“Gratitude can transform common days into Thanksgiving, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”
I remember my mother the most on Thanksgivings. She spent all morning in the kitchen getting ready for dinner. When I was little, I watched the parade with my sisters and brother, but when I was older, I helped my mother. I loved those times together, just the two of us peeling and cutting and cooking and chatting. I’d set the table. On holidays we always ate in the dining room. The best dishes, a tablecloth and real napkins, not paper, were on the table. The middle of the table was left empty so all the dishes of food could fit. We always called it the groaning board. My father would sit at the head of the table because he always did. He ate quickly so as to get back to football. The rest of us lingered for a bit then it was time to clear the table. We’d clean up, put the dishes in the dishwasher and wash the pans, mostly my mother and I, then we’d bring put the pies.
Thanksgiving is the least adorned holiday of them all. We don’t buy each other presents or decorate the house. There are no new outfits in spring colors. The highlight of the day is dinner and being together around the table as a family related by blood or friendship. Of all the holidays, it is the one in which we share so much in common. Traditional dishes unique to each family are served but so are turkey and mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy and all those pies. It is the time for us to remember the people we love who are no longer with us and to appreciate the ones who are. We give thanks for the good in our lives, the food on our tables and the glory of every day. We talk together and laugh together at dinner. We pass the rolls, the green bean casserole and the canned cranberry sauce with the ribbing. We eat until we can eat no more. We finish by doing some cleaning up then relaxing in the living room until we have some room for dessert.
This morning I will watch the parade, the same as I have done as long I can remember. I’ll talk to my sisters to wish them a Happy Thanksgiving. I won’t dress fancy for Thanksgiving, none of us really do. I’ll sit with my friends and enjoy every part of the day. I am thankful for the life I have been lucky enough to live, for the people I love and the people who love me.
I am thankful for all of you, my Coffee family.
Explore posts in the same categories: Musings
keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
November 27, 2014 at 7:47 am
And we are thankful for you and “coffee” – along with all of out old and new traditions. Things change but it is nice to remember and hold onto the familiar and comfortable when we can. Wishing you and everyone a Happy Thanksgiving
November 27, 2014 at 8:34 am
Thanks, Pat
I agree about holding onto something so as not to get rolled over by change. I like new things but I cherish the familiar.
Have a happy Thanksgiving!
November 27, 2014 at 10:35 am
Love to all the Coffee gang, I am still here albeit mostly silent. Wishing you a special day with those you love in person or spirit.
November 27, 2014 at 10:42 am
Thanks, splendid
That’s the perfect wish for the day!
November 27, 2014 at 11:43 am
I agree 100%. Thanks Kat for “Coffee” and all the gang.
Like you I am watching the Macy’s parade followed by the National dog show. The Cowboys play the Eagles and eating until I’m stuffed will make complete our holiday tradition.
November 27, 2014 at 4:09 pm
Bob,
Thanks for being such a loyal member of the gang!
I finished the parade then we all watched the dog show. I came home for a bit to let Gracie out and to feed her then I’m going back to feed me!
I can’t wait to be stuffed with Thanksgiving!
November 27, 2014 at 11:50 am
To the Rag Tag (and Bobtail) group that are the KTCC a Family, I wish you the very best for Thanksgiving. And wherever you are, may your God be with you.
November 27, 2014 at 4:10 pm
Thank you, my dear hedley, for everything: for being here every day, for your wonderful comments and just for being my dear Hedley!
Happy Thanksgiving and I wish you God’s blessings.
November 27, 2014 at 5:26 pm
And soon Kat we must walk hand in hand to Gaudete Sunday.
November 27, 2014 at 7:22 pm
MDH,
Yes we do!!
November 27, 2014 at 1:28 pm
This would have been a crappy Thanks Giving if we had celebrated it here. My album in National Geographic has been hijacked by the Syrian Electronic Army (SEA) so I can’t get in to it, I actually can’t reach NG at all so Caryn is helping me contacting them. Rather annoying especially since I have a good photo I want topost there 🙂
Otherwise it has been a rather nice day with clear skies and sunshine and now the temperature is dropping so I’ll have to scrape the car windows tomorrow morning. I don’t mind colder weather as long as we don’t get snow 🙂
Have a great day!
Christer.
November 27, 2014 at 4:12 pm
Christer,
I hadn’t ever heard of National Geographic being hijacked. That’s awful. I hope Caryn can solve the problem.
No sun at all today, but being with friends makes up for it. It is getting cold here as it gets dark.
My friends in New Hampshire got a foot of snow and haven’t had electricity since last night. I found myself lucky.
Have a great evening!
November 27, 2014 at 2:47 pm
Hi Kat,
Happy Thanksgiving to you and to all the Coffee family.
