Thanksgiving

Big surprise---lots of EMOTIONS around this holiday!

Last year was a really good Eldridge Thanksgiving---everyone was home in Ohio, and we even had a special guest star in my friend Kristin.  At that point, mom had been diagnosed but not started chemo (I think?  It doesn't really matter--but anyway).

I can remember the specifics of Thanksgiving 2017 really well---as Kris came in, and we watched the Macy's Parade and the dog show, like we always do.  We had Bailey's in our coffee, and the house smelled amazing as the turkey roasted and we lounged and visited on the couches in the living room.

(Was Pickle there?  My dad had banned her...so maybe she was back in Chicago?)

My mom had a few traditions for thanksgiving--including, if you smacked the turkey in it's bag, and said "Smack Smack" she'd holler back with a "Gobble Gobble". I loved coming home, and on Wednesday eve, sitting in the kitchen, or helping to bring in the tables from the sunroom, finding and adding in extra table leaves, pulling chairs from anywhere to accommodate everyone, deciding if we need a third table or not.

She would get hilariously stressed out--counting out the chairs, and then re-counting.  Last year we had the biggest one yet--maybe 31?  I can't recall...but 31 would make sense.

In no way did we expect that it would be our last thanksgiving with mom.  In fact, it felt a bit like a celebration--as the diagnosis was so positive (Hodgkins instead of the much more serious Lung Cancer diagnosis we were bracing for).

My mom wore an adorable Autumnal flannel shirt---the picture we used for her obit came from that day.

Another tradition:  my mom would take the whipped cream cans, and the grandkids would tilt their heads back like little birds, and she'd nozzle some whipped cream into their mouths.  She used to do that with us, too.

And I loved to sit on the kitchen floor, with my back to the humming dishwasher, smelling pumpkin pies and the dishwashing

I wish I was in Ohio this year---but decided to not come home.  It's a big expense, and even if Mom hadn't passed, I had already decided to spend it here.

In fact, prior to mom passing, I had planned to host an "Orphan" thanksgiving.  So, that's what I'm doing this year. And it may end up being just me for most of the day---and that's fine.

There's been so many wonderful surprises in the last week. I went on an amazing bike ride with Bart on Sunday.  On Monday, I went to Aldi (my happy place) and played volleyball and got SUPER mad at the guys for ball hogging and not setting up the girls to spike.  But I had a ball.

Yesterday, Tuesday, was an emotional day but I called my dad, talked to Kitty about defrosting the Turkey and last year, and we talked ourselves off the ledge a bit, I think.  And then, I ran into a bunch of neighbors--and as much as I was certain I'd feel miserable all week---little bursts of sunshine came my way. Pickle rolled in the grass like a fool, another neighbor complimented my bike, another and I bonded over our losses (her sister) and she shared that she cooks for everyone, delivers meals and then chills out.  A good strategy!  I picked up a special pie for Andy, baked sweet potatoes, made the cranberry sauce, prepped the veggies for roasting, the bacon for 7-layer salad and am all ready for tomorrow.

I'm planning to "call in" for the family blessing/prayer and will get to see everyone on the day of.

I'll be watching the WGN parade with Lis, via Skype or Texting, head to Andy and John's for morning mimosas, Skype with Tim and John, and sit on the kitchen floor, petting the puppies while the dishwasher runs.