I do not know why it is the clearest memory but when I think of Thanksgiving, I think of this one particular year when I was either 15 or 16. My grandmother had to have dialysis that day so she and my papaw were off to there, my (chosen) brothers and sister were staying with us on school break, and my mom went and got my cousin from the home from mentally handicapped where he lived.
This particular Thanksgiving was actually the last holiday we had at home with my family all together. My mom was cooking and any chance she could grab a kid to help she would. Mostly though after breakfast we kids went outside and Cookie (the oldest boy) was determined to teach me how to throw a spiral. Might add that not only did he teach me I have shown quite a few people how to do that since then. We played in the leaves of fall but the temperature of summer. Just a normal thanksgiving for us Louisiana kids.
I’ll admit I would normally stay in the house and put-up Christmas or help my grandma and mom cook but if I was honest, I didn’t feel comfortable around my cousin. He was my mom’s age and called her mom. Every time we went to see him in the past, we would buy him things to take to him, and for a little kid that was a lot to understand. So, I think a lot of my uncomfortableness was from that little child feeling that as a teenager I barely even remembered. So, we literally stayed outside all day. It was a really fun day. I’m sure we argued because the guy’s little sister went in to help my mom. More than likely she was pissed at us older kids for not letting her do something we were doing. It’s surprising Robert or I didn’t end up being black and blue because honestly, we fought and fought hard all the time.
Mom and my cousin ate, I waited on my grandparents. Soon after they were back home mom took my cousin home and we all had Thanksgiving dinner. This is my most clear memory of Thanksgiving.
On Thanksgiving before and ritually, I’d wake up and watch the parades in my night clothes. I’d have breakfast which was either a tower of pancakes big to tiny or cinnamon rolls. Always bacon on the side of both. Then I would help put Christmas up or chop vegetables, and sometimes make desserts. I always take out the china and get it and the silverware ready to use for our meal. That was my one major job “setting the table”. When Uncle Ruby was alive, he would either be burning leaves or receiving guests of great aunts and uncles with their kids and grandkids. Papaw would normally be off visiting his congregation and the sick. He would come home when we told him to. Papaw was not one to miss meals lol. My nana and mom would have cooked and told me what to do with the Christmas décor all day.
It was a simple life but it was my life and I had a lot of lovely memories of Thanksgiving. Holidays were huge for me because I rarely got in trouble on the holidays and everyone I loved was altogether in decent moods.
Hope you and your family have a beautiful Holliday being thankful for the people and things you have in your life. Sending all my love xoxo
Finding Evie 