So far I have shoveled snow. I think I’m done for the day. 🙂 I haven’t made a start on cooking as there is only me and Rocky and Piki Dog. They’re sleeping curled together on the couch.
I’ll get there, though, because there is turkey and everything and warm apple pie with vanilla ice cream for afters.
Not having much luck with Christer’s problem. I keep getting the same canned response to emails. Everyone’s on holiday, I guess.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving Day.
November 27, 2014 at 4:13 pm
Hi Caryn,
I’m back home just to feed Gracie and let her out then back I go to feast.
No snow at all here but it rained all day and night yesterday into this afternoon. It is a raw cold.
That sounds perfect for the day-you have all the right foods and an apple pie. I think it’s a bountiful meal.
Happy Thanksgiving!
November 27, 2014 at 3:08 pm
I’m just listening to Arlo and though we don’t have Thanksgiving over here it feels a little bit like Thanksgiving. Thanks for your music and musings and for keeping this bunch of nice coffeeholics together.
Have a great time with your friends
and Happy Thanksgiving to you all.
November 27, 2014 at 4:14 pm
Birgit,
Thanks for being here. I love that one of my regulars lives in Germany. You give an international touch to Coffee. I also thank you for the wonderful comments!
Enjoy your day!
November 27, 2014 at 6:06 pm
Kat,
Happy Thanksgiving. I’m so glad I had a chance to meet you and found KTCC. Most years as a child, Thanksgiving was spent traveling to PA, to eat dinner at our cousins’ home. One cousin was my age, and the older cousin was my ( gasp ) sister’s age. Our family traded off the different holidays between relatives, so no one family had too much to do.
I had completely forgotten the tradition of Arlo singing Alice’s Restaurant, brought to us on the East coast by Alison Steele, the Night bird ( I think).
Today we are visiting a homebound friend whom we met at the Warm Pool.
Waving with lots of love,
Lori and the Crew
November 27, 2014 at 6:56 pm
Lori,
I hope today has you feeling better and was a wonderful Thanksgiving. I went to my friends’ house, my friends who have become family, and ate a sumptuous feats.
We always had the turkey at home. With 4 kids and 2 parents we would have appeared as an assault if we went elsewhere.
Alice’s Restaurant gives a little humor to the day.
Waving right back with all that love,
Kat and the kids
November 27, 2014 at 6:28 pm
and….https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92jFck0X0nk
November 27, 2014 at 7:12 pm
Lori,
Arlo was just so young in that video. I barely remember when his hair was dark.
The lasy in the background was a bit difficult to understand!
November 27, 2014 at 6:36 pm
love, appreciation and thankfulness for all the gentle souls who inhabit Planet Coffee. this is our first thanksgiving in our new house. while many loved ones and traditions are missing, its great all of you are here.
November 27, 2014 at 7:16 pm
Greg,
We are all here for each other.
I had dinner with my friends who have become family. The table groaned and so did we after eating all the great food. I took home a plate and some dessert.
A new house means new traditions. You get to build your holidays by bringing the familiar and adding new.
Thank you for being a part of coffee for so long! You are appreciate!
November 27, 2014 at 10:56 pm
Kat,
The Corgis are crunching away on their kibble. After the beef bones they had for thanksgiving earlier today. They certainly love any and all food.
I have been reading Coffee for many years. And never left a comment. Tonight tho—–I want to join every one else and say thanks to you. I so enjoy the music you post…….the thoughts you share……and the community around you.
My family had a boxer when I was very young. Schultze was twice my size…and the sweetest of dogs. She did not play well with cats however……and Dad found her a new home.
Stay warm…..T
..
.
November 28, 2014 at 11:47 am
I am so glad you decided to introduce yourself. It seems you are a Coffee regular!
The best part of Coffee for me is that community you mentioned. We all have become a sort of family, and I look forward to the comments and observations from everyone. I get a good laugh sometimes and am certainly harassed by Hedley and his Lennie comments.
T,
Writing Coffee is one of the joys of my day!
Boxers are sweet and loving. All of mine have been friendly to the cats even when I introduced grown cats to Maggie, my last Boxer. Poor Gracie is cowered by Fern who took over being alpha when Maggie died. She and Maddie are both 16.
It was a pleasure to meet you!
November 28, 2014 at 5:56 am
I hope the food hangover is a wonderful one with you feeling lazy and warm and refusing to budge out of the house. Thank you, Kat, for your wonderful daily presence. Always a day late here, Cuidado.
November 28, 2014 at 11:32 am
Cuidado,
You are very welcome and thank you for the kindest of words.
I was in bed before 11, a most unusual event, and slept until 9:30. It was because of the wonderful Thanksgiving dinner and spending the day with friends. Today is dump day, and that will be it for the whole day. I intend to nap and take it easy. The three animals are asleep all around me, and I’m envious.