College friends in our tiny apartment eating on two mattresses on the floor.
I can’t believe it’s already November. To make it worse, everywhere I look poor Thanksgiving is being squeezed out by all the holiday stuff. What the hell?
It’s too bad because a day devoted to being thankful that includes food overload is my kind of holiday. I’ve always loved it — so much, that in college, we made Thanksgiving dinner and ate on two mattresses on the floor because we didn’t have a table big enough.
In preparation, I was watching a video of a mid 80s Tunno Thanksgiving. My brother, Bernie recorded it for me because I’d moved to California and was very homesick. My nephews are small, loud, running around, and everyone’s talking in my parents’ crowded dining room. My mom’s scurrying around the oven in a white dress with big blue polkadots. Bernie describes her as a large, rapidly moving Swiss cheese.
The Tunno Family at Thanksgiving circa 1980.
My favorite part is when she’s trying to say grace and finally yells, “Shut uppa!” Then without a breath taken, launches immediately into, “Inna da name offa da Father, da Son anna da Holy Spirit.” She then says this very earnest blessing:
“Bless ussa o Lord and dese dye gift which we are bound to receive, from dye boundy, troo Christ our Lord Amen.” Then she adds: “Tang a you God for da grace anna blessing you have a bestayed (bestowed) upon a me anna my husband anna my children. I tang a you God for dissa beoodeful day wid alla my family around a me.” Then she dips a tiny whisk into holy water from our church and liberally drenches everyone at the table with it, as if she was Pope Francis himself.
God, I miss that woman!
Yummy spiced cranberries – our family favorite.
So, if your family is still with you, heed this advice. Force yourself to have no expectations and just enjoy them, embracing whatever happens. Listen to them and laugh with them…OK — maybe at them. Commit their best lines to memory, or record them. Drench them with holy water. Don’t worry about your bills, your weight or how sad you’ll be once they die, just be present and have fun. You don’t know it, but you’re creating a memory you’re going to rely on someday. Make it a good one.
Since Christmas is quickly eclipsing Thanksgiving, I’m giving Turkey Day its due. I’m offering my favorite recipe for stuffing and my favorite spiced cranberry sauce recipe. My daughter used to snuggle in our burgundy afghan on the floor in the glow of the fireplace eating bowls of this cranberry sauce while reading her favorite books.
And if you’re in the mood, here’s another Thanksgiving story. It’s about the Thanksgiving my brother Bob brought home the girl he eventually married and how my mom roped her into being her personal secretary. It’s called, Tang God for Patty, A Thanksgiving Story…Sort Of.
Click on that highlighted link to read it.
(A quick note: If you’re one of those stinking overachievers who simply must get all your holiday shopping done before Thanksgiving, then, at least, have the decency to buy something from my store!) Happy Thanksgiving!
http://www.zazzle.com/gettasmmadis+gifts
Fran’s Sausage Chestnut Stuffing
Cook stuffing according to directions, melting 1/4 cup butter in 1 1/2 cups water then adding the stuffing mix once the butter melts. Add the celery, chestnuts and sausage to the stuffing mixture. If not stuffing the turkey right away, store stuffing in refrigerator.
*All you purists out there, don’t mock me for using Stove Top. Until I am a woman of leisure, it’s the easy way and I’m a fan of easy during the holidays.
Ingredients
Spiced Cranberry Sauce
Rinse the cranberries and remove any stems. Drain them and place them in a medium sauce pot. Add the water, sugar, and ground cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Turn the heat to medium and stir. After a few minutes the berries will begin to pop. Let them cook for about five to seven minutes or until the berries are mostly popped. Cover with a lid and let the sauce cool. It will become gel-like. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to use. Will keep for a month or more.