November holidays

My family's thanksgivings are different; I suppose you could say odd, or downright bizarre. One year we set someone on fire with Roman candles--another we played Rock Band so loudly and so badly that I think the neighbors complained. We've burned a field for the fun of it. And an old barn. And possible a house, although that was more a summer adventure. But you get the picture (fire). There have been bloody dog fights and embarrassing excursions to Jungle Jims. Something, always. When I called this morning, Grandma had already dropped the turkey on the floor and someone flooded the basement with a hose they left running outside, so it sounded like everything was shaping up rather nicely.

Thanksgiving was lonely this year. I called in and skyped with everyone, and dad showed me his cracker loaded with aunt Lori's Famous Cheeseball and some fresh jalepeno jelly. My little brother Alex talked to me for an hour last night about scuba diving and pornography and how difficult life is, sometimes. Aunt Paula took the phone and told me they'd been talking about my boyfriend and decided he had to go--stuff like that. Home stuff. Uncle Gary made aunt Lori angry because he ate all the crust off of her apple pie. Mom sent me a box with jars of canned tomato juice and dilled green beans, my favorites. Aunt Lori and mom showed me grandma, trying to move the turkey again, and giggled about it when she couldn't see us. The uncles were grumbling about the flooded basement and we decided to blame grandma for that, too, since they like her and she can get away with it. And guess what? They saved me a place at the big table this year. I've been trying to sit there since I graduated college, and this year there was finally an empty seat.

I thought that was actually a bit cruel.

I was disappointed in today. I keep thinking I'm going to recreate Thanksgiving like we do at home, and I'm starting to realize that until I have my own home, and my own family, I'm not going to be able to do that. It just won't work; I shouldn't have expected it.