORI ED INCIDENTI, IL TUTTO VIA VARIE LORO LOGGE MASSONICHE OMICIDA....NE ERO DENTRO FINO AL COLLO, QUINDI SO' QUESTO ALLA PERFEZIONE PER AVERLO VISSUTO, NON SOLO VISTO... I BASTARDI ASSASSINI E STRAGISTI SILIVO BERLUSCONI ED ENNIO DORIS ORDINANO DOZZINE DI STRAGI E CENTINAIA DI OMICIDI MASCHERATI DA FINTI SUICIDI, MALORI ED INCIDENTI, IL TUTTO VIA VARIE LORO LOGGE MASSONICHE KILLER, COME ANCHE ATTRAVERSO MAFIA, CAMORRA, NDRANGHETA, A CUI LAVANO MONTAGNE DI SOLDI ZUPPI DI SANGUE DI MORTI AMMAZATI, ED ANCOR PIU', ATTRAVERSO LORO SANGUINARIE NUOVE OVRA E GESTAPO, SIA PUBBLICHE CHE PRIVATE) .

    ReplyDelete
  2. 3
    AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN...
    L'IMMENSO PRENDI CAZZI IN CULO LUIGI BERLUSCONI (FIDANZATA-WIKIPEDIA-PADRE SPAPPOLA MAGISTRATI E SBAUSCIA TROIE POCO PIU' CHE BAMBINE, SILVIO BERLUSCONI..... " PER SEMPRE FUORI DAI COGLIONI") MEGA RICICLA SOLDI ASSASSINI A RAFFICA! PROPRIO COME ACCADEVA NELLA SCHIFOSA, MALAVITOSA, DAVVERO BASTARDA BANCA RASINI DEL TOPO DI FOGNA LUIGI BERLUSCONI "NONNO"
    http://susannaambivero.blogspot.com/2009/08/rasini-la-banca-di-berlusconi-e-della.html COME D' ALTRONDE, PURE NELLA MALAVITOSISSIMA FININVEST DEL SUO PEZZO DI MERDA PADRE, NOTO PEDOFILO SPAPPOLA MAGISTRATI SILVIO BERLUSCONI http://www.antimafiaduemila.com/home/primo-piano/68166-berlusconi-soldi-e-boss-mafiosi-negli-appunti-di-falcone.html ). E STA CREANDO, ORA, NUOVE OVRA E GHESTAPO DEL WEB!! COL PRIMA CITATO MERDONE BERLUSCONICCHIO MARCO CARRAI DI CGNAL, COL NAZI-ST-ALKER, ACCERTATO PEDERASTA INCULA BAMBINI, FREQUENTISSIMO MANDANTE DI OMICIDI, GIA' TRE VOLTE FINITO IN CARCERE: PAOLO BARRAI NATO A MILANO IL 28.6.1965 ( O FREQUENTISSIMO MANDANTE DI OMICIDI, GIA' TRE VOLTE FINITO IN CARCERE: PAOLO PIETRO BARRAI NATO A MILANO IL 28.6.1965 CHE SIA)!!! E SIA CHIARO, PLEASE: IO SONO SIMONA PREMOLI DI MILANO. SONO L'EX AMANTE LESBICA DI MARINA BERLUSCONI. GLI HO LECCATO LA FIGA E GLI HO MESSI AGGEGGI SESSUALI NEL DI DIETRO PER BEN 13 ANNI. SE VI E' UNA AMICA INTIMA DI LGBT QUELLA SONO PROPRIO IO. MA IL MONDO INTERO LO DEVE SAPERE A TUTTI I COSTI: IL SEMPRE SBORRATO IN CULO LUIGI BERLUSCONI PRENDE CAZZI DI 30 CM IN SU FINO ALLA PROSTATA, FA BOCCHINI SU BOCCHINI E BEVE LITRI SU LITRI DI SBORRA MASCHILE. E' UN OMOSESSUALE PERSO, PRESTO, MOLTO PROBABILMENTE, SI FARA' ANCHE LA OPERAZIONE E DIVERRA' TRANS!
    LEGGETEMI ATTENTISSIMAMENTE, PLEASE, E' PER IL VOSTRO BENE, PER LA VOSTRA SALVEZZA! IL CIUCCIA E PRENDI MEGA CAZZI A GO GO LUIGI BERLUSCONI (BACIO RICCHIONESCHISSIMO QUI http://www.si24.it/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/luigi-berlusconi--600x300.jpg ) NATO IN FIGHETTINA ARLESHEIM (CH) IL 27.9.1988.... L'OMOSESSUALE ^OCCULTO^ LUIGI BERLUSCONI http://www.leggo.it/gossip/news/luigi_berlusconi_bacio_sulla_bocca_ad_un_amico_la_barba-2548577.html
    DI BASTARDAMENTE CRIMINALE ELIGOTECH AMSTERAM, BASTARDAMENTE CRIMINALE SOLDO LTD LONDON E BASTARDAMENTE CRIMINALE BANCA MEDIOLANUM (CHE RICICLANO MONTAGNE DI € MAFIOSI, ESATTAMENTE COME FACEVA LA CRIMINALISSIMA BANCA RASINI DI SUO NONNO, TOPO DI FOGNA LUIGI BERLUSCONI ....O COME FACEVA E FA ORA PIU' CHE MAI, LA FININVEST DEL PEDOFILO SPAPPOLANTE FALCONE E BORSELLINO: SILVIO BERLUSCONI
    http://www.vnews24.it/2014/05/29/borsellino-sentenza-choc-stragi-commissionate-berlusconi/ ), INSIEME AL BERLUS-CO-RROTTO VERME MARCO CARRAI DI CGNAL, CREA NAZITECNOLOGICHE NUOVE OVRA E GHESTAPO DEL WEB!
    IN ULTERIE UNIONE COL NOTO ANTI SEMITA, GIA' 3 VOLTE FINITO IN CARCERE, MEGA RICICLA SOLDI MAFIOSI E PERICOLOSISSIMO PEDOFILO PAOLO BARRAI O PAOLO PIETRO BARRAI, NATO A MILANO IL 28.6.1965 ( FINITO IN CARCERE PURE IN BRASILE, ED ANCHE PER PEDERASTIA: INCULAVA A PORTO SEGURO TANTI BAMBINI: NE SCRIVEREMO PRESTO, SU SUTI ANCHE DI MARTE E VENERE, NON SOLO DI TUTTO QUESTO "PIANETUCCIO"
    http://www.rotadosertao.com/images/fotos/fotos_noticias/testao.jpg
    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aqbT4KlYsmw/TcLbvUUpkeI/AAAAAAAAAe4/TiDPLR0LH_U/s1600/barrai+ind-pag01.jpg
    https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.soft-sys.matlab/j3oyd-SmJ88 )!

    ReplyDelete