Let’s get right to it as there’s much to say.
First, the morning started on the right foot as I drove to Cannon Falls to visit my doc at the clinic. As always, a fun and successful visit. I started my day on a positive note.
I came back and hung out with Willy for a few hours before heading out again. This time, it was a quick pitstop at Barnes and Noble as I saw a book had been published for over a month and I wasn’t aware. I bought a copy for a friend’s Christmas present, but because she may read this, I am not showing the pic or sharing the title. You’ll be ok 🙂
Then, as I was at the Barnes and Noble in Burnsville, I headed over to meet my buddy/former student at the theater. Creed 2 at 3:45 was on the docket. I am here to tell you…I thought Creed was a success but this sequel was unusually good for a sequel. And even better than good. I love the way they’ve developed the Rocky Balboa character in these two films. The relationship between him and Apollo Creed’s son is one done well. And in this film, complications arise, as you might guess. However, I have to tell you I was tearing up at the end of the 2-hour plus movie. I thought it was great! As did my movie partner. After, we headed to TGIF for dinner. It was a good afternoon/early evening. Then I came home to chill with Willy, after feeding him, of course. He was starving 🙂
Now, for the brunt of tonight’s Reflection. Thanksgiving. As I said last night, Thanksgiving has found me many different places over the years. I’ll take you back to my childhood to help you understand.
When I was a little guy, I remember one thing about Thanksgiving. While Mom baked and my brothers were in the living room with Dad watching football, I had no desire for the sport and simply wanted to watch something that I found entertaining on television in the family room. For years, a station out of Milwaukee would air family oriented films. Mostly, the ones I remember on that day were Hey There, It’s Yogi Bear!, The Man Called Flintstone, Gay Purree, 1001 Arabian Nights (Mr. Magoo movie), and A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur’s Court. The first four were full-length feature cartoons I had seen in the theater and the fifth one was a live film with Bing Crosby leading the pack of what was a bit of a musical but more of a comedy. Those films came to mean Thanksgiving to me. I always had something to look forward to while the other guys watched football. I even checked out a week before when I’d get the TV Guide to see what would be showing on Turkey Day. As I’d grow older, I looked for those movies, first on VHS, but then on DVD, and I have all of them in my library and they make me smile when I put them in the player to play.
One of the few adult Thanksgivings I remember specifically was one we had at my oldest brother’s home. Mom and Dad were alive; I don’t remember how old I was, but I can guess I was probably in the 20-22 range. Mom was in her first battle with cancer. My brother’s wife’s parents were there with our family. My brother’s father-in-law was taking pictures and movies. He kept shooting them of Mom. His wife made a comment to sit down and eat, but he said something to the effect, “It could be her last Thanksgiving so I just want photos for memories.” My father, nor the rest of us, ever forgave him for saying that. And Mom, who likely heard it, behaved in a manner that was Mom. Dignified and proud, she just continued on without missing a beat with her head wrapped in a scarf as she was dealing with hair loss. I remember that Thanksgiving vividly.
At one point, my second oldest brother and his wife decided to hold Thanksgiving at their home to get Mom off the hook so she wouldn’t have to have all the stress that goes along with that holiday’s responsibilities. He and his wife had many friends from college who’d stop by at some point during the day to say hi, maybe eat, and then head out. My parents loved his college buddies.
Mom died in March of 1985 and Thanksgiving that year was going to be difficult for me. Dad had also met a woman who he wanted to bring to the meal. He specifically called me to ask me if I’d be ok with that. If you knew my father, you’d know how unusual that was for him to do. I told him I held no grudge against him meeting someone and bringing her to Thanksgiving, but that I just couldn’t come and see someone in Mom’s chair the first year. He said he’d not invite her, but I wouldn’t have it. He needed to move on. This was my problem and I was prepared to be alone that day that year. And I was. And I survived. And Dad was happy that day once again.
Every other year in my tenure at RHS, I’d often stay here for the holiday because OnStage would alternate between December and May. Also, Madrigal Dinner would occur every other December. Our trimester had ended and things needed to be done over that time before starting a new trimester. It was less stress to stay here.
About the time I was 40 or so, Thanksgivings changed. I’d end up having Thanksgiving dinner in Rochester for about 12 years, give or take a year. That came to an abrupt halt and things returned to normal, with either OnStage keeping me or me going back cuz I could. That was for the final few years of my career. Once I retired, I returned to Thanksgiving in Hartland, Wisconsin, at my brother’s. This year, however, I am staying. Since I will be heading back to Beaver Dam in one more week, I just didn’t want to go down, return, a week later go down, return, then three weeks later, go down, return. So, that’s about it.
What will I do tomorrow? I have my dinner planned out. I’m happy with that. I’m even starting my morning with caramel rolls in the oven. I never do this, but my sister has done it a couple of times for me and they looked good this week when I was grocery shopping so I bought some. Then, I’ll likely watch some of the parades. And then, maybe throw in one of those movies from my childhood. Once football begins, I’ll continue to run those DVDs in my bedroom’s TV and the living room will have football on it ’til bedtime.
Anything else I do tomorrow is yet to be seen, but it’s likely I’ve already told you what tomorrow will bring. Willy and me and Turkey makes three 🙂 It will be fine.
As for you, I hope your day is filled with food and great company. Anything else will be a bonus! And then, tomorrow night, the third guest columnist shares her love for baking, especially on this holiday! So, come on back and check out her column. We’ll have one more to share next week before I return with my columns, all three about Christmas for December!
Happy Thanksgiving to you all. And to all, a…
…G’Night!
The View From My Room 