Lots of folks lament about not being able to spend time with family for the holiday, or maybe lament isn’t the right word. We’re past lamenting and have arrived at heavy sigh. Truth is, though, I’m grateful for not having to go to some family gathering. I’m sure I’m not alone in that sentiment.

How many people don’t care for that tradition? The big family get together or have people they would prefer not seeing or talking to. I’ve felt like an unwanted red-headed step child plenty in my life. All that’s quite literal. My sister, who also has red hair agrees with me. We’re just a couple of nugatory side dishes at a table over full of mains.

I had dinner for 4 ready at 4pm and the only thing that was missing was my son who is still in quarantine at his dads house. They are all doing fine.

Dinner at 4 and continuing my quest to throw my hands up in the air like I just don’t care, I had the first glass of the bottle of wine I would finish off by about 9pm.

Dinner at 4 with 4 traditional dishes—turkey, mash potatoes, stuffing (2 kinds!), and dinner rolls. Yeah, a very neat meat and potatoes sort of a meal. It was delicious!

Dinner at 4 with 2 of our 4 kids. We kept Z and N at the table long enough to force that moment where we pin them down about what they are grateful for. Of our 4 children, those are the two that could most use a lesson about gratitude. We pinned them with the spotlight until they each came out with about 3 things. This is a thing parents do, and then we reinforced the message by talking about what we are grateful for too. We all said family. And that’s Good.

Dinner at 4 and then we let them go. The moment we could see them both peeking at their phones under the table was when we knew we could not hold them in the dining room any longer. I had had two glasses of wine by that time and said “fine.. just go.”

Dinner at 4 before we 2 retreated to our master bedroom, to slip between our sheets for dessert. Which was also delicious. Upon finishing I begin to daydream about this perfect new post Thanksgiving dinner tradition. You can have your football games and card playing and pie. And I’ll have mine.

Dinner at 4 quickly forgotten as we wind our time from the bedroom, to the the dollhouse, solarium, and finally arrive at the theatre to watch previews for a while. We try to find something worthy of committing a few hours to. I’m 3 or 4 glasses under by this time and embody the true spirit of not giving a damn.

Dinner at 4 fading fast into the past as we abandon the chosen movie and opt for A Jeep Ride around the neighborhood. A first look at all the Christmas lights. I’m amazed at these displays. We make bets about which were hired jobs and which were DIY. Bets we’ll never collect because we’ll never know. Completing the Linden circuit, we return home to ours. Which is, of course, is DIY. We’ve done a fine job.

Dinner at 4 and some 6 hours later I peel off my pants and slip into bed again. This time for sleep. I have no idea what time it is and I gloriously still don’t care. I Kind of regret not having any pie and promise myself I’ll have some for breakfast in the morning.

It was a good dinner and a good day. Let’s do that again next year! Scratch that. Why wait?! Let’s do that again today but this time with Pie!! 🥧

Peace, Love, and Satisfaction,
~Miss SugarCookie