Thanksgiving Day 2010

[Big Man]

Big man.... I have to tell you that between your home that I found on the vintage homes thread and your stories everywhere on this site that I've read.... I am sincerely jealous of your nostalgic life. You should write book. I'd buy it!

Thanks. I understand full well that I have been truly blessed to have had such a wonderful family and to have so many "tangible memories" still around. I've often thought about writing a book,or at least cataloging all the "things" I have from times past, but it feels like such an overwhelming task. I try my best to pass along my memories to my children and grandchildren, although I don't know how much of it will stick. I often wonder to myself how much more I may have been told by my grandmother and others that I don't remember. Yes, a book would be a good idea ...

 

[Mr Vim]

I... am working a 12 hour shift that doesn't end until late in the evening. So there won't be much celebration on my end. now worries though.

 

[rue]

Thanks. I understand full well that I have been truly blessed to have had such a wonderful family and to have so many "tangible memories" still around. I've often thought about writing a book,or at least cataloging all the "things" I have from times past, but it feels like such an overwhelming task. I try my best to pass along my memories to my children and grandchildren, although I don't know how much of it will stick. I often wonder to myself how much more I may have been told by my grandmother and others that I don't remember. Yes, a book would be a good idea ...

I say... go for it! Maybe you should just write down what you remember at first, as it comes to you and worry about the story later, so it doesn't seem so overwhelming. I'm no writer, but I've thought about writing a book about my family too. It would be more of a drama then a beautiful nostalgic trip, but as my aunt (that's been married 8 times) said.... "please wait until I'm dead" LOL

Sorry for the fftopic: again

 

[Foofoogal]

Have someone video you Big Man telling what you remember. I so wish I could remember all my grandfathers stories.

 

[DUKE NUKEM]

I just need to get this table done for wifey before Thanksgiving. HERE After that the balls in her court. We have had very few Thanksgivings at our house until now.

 

[Diamondback]

Big Man, such things do seem like a daunting task at first--and I can see how it'd be even more so in your case. Might I suggest "free writing"? Basically, you just sit down with a pen and legal-pad or a laptop, pick a subject, start writing and see how far your memory takes you. Once that's "tapped out", you start a new sheet (or hit a few hard-returns), find another pieceo f the puzzle and repeat... If you just focus on one little anecdote at a time (focus on a single "tree" until you don't see the rest of the "forest", then break and move to the next "tree"), there's a good chance you'll have a lot of headway amde before you realize it.

To put it another way, don't think about "eating an elephant", think about just taking one bite, finishing with it and then taking another.

 

[rue]

Big Man, such things do seem like a daunting task at first--and I can see how it'd be even more so in your case. Might I suggest "free writing"? Basically, you just sit down with a pen and legal-pad or a laptop, pick a subject, start writing and see how far your memory takes you. Once that's "tapped out", you start a new sheet (or hit a few hard-returns), find another pieceo f the puzzle and repeat... If you just focus on one little anecdote at a time (focus on a single "tree" until you don't see the rest of the "forest", then break and move to the next "tree"), there's a good chance you'll have a lot of headway amde before you realize it.

To put it another way, don't think about "eating an elephant", think about just taking one bite, finishing with it and then taking another.

Exactly! But said with much more elegance than what I did

 

[Diamondback]

Nicked the idea from Thom E. Gemcity. lol It's kind of like a literary approach to when I take on a development-engineering project: "Okay, what are the key pieces needed to achieve this goal? Pick one, break it down, what do I need for that piece?, move on to the next, repeat with each layer of "sub-tasks", once they're all broken down to a point where I can start knocking off individual pieces one at a time Get To Work!"

 

[rue]

Nicked the idea fromThom E. Gemcity. lol It's kind of like a literary approach to when I take on a development-engineering project: "Okay, what are the key pieces needed to achieve this goal? Pick one, break it down, what do I need for that piece?, move on to the next, repeat with each layer of "sub-tasks", once they're all broken down to a point where I can start knocking off individual pieces one at a time Get To Work!"

Nicked or not... I bow to your intelligence. I'm not kidding either!

 

[Diamondback]

Really, it's less intelligence than "stick-to-it-iveness"--more patience and focus than anything. You flatter me--while I may be the same archetype and tack in his direction, I'm still far short of Dr. Spencer Reid...

 

[rue]

Really, it's less intelligence than "stick-to-it-iveness"--more patience and focus than anything. You flatter me--while I may be the same archetype and tack in his direction, I'm still far short of Dr. Spencer Reid...

There's nothing more attractive than a man that is humble, in my opinion

 

[Diamondback]

Don't get a false impression, Ms. Rue--I can be one downright Arrogant SOB in certain fields, it's a part of myself I don't particularly like but in those fields it's who ya gotta be to get results. (I used to be in Executive/Personal Protection for a couple years, and in that game if either you or the Principal you're protecting have anything less than absolute confidence in your effectiveness it's time to resign immediately, because the slightest bit of doubt or hesitation will get you both killed--even if you do everything right you may end up Tagged & Bagged, but that's an occupational hazard to be expected when you offer to trade your life for another's.)

