Thanksgiving

Thanksgivings past hold alot of memories for me. I believe we had Thanksgiving at home many times, but the years I'm picturing are when we would go to Grandma and Granddad's house. The days always began with the Macy's Parade! So exciting to feel the holidays in the air! And even if it wasn't extremely cold yet, usually the people in New York MCing the parade were decked in winter coats and scarves which always seemed very promising that Winter was almost here! While watching the parade our appetites were growing with the smell of roasting turkey and pies permeating the entire house, but also the smells of my Granddad's cigarettes and a log fire in the fire place. I know that the cigarettes may not sound appealing but as a kid it was a smell that I associated with going to Grandma's house. After a huge turkey dinner once we were all overly filled, my brother Dan would decide it was time I learned to play football and we'd go out in the fallen leaves and he'd re-teach me how to throw and catch a football. Sometimes we'd rake and jump in leaves enjoying the fall air. In the evening, we always made sandwiches with the leftovers before you were barely hungry. But they were so much better than any other day of the year, especially with that slab of jellied cranberry sauce! At Grandma's house Sandwiches were made with Jenny Lee rolls - fresh rolls from a local bakery! I don't think as a child, that I made a list of what I was thankful for or spent time reflecting, but it was more of a thankful spirit that I just felt in a kid kind of way. Happy that I was in a loving family and that we had good food and that Christmas was getting sooo close! It was just an excitement and comfortable knowing in the back of my mind, Who provided the good things I enjoyed in life!