“I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual.”
—-Henry David Thoreau
It has been a long time since I gave thought to this blog. I never stopped reading, but the last few years have somehow stolen my Joie de Écriture (joy of writing). That was always such a big part of my life, and I miss communicating with you all. I recently came upon a blog I wrote in 2018 and found that with a few (very few) updates, what I wrote then (before Covid) fits my Thanksgiving plans this year. So, I am editing my 2018 words with hopes that next year I can write about a Thanksgiving free of political discord, disease and bigotry.
I think we all need to take a break from political bickering and generally bad news and roast a turkey. The turkey needs to be crispy skinned and quite juicy, and the accompanying stuffing (or dressing...according to location) needs to be moist, filled with veggies and sporting those crispy bits on top. The mashed potatoes need to have a Ton of butter (forgive me this one-time Dr. Morris) whipped throughout, and the gravy should be rich and liberally poured. String bean casserole, roasted carrots, butternut squash and corn soufflé might be nice, and cranberry sauce needs the perfect mix of tang and sweet to round out the meal.
Then we get to dessert. Somehow as that Thursday in November draws near, all I can think of is pie. Arthur usually contributes a traditional pumpkin pie while I will produce the perfect pecan pie...the recipe straight from the light corn syrup bottle. Apple or cherry pie can contribute the requisite fruit part of dessert, and Beth’s amazing carrot cake covers after dinner vegetables in our feast each year. Several cookie varieties will round out this array of sweets, and we should all become catatonic as we swallow the last bite.
Next, we need to enjoy quality time together with those we love. We used to have televised football games entertaining my troops, but I have a bit of a ban going on. Somehow what used to be a fun thing to cheer for, has become a blood sport. Too many young men ending up with CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) make my one-time favorite sport pretty much unwatchable for me. Then when they started arguing over this whole taking a knee business, I decided to find other forms of entertainment.
Most importantly, we forget the politics of disagreement and swallow our bitter words long enough to recognize our similarities and be thankful for everything that is good. The food on our tables and roof over our heads should be shared with open hearts and not policy differences. I took note last year that our Thanksgiving table included people of different races, cultures, sexual preferences and political choices, and that is what makes our lives interesting. When we share backgrounds and interests with each other we grow as individuals and our world becomes a more inclusive place.
It is time to stop taking another person’s political choice as a personal affront. I have been as guilty as the next person in judging others’ choices, and the time has come to respect other people’s political leanings and understand that they are much more than the candidate they support. They are the kind and intelligent people that they have always been, and I will not buy into the “us -vs- them” mentality that is so pervasive in our country at this time.
We picked up Mike from a busy airport on Sunday, and he is planning an extended stay this time, so I am looking forward to lots of mother-son quality time. I am also hoping for some extra mother-daughter time too. Between Beth’s teaching and her bout with Covid (second time around) we have not had time to just have fun together, so I am hoping all will stay well Thanksgiving weekend and Beth and I can sneak away for a bit.
I am also hoping that after the holidays are over, I will get back to sharing my thoughts and books with you all. For now, I wish you a very happy and healthy day filled with food, family, friends and fun.
I discovered author Alafair Burke this past year and am finishing up one of her many suspenseful novels. If You Were Here: A Novel of Suspense has definitely kept me wondering, and I highly recommend it.
As always, a complete review of this book follows my blog.
Happy reading,
Beverly
—-Henry David Thoreau
It has been a long time since I gave thought to this blog. I never stopped reading, but the last few years have somehow stolen my Joie de Écriture (joy of writing). That was always such a big part of my life, and I miss communicating with you all. I recently came upon a blog I wrote in 2018 and found that with a few (very few) updates, what I wrote then (before Covid) fits my Thanksgiving plans this year. So, I am editing my 2018 words with hopes that next year I can write about a Thanksgiving free of political discord, disease and bigotry.
I think we all need to take a break from political bickering and generally bad news and roast a turkey. The turkey needs to be crispy skinned and quite juicy, and the accompanying stuffing (or dressing...according to location) needs to be moist, filled with veggies and sporting those crispy bits on top. The mashed potatoes need to have a Ton of butter (forgive me this one-time Dr. Morris) whipped throughout, and the gravy should be rich and liberally poured. String bean casserole, roasted carrots, butternut squash and corn soufflé might be nice, and cranberry sauce needs the perfect mix of tang and sweet to round out the meal.
Then we get to dessert. Somehow as that Thursday in November draws near, all I can think of is pie. Arthur usually contributes a traditional pumpkin pie while I will produce the perfect pecan pie...the recipe straight from the light corn syrup bottle. Apple or cherry pie can contribute the requisite fruit part of dessert, and Beth’s amazing carrot cake covers after dinner vegetables in our feast each year. Several cookie varieties will round out this array of sweets, and we should all become catatonic as we swallow the last bite.
Next, we need to enjoy quality time together with those we love. We used to have televised football games entertaining my troops, but I have a bit of a ban going on. Somehow what used to be a fun thing to cheer for, has become a blood sport. Too many young men ending up with CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) make my one-time favorite sport pretty much unwatchable for me. Then when they started arguing over this whole taking a knee business, I decided to find other forms of entertainment.
Most importantly, we forget the politics of disagreement and swallow our bitter words long enough to recognize our similarities and be thankful for everything that is good. The food on our tables and roof over our heads should be shared with open hearts and not policy differences. I took note last year that our Thanksgiving table included people of different races, cultures, sexual preferences and political choices, and that is what makes our lives interesting. When we share backgrounds and interests with each other we grow as individuals and our world becomes a more inclusive place.
It is time to stop taking another person’s political choice as a personal affront. I have been as guilty as the next person in judging others’ choices, and the time has come to respect other people’s political leanings and understand that they are much more than the candidate they support. They are the kind and intelligent people that they have always been, and I will not buy into the “us -vs- them” mentality that is so pervasive in our country at this time.
We picked up Mike from a busy airport on Sunday, and he is planning an extended stay this time, so I am looking forward to lots of mother-son quality time. I am also hoping for some extra mother-daughter time too. Between Beth’s teaching and her bout with Covid (second time around) we have not had time to just have fun together, so I am hoping all will stay well Thanksgiving weekend and Beth and I can sneak away for a bit.
I am also hoping that after the holidays are over, I will get back to sharing my thoughts and books with you all. For now, I wish you a very happy and healthy day filled with food, family, friends and fun.
I discovered author Alafair Burke this past year and am finishing up one of her many suspenseful novels. If You Were Here: A Novel of Suspense has definitely kept me wondering, and I highly recommend it.
As always, a complete review of this book follows my blog.
Happy reading,
Beverly
Click on the book name to order the title mentioned for review in today's blog
