This was one of the best Thanksgivings ever! Yes, I broke down and ate everything, except coffee and wine. Everybody brought special dishes: fruit salad, turkey with stuffing and gravy, green beans in sauce, pies; I did yams, mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts and asparagus, and a green salad.
However, it was the people, much more than the food, that made the evening special! Susan Mustard, a fine artist, brought me a magnificent collage she’d made from a photo taken last summer when I was selling lavender wands at the Farmers’ Market! She builds her collages from old book covers, books that other people are throwing away, which she treasures for their beauty and variety. I have loved her collages since I first saw them, and to have this one is deeply moving. Her husband, Jim, is a tractor aficionado who enjoyed talking about the machines with Chris, who repairs and collects these workhorses. Carole, who with Chris and myself, grew up on North Beach Road here, is going to Austin, Texas, for Christmas, and Susan and Jim last year moved here from there.
My old friend Jan, who had a stroke last year that was so severe, the doctor at first didn’t want to order physical therapy because he didn’t think she’d benefit from it, WALKED in on the arm of Robert, her significant other and caregiver par excellence. I was overjoyed that they could come. Even though she still has some physical impairment from the stroke, she retains her amazing intellect.
Chris and Evelyn made a super-moist turkey with Evelyn’s unique stuffing and gravy, and we chatted for a while after the guests left. They are going to spend Christmas in Hawaii with their son and his wife. Our houseguest, Damien, helped people to their cars, cleaned up a smashed dish, and in general was his most caring self.
There is so much to be thankful for, and friends top the list! Happy Friend-giving, everybody!
No comments:
Post a Comment