Giving Thanks

Normally, Thanksgiving Dinner in Canada would be on Sunday for most families; but one of my brothers-in-law had to work yesterday, and dammit, you don't get together if everyone who's within driving distance cain't be there.

So I just got back from my in-laws' house, where we had turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, peas, carrots, squash, cranberry sauce, gravy, and pumpkin (or apple) pie with whipped cream for dessert.

Whew!

Stuffed? That turkey didn't know from stuffed.

As is par for the course at my in-laws, the meal was outstanding and the conversation cautious - the family consisting of two parents and five sons with extremely different political stances and every one of them with a mouthy, opinionated wife :) - but the real joy, as usual, was just being there with my father-in-law, who we nearly lost a few years ago, and my mother-in-law, who I love so much and who is such a role model for me, and my nephew, who babbles like a little bird. And my brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, some of whom drive me nuts, but all of whom have become part of the landscape of my life, and who, I realized, as I helped my sister-in-law load the dishwasher tonight, my life would be so much the... more muted, and colourless, and poorer without.

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all.

ronnie