Comments on: Milestones and High Mileage

By: Paula

Paula — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:37:13 +0000

This year my cousin and his wife in Madison are hosting, so all I need to do is make a vegetable. I'll make it a spectacular vegetable, a vegetable that will entice even my veggie-hating cousin and my picky 6-year old nephew to try! (Well, there might not be any veggies quite *that* enticing.)

Thanksgiving through Christmas is emotional for my family. My dad died the Sunday after Thanksgiving in 1996, my aunt died the Monday after Thanksgiving in 2001, my grandma died a week and one day after Thanksgiving in 1991, my first dog (yes, dogs count - they're family members, too) died the Saturday after Thanksgiving one year, and my best-dog-ever died December 23, 2000. We also had a second cousin die on Christmas Day, and one of my uncles died in November. As my sister and I say, "It's not a safe time of year to belong to our family."

That said, I try not to let it get to me. I won't put the tree up until after December 6, since I like to pretend Dad and Grandma didn't die during the holidays. (FYI: poinsettias should be banned at funerals.) So this year I plan to put up my Christmas village the weekend after Thanksgiving so I don't wait too long like last year. The same weekend I also plan to put up and decorate the tree of an elderly friend and put my exterior lights up.

By: Lori

Lori — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:25:29 +0000

Sounds like a great time, Devon. I miss the Gallagher-Widmer holidays with 5 of my grandmother's siblings and their spouses/kids showing up at Gramma's house where it smelled like culinary heaven on earth. We always piled into separate rooms (there just wasn't enough room for us all), and we ate with abandon and lots of laughter.

This year, three of us. It's just not the same.

By: Devon Ellington

Devon Ellington — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:57:22 +0000

I just got back from DC, have deadlines to clear off before going to Maine, and didn't do Nano, although I have a myriad of fiction deadlines to handle.

Maine for Thanksgiving, as usual, with the 50+ people and no arguments -- love that!

By: Lori

Lori — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:30:46 +0000

That IS great, Jennifer! I'm actually home for the holiday, but off to Vegas for some fun. 🙂

By: Jennifer Shirk

Jennifer Shirk — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:09:22 +0000

Congrats!

I'll be going to my borhter's house for Thanksgiving. He only lives an hour away, so traveling will be great. :)