Thanksgiving Recap

We have kept mom safe from COVID now for three years. However, with her worsening memory problems and her feeling forgotten by family, we decided that we needed to get back to hosting a Thanksgiving family get-together so she could see everybody again.

Art and I along with mom always wear our masks when we are out or with anybody other than the three of us. We're all vaccinated and boosted. At 93, we just didn't feel we wanted to take a chance with mom getting sick. Our neighbor (same age as mom) was vaccinated also and managed to catch it when her sister visited from out of state. It took a long time for her to recover and she still doesn't look like she did before.

So we were nervous. But, of course... we also wanted to see everybody again.

We therefore asked everyone to test themselves before coming.

Art had to do his test twice because it was taking a long time to get his result the first time.

Although I trusted everyone to test themselves, they must have known I was nervous and texted me their results without my asking for it. 

I made the lup chong stuffing and Venezuelan flan (with the help of text messages from my friend in Illinois). It's been years and years since I made the flan and definitely three years since I made that stuffing. I forgot how much time (chopping and dicing and chopping and dicing) the stuffing required. My knees were aching on Thanksgiving Day from standing with locked knees over the sink on Wednesday.

Thanksgiving day was mom's turn to make her specialty macaroni salad. She has always been proud of that salad and everyone always tells her how much they love it.

I was figuring on doing just a little bit more of chopping, but mom (recipe in hand) struggled to put it together. Luckily, I'd written down her recipe and modifications in English years ago since I know how much family liked it.

I therefore was back to chopping and dicing, chopping and dicing.

I'm surprised at how she used to do it all by herself without any shortcuts like I would have done.

Once all the ingredients were ready, Art helped her mix it together.

I then helped her with the seasoning. Since I can barely taste anything, it was a matter of adding salt, pepper, soy sauce and having her taste it.

She pronounced it very good and even asked me to save some for us so we could have it the following day. 😄 She loves macaroni salad too.

And then suddenly everyone was arriving. 

Windows and doors were all open to allow a breeze to go through. 

Art and I decided a half hour before the party started to forgo the masks. Loved ones came wearing them anyway knowing how paranoid we were and were happy when we told them what we decided.

This little 2 year old munchkin was already comfortable enough with mom a few minutes after coming to sit next to her for photos. I was so touched to see this and mom, of course absolutely loved it.

Everyone brought a lot of food...a lot of food. My brother and sister-in-law roasted the turkey and brought over stuffing, devilled eggs, sweet and mashed potatoes and gravy.

We added Zippy's fried chicken, edamame (boiled soybeans) and a cauliflower-green bean-cranberry veggie dish to our lup chong stuffing, macaroni salad, quesillo, pumpkin pie and assortment of drinks.

But yikes! We forgot to take out the cranberry sauce. 🙄 (It was our special, deluxe, from the can cranberry sauce. 😂)

A dear friend stopped by with spinach rolls and the rest of the family brought over green salad, baguette and dip, grilled asparagus, homemade ice cream, cookies and special beer (I think) that mom rather enjoyed.

It was amazing to be together again after three COVIDful years.

Mom was smiling ear to ear.

There were 2 two year olds and a 5 year old who ran around the house in cheerful abandon. The entire house was filled with joyful talk and a cacophony of love and happiness.

I didn't hug anyone when they came. I was still in COVID mode. As everyone left we ALL hugged each other. It felt normal. It really felt normal again.

One loved one stopped, smiled and asked if we'd be getting together for New Year also.

Why not? 🤞