Having come from a very proper family, at least they thought so, and having to endure the food holidays. I had a choice in how to go about it. My way or their way. When my kids were little I still tried to do things like it was a Norman Rockwell picture. It usually came out more like a Hagar the Horrible cartoon. I don't like turkey. Neither did my kids or my Ex, but tradition dictated that Thanksgiving was turkey. The Ex used to get a free turkey from where he worked in a supermarket. There were times he would have two or three of them, Why? I never knew. I guess it was the lure of free food. There was the time he left it in the car trunk and went out with some of his friends after work. That was maybe the only year that I didn't have to run it under the tap to thaw it out. It tasted vaguely of spare tire. When I became a single parent, I had the perfect reason not to have to make that miserable bird. I usually had to work that holiday and as long as the kids were fed they didn't complain that it wasn't turkey. They loved it when I would make Hot Dog Stew. They still don't consider Turkey that big a deal on Thanksgiving so they don't make it. My oldest daughter is now in Florida so she doesn't have to provide Mom and Step Dad a meal. She may cook something for her Troll and it probably won't be turkey. My son and his wife will probably go to her parent's house and do the traditional thing because they are into traditon. My son will eat whatever is put in front of him because these are beautiful people who provided him with a beautiful wife and for that alone, he is thankful.

My Youngest daughter is probably going to cook from dawn to dusk. She is very good at it and although she has not got one drop of Italian blood, she can do Italian food that would break your heart and foul up your cholesterol. Unless she makes turkey lasagna, none will be present on her table.

Me and my Troll will probably have steak. He likes it and I like it. My thanksgiving table is going to be in the living room. We usually call it the coffee table.






~ © Swampetta (Swampetta@aol.com) ~



October 20, 2003



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