That said, there's a time to shut up and just say "Thanks", and I believe that for me this is it.

 

[rue]

 

[/|\]

To put it another way, don't think about "eating an elephant", think about just taking one bite, finishing with it and then taking another.

'Eating the elephant' is exactly how I feel most years. You know how long it takes for one guy to eat a turkey two slices at a time? Or a four and half pound prime rib? Aiyiyiyiyi...

I get through it eventually, though.

 

[/|\]

My first Thanksgiving...

... that I cooked.

It was Thanksgiving day, I was ten years old, and mom was horribly sick with flu. WHAT??? No Thanksgiving? Johnny to the rescue! I don't remember the details, but I do remember making several trips to mom's bedroom to ask her questions. I roasted the turkey, with the stuffing, and I made mashed potatoes. I don't know what else I made, if anything. But by golly we had turkey! When I moved in with dad a five years later, Thanksgiving dinner was my job.

I moved to Washington in 2003. A year later, my mom was dying of a brain tumour -- though no one knew it at the time. Her husband had died a year earlier on New Year's Eve. (I called her mobile for some advice on collard greens, and a strange woman answered. The Finnish giant was dead on the sidewalk. Sorry. TMI.) I made it down to Arizona in 2004 for Thanksgiving with mom and my sister and her family. Mom had planned to cook the feast, but she was too weak. I cooked that Thanksgiving dinner too.

 

[Diamondback]

Broad Arrow, this is why I usually prefer to grill even on Thanksgiving--more manageable portions, burnin' beef's what I'm good at, plus the fire helps keep literally-cold-blooded me out of hypothermia.

OT, @ Rue: Y'know, when the guys over on "What Celebrity Do I Look Like" suggested Paget Brewster, they were right--your av particularly reminds me of her as Emily Prentiss in Criminal Minds.

 

[shopgirl61]

... that I cooked.

It was Thanksgiving day, I was ten years old, and mom was horribly sick with flu. WHAT??? No Thanksgiving? Johnny to the rescue! I don't remember the details, but I do remember making several trips to mom's bedroom to ask her questions. I roasted the turkey, with the stuffing, and I made mashed potatoes. I don't know what else I made, if anything. But by golly we had turkey! When I moved in with dad a five years later, Thanksgiving dinner was my job.

I moved to Washington in 2003. A year later, my mom was dying of a brain tumour -- though no one knew it at the time. Her husband had died a year earlier on New Year's Eve. (I called her mobile for some advice on collard greens, and a strange woman answered. The Finnish giant was dead on the sidewalk. Sorry. TMI.) I made it down to Arizona in 2004 for Thanksgiving with mom and my sister and her family. Mom had planned to cook the feast, but she was too week. I cooked that Thanksgiving dinner too.

How wonderful that you shared this. truly warmed my heart.

 

[shopgirl61]

This is the earliest family Thanksgiving picture I have. I believe it was taken in 1952 or 1953. That's my Dad and Mother in the foreground. The man at the head of the table is my grandfather Dobson (my Mother's father). The older lady in the back, left is my great grandmother Sparks (my Mother's grandmother). I believe this was the first Thanksgiving dinner in my grandparent's barn. Yes, that's right, barn.

In early 1952, their house burned. My grandfather Dobson renovated the barn into a house. Excepting several years when my grandfather was working for the Department of Defense, they lived in "the barn" for the rest of their life.

As a child, Thanksgiving was always at our house. My grandmother Brown and my two aunts (Dad's sisters),my grandmother and grandfather Dobson, and two of my grandmother Brown's nieces (who were elderly ladies back then) always attended Thanksgiving dinner. Thanksgiving was always a great family time at our house.

Now this photograph has all the makings of a Norman Rockwell portraiture thank you for sharing it .

 

[rue]

@ Rue: Y'know, when the guys over on "What Celebrity Do I Look Like" suggested Paget Brewster, they were right--your av particularly reminds me of her as Emily Prentiss in Criminal Minds.

Thank you , but I think you have the wrong gal. I didn't see anyone saying that.

 

[moonmatrix]

For me I dread Holidays right now. I am on a special diet because of health issues, I can not touch glten and al kinds of other food allergies, fun wow. Eating outside my house is a battle field. Thank god I am a decent cook and bring my own food with me to share. On thanksgiving day I am going to boyfriends families house, they are catering, so it can be really hairy there for me. I am bringing my own potatoes, stuffing and praying for the best on the turkey. I am also bringing a gluten free carot cake and apple crumble. Both of which his family flips over. My family always does there dinner on the weekend after so there is never a conflict and they understand my food limits so it safe eating for me there. Both of us dress up we don't care if anyone does. I am wearing a vintage black silk fifties dress with red accesories and he is wearing his pin strpe suit and swing tie. It should be fun, I love both families dearly.