Well Ended as Well

Once again, I worried a holiday had been anticipated so ardently that there was no way it could live up to its billing. Once again, because of the people I associate with, I should not have been worried. This was the calmest Thanksgiving Day I’ve had in decades. The lifelong tradition of attending the gathering of my cousins from my Father’s Family has passed into history, a victim of too many competing generations, and, to be perfectly honest, the aging cousin base. It has been replaced with a small family gathering at our house which has the added benefit of no driving, the bane of all prior turkey days (yes Connecticut – looking at you). My daughter paid that price with her late Wednesday night arrival.

The Fam at Saturday Lunch at Red Robin

Her two cats, Pistachio and Walnut, became the stars of the weekend as they serially charmed everyone they came into contact with. We had a quiet day in the house, except whenever the cats decided to entertain, which was constant. Walnut decided he liked the smell of turkey and tried in earnest to assist me with the carving. My Favorite Panamanian was on perpetual cat watch as both felines do not share their predecessor’s lack of ability/inclination to counter climb. The best part of the day was watching three consecutive football games with my daughter in the Man Cave. With the cats, there is appreciably less requirement to monitor the FBR who spends every possible moment with them.

Walnut Offering Assistance

Walnut and Pistachio

Rare Quiet Moment

Wife and I with Thanksgiving Dinner

Daughter and FBR

Friday brought the big event of the holiday weekend, the annual day after Thanksgiving dinner/party at Great Aunt’s house. My son’s family and Keene Friend joined the crowd as we gathered in Rhode Island for the party that’s been going on for more than thirty years (no cousin generational issues here). This was also the first Thanksgiving for Namesake’s Nephew’s daughter, who has reintroduced joy into Great Aunt’s life. Last year, a large amount of the conversation addressed her imminent February arrival. She didn’t disappoint with her debut, bringing light wherever she was.

Fabulous Hostess with Death by Chocolate Cake

The Gang

Great Aunt Introducing the Newest Cousin

FBR is an Immediate Fan

Took a While but Predictably my Wife Ended up with the Baby

My three granddaughters immediately drafted Namesake Nephew’s other two kids into their gang. Remy, Great Aunt’s dog, was the immediate beneficiary. The gang groomed him numerous times and he was the object of attention for the entire day. Great Aunt had prepared the usual fabulous dinner and was impervious to several attempts to play our usual practical jokes on her. I blame her granddaughter for her blissful attitude towards our hijinks. Our previous years efforts has resulted in a hyper-prepared Great Aunt. Whenever I asked for an implement, she haughtily produced whatever was asked for. I was impressed, although I successfully prevented myself from demonstrating that to her (I still must fulfill my role as the obnoxious younger brother).

Great Aunt with her Turkey

Second Thanksgiving

The Gang with the FBR Reading

Remy Enjoying the Belly Rubs

BR3 With Crowd Control

The dinner table effortlessly transitioned into the evening party zone with the arrival of Soxfather’s beloved family. I captured the guerrilla style photos of Soxfather’s sister which is also a well-respected Thanksgiving tradition. As I engaged with Soxfather’s family around the table, I couldn’t help but remember all the great Thanksgiving holidays spent at that same table with Soxfather. I think he was there in spirit with us as the laughter was almost non-stop. Our redeployment plan called for two waves. The granddaughters departed first (prisoners of mythical bedtimes which they blissfully ignore whenever together). They were accompanied by their moms and my Favorite Panamanian.

Obligatory Soxfather Sister Photos

Since Keene Friend is now a teetotaler, he was volunteered to be the designated driver for the second wave consisting of my son, I, and him. We were settling in for an extended night of the aforementioned laughter with additional Soxfather family arrivals when I received a panicked call from my Favorite Panamanian. They had arrived back in Worcester with the young ones and the garage door opening code was not working. This meant they were stranded outside and required that the second wave leave immediately, since we had a garage door opener. If I had consumed less Coors Lite, I might have remembered that I had purposely left the back door to the garage unlocked.

The Gang Helping Great Aunt Create her 7 Layer Dip

Great Aunt with Namesake Nephew and his Wife

Post Dinner Football with Daughter, Son and ABFA

We had just got into the car to leave when my resourceful daughter, with a better memory than I, called to report she had remembered me doing that and discovered the unlocked door. We were debating about re-entering Great Aunt’s party when we observed a sizable portion of Soxfather’s family departing. While driving back I became convinced (obsessed) that the whole garage door code failure was simply a ploy by a certain Panamanian to get us to leave early. This theory was dashed upon arrival when the code didn’t work for us either. We were warmly greeted by the cats who had been cooped up in a room all day while we partied in Rhode Island.

BRS and Pistachio

Son and Walnut Bonding

With all three granddaughters now in residence, an early morning was guaranteed with hojaldras, cinnamon rolls, and corn muffins in high demand. My son and Walnut bonded in no uncertain terms. We followed through with what has become yet another Thanksgiving tradition by loading up the cars and taking the granddaughters to the movie for a forgettable animated movie. It was fun watching them enjoy the cinema atmosphere. We followed this with a walk up to the Red Robin (also part of the tradition) where we linked up with my Favorite Panamanian, who had chosen to shop instead of the movie (go figure).

Movie Time

We spent the rest of Saturday back at the homestead where Pistachio and Walnut cemented their status as superstars. If I’m a betting man (and I’m not) I would say there is feline addition to my son’s family in the future. I’m sure that will wait while Riggins is around as that poor guy doesn’t deserve yet another indignity. My son’s family departed late on Friday which meant another night in the Man Cave for my daughter and I, comparing movie notes (something I cherish). So, there you have it. A relatively quiet Thanksgiving weekend, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I have a very cool family, which includes Keene Friend as well

Three movies fell in the A-Z watch, all keepers: Troy – excellent version of the Iliad with Pitt oozing charisma as Achilles; True Grit (1969) – holds up well with Duke abandoning his usual screen personae; True Grit (2010) – Hailey Steinfeld’s coming out party, Bridges awesome as Rooster.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------RECURRING CHARACTERS:                                

ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete – my daughter in law; BR3 – Blog Reader #3 – granddaughter #3; BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; CRC - Connecticut Riverboat Captain – another close friend from high school, renowned sailor of the big river; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn; Czech Connection – Czech couple who’ve become good friends along with their daughter (the Czech Shadow); Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter; First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Great Aunt - my elder sister; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rd Musquetera (musketeer); Namesake Nephew – son of Great Aunt and Soxfather named after me; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member; 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; PCR - Pittsburgh College Roommate – high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; PCR+1 - Pittsburgh College Roommate’s wife; Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; Seis Amigos - two couples from our condo complex and my wife and I; Soxfather – my brother-in-law (whom I miss more than I can ever explain); Tia Loca – wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course