Turkey Day Take 2

Yesterday saw the second main event of what has become our traditional Thanksgiving Day celebration.  My sister went into the family business of nursing so she’s usually working on the Thursday holiday but free on Friday.  This has evolved over the past decade to a second full Thanksgiving dinner at her house followed by an extremely entertaining party with her in laws.

We started the day out with breakfast (more of a brunch) at the local Cracker Barrel before splitting up.  My wife claimed the right to go shopping while I tagged along with the “kids” to see the new Hunger Games movie – Mockingjay: Catching Fire, Part 1.  This takes the Katniss Everdeen story beyond the games into the full fledged rebellion her actions generated.  This is an obvious transition movie to get all the pieces in place for the final confrontation.  There’s not as much action and we spend a lot of time watching Jenifer Lawrence emote about the unfairness of her choices.  Luckily she’s such a great actress that’s not a bad fate for any movie goer but overall the movie was pretty depressing.  Now we’re forced to wait another whole year so the movie makers can wring the last possible dollar out of the franchise instead of delivering a satisfying movie.

We returned home to find my wife busily preparing for the day three of Thanksgiving which will be hosted at our house.  After some empanada construction the Keene Friend showed up to assume his senatorial duties in Rhode Island.

Buddy Lurking Near the turkey Carving

Since we had to take two cars down to Rhode Island Buddy was once again able to travel with us.  Keene Friend and I chauffeured the Wonder Pooch who seemed rather sanguine about the whole affair.  That is until we arrived at my sister’s house and he immediately began circling my sister’s turkey like a shark.  My first official duties are to carve the turkey which was easier this year since my sister remembered to remove the giblets bag before cooking (three years in a row and counting).    

Pit Bull Puppy Inspected by Buddy and Bailey

As I finished the carving my wife was trying to play Solomon on a piece of turkey skin to be shared between Buddy and my sister’s dog, Bailey.  She was holding the pieces up and declaring that I had cut unequal pieces when a black head slowly rose at her side like a great white rising on an unsuspecting seal.  Buddy’s head turned and the argument was solved with finality for my shocked wife.  The entire room erupted in laughter at Buddy’s stealth kill.

The food was the customarily tasty and was followed by some intriguing desserts.  In honor of the ABFA there was serious investment in chocolate.  There was a truffle that might have been a trifle but we did not trifle with it at all.  Post dinner conversation invariabley led to the lack of grandchildren as the ABFA was firmly brought into the discussion by my wife.  My daughter looked on with glee as she could now share this stage in the annual discussion with her new sister in law.  The ABFA quickly filled up her wine glass in the face of the relentless mother in law suggestions.

The ABFA Following the Grandchild Discussion

The house soon began to fill with the assorted member of my sister’s fantastic in laws and my nephew’s crew.  The crew also brought a pit bull puppy who made its evening mission to mess with Buddy.  Buddy did not appreciate the new found adulation as it distracted from his ever present need to beg food from clients who became more generous as the evening and alcohol consumption drew on.  Buddy even managed to escape from the impregnable bastion of my sister’s back yard a couple times before we figured out he’d worked his way through the garage.  Luckily there was enough food available that he merely walked around to the front door instead of exploring the greater Cranston area.

WingMan at the Table of Plenty

My brother in law’s arrival home from work completed what I refer to as the Table Gang.  One of the best times I have all year (and let’s face it – I have a lot of fun annually) is sitting around that table each year telling jokes and trying to convince a certain malevolent spirit (my sister’s sister in law) to not conjure against the Red Sox again.  She was easily distracted this year trying to convince a skeptical friend I looked like Don Draper when I had a certain hat on (did I mention a lot of adult beverage was sent down range?). 

Daughter and ABFA

After what seemed like an all too short time we were approaching midnight and the time to go.  Before that happened though my sister and daughter were dancing for some reason that will be lost to the annals of history.  The Keene Friend drove Buddy and I home while my son drove a very energetic set of ladies.  The Wing Man bore witness to the hour long drive through the cold night as my son (who for some reason wants to be called “Chopped Liver” in this blog) bore up against a formidable tag team of his sister, the ABFA, and his mother.  They were still laughing about it when the Keene Friend and I arrived.  Too….much….fun. 

My Son (Chopped Liver) Steeling Himself to Drive These Ladies Home

My Sister and Daughter in Full Dance Mode

The Table Gang