I survived Thanksgiving without seeing cousins or family in person. It was a close-run thing and something I sincerely hope I will never have to do again. The saving grace was technology. The cousins from my father’s family set up a mass zoom call that cooked off at the same time we usually sit down for Thanksgiving dinner with each other, in less covidious times. It was magical. It was funny to see all us boomers trying to log on and having the younger generation guiding us through it. We had cousins from Oregon, Florida, West Virginia, Washington, Virginia, Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut, and probably a couple other places I am forgetting as well as the usual gathering place in New Hampshire. It was truly medicinal to see these faces as they were what I was missing most about not making this annual pilgrimage north.
Way Too Much Food
There was that
instant sense of family and comfort with these people even though we haven’t
seen each other for a year that always comes when I walk in the door up in New Hampshire
on Thanksgiving. It was a poor substitute for being in person together but it
was a substitute and very welcome. The plan was to sing the traditional
doxology together but the only ones who managed that were the people up in New Hampshire.
Seeing all these faces made the day bearable and renewed determination to
reinvigorate the gathering for next year. I always think of it as a tribute to
the aunts and uncles who made this assembly such an event. I think they would
have been proud to see their “kids” (even though some are approaching 80)
strive to maintain contact on turkey day. Next year in New Hampshire and this
zoom call validates attendance for this year!
The Cousin Zoom Call
The Bird - Came out Perfect! 
Ready to Start Carving 
I think we're Gong to Need a Bigger Platter
During the call, I
was in the midst of preparing a much larger Thanksgiving dinner than was
warranted, since it was just for my Favorite Panamanian and I, but I wasn’t
going to compromise standards simply for the lack of people. That, and I love leftover
turkey. I was rushing to the finish line because we had arranged another video
linkup at 2pm for my kids as well as Great Aunt and Soxfather. I was still
carving the turkey when the time rolled around but soon learned I was ahead of
the other guys. My other sister also called around this time and I was able to listen
in as she talked with my wife while turkey slices flew around the kitchen. It was
yet another time I was reminded about the lack of Buddy to police up the debris.
Soon everyone was seated around their respective dinner tables enjoying the
food and distant comradery. Wingman was a little late to the call because he
was learning the vagaries of cooking his first ever turkey, they never follow
the recommended times.
Buddy's Favorite Time of Year
Son and his Family Yesterday
 |
| ABFA and BR3 |
Our Mission, Which we Decided to Accept 
My Favorite Panamanian Enjoying her Dinner
I made a semi-gallant
effort to eat as much of the displayed food as I could. It bordered on gluttony
but we’ve all earned such a repast in 2020. The problems with my serious intake
of turkey was the sleep-inducing effects when combined with the incredible amount
of food I consumed. I was slipping into a Tryptophan coma when the call ended.
After awakening on the living room couch an hour later I found my Favorite Panamanian
had almost finished cleaning up – so – win! This is the normal breakdown of responsibilities
for holiday meals, I prepare them and she cleans up the disaster I have created
in the kitchen.
Tryptophan Here I come
FaceTime With Our Turkey
So, again, technology
saved my Thanksgiving because I could see all the missed faces as well as the
voices. I’m also trying not to remind myself today that right now I should be
loading the car with grandchildren and Keene Friend to travel to Great Aunt’s
house for the most anticipated party of the year. Again, next year will be
truly epic. As Namesake Nephew remarked yesterday, “There’s a Coors 30-pack
with both our names on it”. That’s convenient since we share the same name, but
I digress. We will have the weekly First Friday Family Facetime call this
afternoon which will help chase the blues of missing yet another classic event.
Great Aunt Enjoying Daughter and FBR Silliness
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Missed Having these Gals Around this Weekend
RECURRING CHARACTERS
BR3 – granddaughter #3, BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first
granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best
Family Athlete = my daughter in law; Wingman
– my son in law; Keene Friends 1 & 2
– friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Soxfather - my brother in law; Great Aunt - my elder sister; Cantankerous Friend
– friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as
radical leftist to attract women; Kindergarten
Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; Pittsburgh College Roommate – high
school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions
once my wife got involved in planning; Maine
and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters,
my wife is the 3rd musquetera (musketeer); Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; PanaGals – female relatives /friends of
my wife from Panama; Panamanian/Latin
Mafia – inevitable group of Latino friends my wife accumulates wherever we
have lived & their spouses; Neighborhood
Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member, Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of
course); First Friday – celebrations
to mark the First Friday of the Week; Curbside
Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in
Brooklyn
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