Thanksgiving this year was a little different.
I say a little with a smile on my face because, like July 4th, this is not one of my holidays so without my American clan around me I would let it slip past unnoted!
The holiday is too close to Christmas and the eating of turkey seems sacrilegious if you are to fully savor the hefty fowl one month later on the feast of the Nativity.
However, as Americans (some more full blooded than others) the afternoon saw us being hosted at some new friends’ house,
The spread was traditional and completely delicious, starting with a hearty squash soup, and moving right along to the bird, both roasted and smoked, with stuffing, cranberry crunch (whipped up effortlessly by Daughts,) mashed potatoes laced with caramelized onions, sweet potatoes topped with pecans, brussels roasted with bacon, a salad, gravy and rolls. To top it all off the table sagged beneath pecan pie, pumpkin pie and my signature chocolate trifle! In England we would not have declared the meal finished without cheese, crackers and a variety of pickles but a humble cup of coffee sufficed chased with a swig of fiery rum from a common cup,
“One of many family traditions!” we were told by our new friends!
I now fully understand why Daughts is drawn to this family home! The food, the welcome, the warmth, and… possibly the boyfriend coming in a close second,
Or perhaps Titan.
As an aside here, did anyone else notice we went from creepy Halloween straight to Christmas at the stores? Thanksgiving was apparently bypassed!
No turkey displays, or pilgrim hats, stacks of pie fillings, or Dallas Cowboys jerseys…well, forget the Cowboys they were a disappointment weren’t they?
(However they did win their game at Wembley Stadium in London a few weeks ago, my brother, a long distance fan, would never have let me live down a defeat. Every Texan is responsible for the triumph of America’s team, right?)
Back to Thanksgiving, it used to be a one day affair (as all major holidays are restricted to in my adopted land) but somehow an additional day off has crept in to keep the new Feast of Black Friday sacred, that is for those of us not in retail!
My teacher daughter is not in retail and had the Friday off, I can only imagine her luxurious 4 day weekend without children underfoot!
Retailers only got a half day thanks to the stores racing against the clock on the oven, in order to open their doors and start the BF Shopping Frenzy ahead of their competitors.
That’s the commercial side of the holidays, I’ve forgotten is Black Friday still considered Thanksgiving or is it the official start of the Christmas season?
As for us, we enjoyed the mingling, spending time, laughing with family and new friends, side.
At both ends of the day.
We started the thankfulness with an atypical McNeny event
In order to fit in with schedules our adult children had laid before us, we hosted breakfast and broke bread with our immediate family, nine in all.
We gathered and ate eggs Benedict with ham on lightly toasted English muffins with gently sautéed brussels seasoned with bacon, and homemade cinnamon rolls, washed down with freshly brewed coffee.
You’ll have to imagine the meal because we forgot to invite the camera but we did get one photo of the remnant before we went our separate ways,
Brunch may become a new McNeny Thanksgiving favourite.
Thanks to everyone who made this day such a pleasure.
Well hello there! My name is Vivienne McNeny.
I am an empty nester exploring life as a Boomer…you could say I'm happily Boomering along!
As a homeschooling Mum I have finally quit the job of role model and mentor to my four children. I do what I want to do, eat when I feel like it, enjoy life with my blue eyed cowboy and clean my house once a month or so whether it needs it or not!
In true English form I write about the emergence of my true identity now that I can no longer hide behind my children as their Mum.
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