Your Thanksgiving(s): A "Party" or a "Summons"?

I think this yesterday was an intense day for millions (all) of us with family and/or immediate social circles.

It's been all over the news, of course, as the "trending keyword" du jour......

I went to my brother's home. It was the first time ever that my mom didn't hostess the event. Kids are now grown up, and our whole 25-year routine has made a huge transition with new in-laws, distance commuting, etc. My brother is a very intense guy, and we often have not gotten along. I anticipated we would either totally ignore the current climate (social AND environmental) and the DAPL, and probably the election....

or they would discuss it and I would sit wordless and listen.

Thankfully it was the former. In past years I have dreaded these events....and this is brother to whom I was very close before we both got married and had kids. Now we are rebuilding some sort of tenuous relationship back up again....now it didn't seem so much a "Summons". It was more of a "Party". I'm grateful for that.

Just wondered if anyone else wanted to share your experience and how your posse is doing....

One thing that SHOULD HAVE been on our minds, considering that my brother is a geology engineer who works with underground chemical storage safety technology.....

is that NO ONE talked about the DAPL.

The treatment of those indigenous people is appalling. Did your group even bring it up? I was not about to.....that would have been as awkward as knocking the fully-loaded (and beautifully presented) table over........

and I wasn't feeling enraged or bottled up. Just curious to see if there would be a mutual outcry. Unfortunately the sentiment is shared by my kids and their Dad's family - no one really in my tribe speaks of it. Which I think is odd. My uncle is also a geologist and pro photographer of the desert southwest. If he is concerned, I don't know anything about it.

I wonder why it was not a topic? Especially the juxtaposition of the "true" Thanksgiving story with the militarized cops up there.....does no one else care?

It almost sounds like you want a heated discussion with family.
Maybe just enjoy the holiday and the family.

Since have no family other than daughter who havent got to see for the past 3.5 years since her mother took her an ran off with her boyfriend .

Was just me and old friend Jimmy Beam quietly spending the day .

originally posted by: Bluntone22
It almost sounds like you want a heated discussion with family.
Maybe just enjoy the holiday and the family.

What?

I just said I enjoyed the holiday. I was asking how YOUR Thanksgivings go. The "fake media" has been making a big deal about how families have been ripped apart, friendships severed, explosive emotionality preventing getting together.....

I AM ASKING A QUESTION.

But naturally, YOU decided it was going to be about a fight, and then YOU started it. So - there we are.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

Well, it was pretty fantastic after all.

The bird was juicy and I had surprise visit from my niece and her two daughters. My daughters were leaving and going shopping so I was a little sad at the thought of being alone. One of her daughters is shiny and brand new (just a few months old) and still has that new baby smell.

Her father (my BIL) came along and his typical overindulgence in alcohol didn't even bother me much this year and we shared a laugh or two.

I played with little baby girls, talked to my young niece longer and more deeply than we had in years, wound up eating only a turkey sammich (which is typical I don't think I've eaten the whole meal in years), took massive amounts of photos and videos so all in all it was great.

Texted for hours, off and on, with a very special friend on the phone who always makes me smile.

I'm glad yours was good also.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs


Well I guess I missed your point. I doubt I'm the only one.
But "YOU" sure seemed ready to blast somebody.

I got the impression you were ready to argue with relatives over DAPL philosophies.
Sorry if that was wrong.

And we had a great thanksgiving.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

i sacrificed a dozen souls or so
painted myself in blood
and danced around the fire

My family performed the usual rituals
trying to bind me into the earth
they try every year.....

This year is a year most of the clan visits in-laws, except, a few stragglers and hermits. My older sister, ever the boss, had decided to go out to a country club instead of hosting, in house, the related remnants o' family.

It was better than I thought it would be in a way. Didn't have to start cooking, and so therefore, clean up later. The food was good (I had the Prime Roasted Beast), but, the intangibles were missing.

The smells of Thanksgiving dinner cooking - sooo good. The sounds of 4 adult siblings, with their various broods of nieces and nephews, running around like mad - the muted din of voices. We are a loud tribe. Watching the football game and drinking one more because of the loss, or win, depending. Good Stuff.

And yet still, I sat, witnessed, and marveled at my older sister's sons for they had morphed into fine young men now, the sophomore year at Stout. Enjoyed the talk of Deer Season with my brother in law. Saw the look in my sister's eyes when she realized I may have to carry our Mother's plate to the table... there one moment, then gone the next because she still knows what an amazingly formidable lady our mother is. All the women in my family are fighters. The sword is blunted, but not dulled.

A fine day indeed.

ps... I gotta turn off a Christmas Carol when typing...

originally posted by: kibric
a reply to: BuzzyWigs

i sacrificed a dozen souls or so
painted myself in blood
and danced around the fire

My family performed the usual rituals
trying to bind me into the earth
they try every year.....

Just snorted beverage EVERYWHERE.

Usually Holidays are "Command Performances" no opting out unless you are deceased. This year was Absolutely Amazing! Family bugged out to visit far flung members, Kids were all tied up with In-Law "command performances" So I escaped scot free!

Turkey was done before midnight, Yay Team Slackers!!! Had holiday minimalist dinner with friends. Topics of conversation went along the lines of, Gee! It's 7pm....lets draw straws for who gets stuck making the green been casserole! Aw hell! vegetables are over rated anyways....Here, shuffling deck of cards, low card has to make the gravy!
I made homemade cranberry sauce for the very first time and there were Oooo's an Ahhhhs as none of us knew when you par boiled cranberries they POP!

Sadly ALL of us are adults with years of cooking and festive parties behind us.
We have now renamed the event "The Slackers Ball" and are planning another for Christmas! Dinner to be served between 11pm and Midnight, the laziest cook will be awarded a prize.IE you have between noon and 11pm to procrastinate making anything edible. Awards will also be given for the most ugly mismatched loungwear outfit!

This years winner was sporting a pink camo John Deer sweatshirt and absolutely FUGLY plaid lounge pants accessorized by halloween skeleton socks and berkenstock sandals.

One stray cat and possum were treated to a warm dinner plate of shrimp, turkey and wet food, topped with gravy.
Life stopped briefly at 6pm as Arlo Guthries "Alices Restaurant" played on the radio.
Prayers were put up for those at Standing Rock, and all Water Walkers.

All in all one of the BEST holiday days I've ever had.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

now it didn't seem so much a "Summons". It was more of a "Party". I'm grateful for that.

That makes me very happy! How very cool that you were prepared for the worst, but received the best. That's a happy Thanksgiving.

We got through dinner with no political talk, and then after dinner while enjoying a glass of wine, my son said, "Hey! No one's said the word "Trump" yet!" And he received some groans about that -- especially from his wife! But it all stayed very friendly. We did talk a little about the pipeline protests, and even offered up a toast for them.

Spent all day in the office and studio working. Blessed to have that option instead of fighting with my totally dysfunctional
family and listening to them begging me for money to bail out Billy Joe Bob.
Of course they were Trump supporters but couldn't find the jumper cables to get the car started so they could go vote. So they didn't.


So I guess it was a "party"....couple of shots of tequila and a turkey wrap my AD left in the fridge.

Still working, haven't been home in 3 days. Blessed!!

Lets just say this is the last year I do anything with my so-called family. From now on its just me my dad,aunt,uncle, and my g/f and any friends that want to join us.


Peace.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

You're the one who mentioned that you just grin and bear it which implies you don't really enjoy it at all.