Lx2 Unlimited

First off, let me wish all of you who take the time to visit us here on our website on this holiday, Happy Thanksgiving. May your day be filled with good food amplified by the sharing with family and friends. May you be blessed with the joys of the season as we enter into the holiday time for many different religions and beliefs. May your hearts be filled to overflowing with the joys of life; and may the memories of past tribulations be washed away by the love of family and friends sharing this special day.

As Dorothy said to Toto, We’re not in Kansas anymore. This is one of the few times in my life that we are not with family on this most celebratory day. We are enjoying the bright sunshine and warming temperatures here in sunny Florida. It should be in the 70’s by afternoon. But the warmth of the sun will never replace the warmth in one’s heart as they share this day with family. As I mixed up the cornbread dressing for Marilyn and me, I realized the missing ingredient was family for whom I cooked. I’m not trying to sound disappointed; because I am thankful that I am with Marilyn, but I realize Thanksgiving, like Christmas is about the people with whom you share it. We will be home for Christmas and I will enjoy our time together then even more.

The TG eating frenzy started last night with the making and sampling of the cornbread destined for dressing in the morning. I thought about my elder daughter’s love of cornbread and wished she were here to have a sampling. I realized how much that simple smile as she bit into the sweet delicacy warmed my heart. I thought back to the days at home when we would be preparing Mom’s house for the gathering of family. It was heartwarming and at the same time sad knowing I would never share that family time again with my Mom and two sisters. Only one sister, remains on this Earthly plain with me. I remember the “bargain” turkey with only one wing and the oysters Rockefeller that was served as an appetizer. I remember the good china and recently polished silver ritualistically placed around the “big table.” And the turkey soup, I remember the smell of the simmering turkey bones with all the spices that preceded the evening meal of leftovers. I hope my kids have at least some of these same or similar memories when my stay here is finished.

Once Mom was no longer able to muster up the energy to duplicate the Thanksgiving ritual, we three siblings took over the tradition, but once the tie to the “old home place” was broken, the respective families went their own ways. I thought about the times I had shared this family meal at both of my sisters’ homes. Each time their respective families would be there, and I felt the sometimes distant connection between us all rekindled. But just as quickly as it it flamed up, the distance and busy lives of each of us, smothered the flames and again we were just a part of the whole.

I remember the many meals shared with Pat’s family. I have to say that Italians have a special “family” orientation of life. The more the merrier is usually their motto. It was from her brothers that she learned ” one pie per person.” This tradition she carried on her entire life. She was always the pie lady at family functions. During our 50 years of marriage, we moved from recipient to provider of the family meal. For a long time, we became the hub for family gatherings. Time has a way of wearing away traditions and the ever branching of the family tree sets new roots and old limbs die and fall by the wayside. And so life goes on as it should.

That brings us to the present time. Marilyn and I have watched our parents, siblings and spouses move on to better places. We find ourselves in that interim time between being the care givers and being the ones in need of care. We took care of our children, parents, and eventually spouses and now we take care of each other as we venture along on unfamiliar ground. We find ourselves more and more separated from family as they have their own lives to live. But now we have each other to lean on and enjoy what time we have left in this uncertain world.

So, what is it like to be celebrating Thanksgiving in an RV park? There is a pot luck being provided for guests by the resort. They are providing the turkey and guests are invited to bring a dish to share. We considered that option but with rising Covid numbers, even though we are both vaccinated and Marilyn has had her booster, we just were not comfortable participating. We talked about going out to dinner, but that too would be crowded, and the place we really wanted to go to was to be closed. That precipitated our decision to fix our own small meal here at the camper. Thanksgiving without turkey and dressing wouldn’t be Thanksgiving so that became the main course at least for me. Marilyn agreed with the turkey but she is not a dressing person. I know, it is hard to believe there is such a person but apparently she is. I will interject here that I have tasted her sausage dressing and it is not on my “can’t resist” list. I like a drier dressing smothered with gravy. OK, turkey, let’s see, how will we cook said turkey? Oven? Let me say this about that. The cake pan for the corn bread earlier discussed will just fit, height wise, in the oven. Don’t think I could cook a turkey unless I sliced it up to lay flat and I’d still have to do only half a bird at a time. The Coleman grill I have been using has a similar problem. Well, Merry Christmas early. I now have a new Weber grill to satisfy my need to grill. It is similar to my grill at home on Marilyn’s deck. As I sit here with windows open, I am starting to smell the goodness slowly cooking outside.

Back to my earlier reference about Dorothy. “This is not Kansas.” and this is not my home cooking space! The small oven is not the only restriction. I had to go buy a large pot at Walmart just to soak the bird in a brine solution. I can justify the purchase when I think about the ability to also use it to make the traditional turkey soup after Thanksgiving. We find ourselves slowly setting up a fourth kitchen here in paradise. I have a kitchen at my house “Little House on the Alley” which has been partially downsized as I consolidated many items with Marilyn’s kitchen at her house where I spend most of my time. That makes two kitchens. I also have a small kitchen in my camper van and now the growing kitchen in the camper here in Florida. I have often complained about the limited counter space at Marilyn’s but compared to the RV, even with the new oversized island, it seems almost gigantic. This being said, we are making it work as we adjust to limitations in space, equipment, and supplies like varied spices. The true test will be when we sit down to eat. The bird is cooking at 300 degrees and is up to 150 degrees in the breast. Won’t be long.

We are finished with dinner. Left-overs are put away and dishes cleaned and put away. Thanksgiving meal is now just a memory with left-overs. While this was my first Thanksgiving meal prepared completely in the RV, It will probably be my last. It is way too much trouble, given the logistical inadequacies. I miss my kitchen but more so I miss my family! This is also the last time I decide a YouTube video and Facebook post know a better way to fix my turkey. It was OK but it could have been better and at home it usually was.

When I write, I learn about life and about me. I do this because writing my feelings makes me examine myself and think about life and its journey. This long dissertation has been pointing out to me the value of close and extended family. The more we extend our experiences with others in a helping way, the more we grow. Each of us is a small part of the greater whole whether that be the whole family or the whole family of man. We each have a small part to play for the greater good of mankind on and off this planet. We are all one! You can’t cut off one finger to make the others grow longer. You can’t better yourself at the expense of others without losing ground in the large scheme of things. Helping others lifts us all up but just helping ourselves or others like us gives us a short sited gain. Digging soil out from under others to build your own mountain puts you on a mountain on a sinking land. In the end we all sink together or rise together. The key here is that we are one with everything around us whatever we do, we do it together.

So, during this season of Thanksgiving, be thankful for what you are given, but also for those to whom you can give. It is the giving that gives us true joy. Blessings to you all. With Love and Light, I AM