Thanksgiving

Or, maybe more to the point, 

Thanksgivings past.

This is from 2008.

Gaye and I have been spending 

Thanksgiving mornings together

for MANY years.

We had some *interesting*

Thanksgivings.

Most notably, the one when I prepared

pretty much the entire meal in crockpots

and then transported them to 

Carriage Oaks

because Big wasn't well enough

to travel to my house.

Last year was our first one without mom.

Mom wore that sweatshirt every year.

I wanted to strangle her every year.

It was complicated. 

But, it makes me smile now.

Gaye and I cooked 

Thanksgiving dinner together last year.

We both knew we'd need each other for that one. 

Gaye now has twin grand daughters.

Even I know to not get between a grandma

and her grandloves.

I knew last year that Gaye wouldn't be

cooking with me this year.

I've had a whole year to get comfortable

with the idea of a totally different 

Thanksgiving this year.

For that, I am thankful.

I'm pretty sure Mike's parents will stay

hunkered down and safe in their own apartment.

This year it will be Mike, Ava and me.

It'll be different.

it's fine. 

But, some things remain.