Thanksgiving Day in the Trovato family normally starts out with a Turkey Trot. I passed this year due the sheer size of my stomach, but I still maintain I probably would have been just fine. The great many family members come from near and far to convene at my parent's house in the mid afternoon hours for the start of many hours of eating and drinking and noise. Lots of noise.
Last year we ate dinner in the garage, which was fine as far as locales go because my dad is obsessed with a spic and span garage. But since last year there have been two (almost three) new births and with it the realization that the garage and the rest of Trovato Manse wouldn't cut it. My parents looked around their house and then they looked under their house and decided the basement was to be finished. In record time. Something like three weeks. It houses the largest sectional I have ever seen. Three dining room tables. All the toys from 1980-1989. A kitchenette. A bathroom. And a Christmas tree. And this is where we lay our scene...
The men in the family sat on the giant sofa watching football. David was attached to my brother John at the hip. My cousins did their fair share entertaining the little ones (it is the definition of karma). My aunt is baby-crazed almost beyond belief. We ate. A lot. The cold cuts and cheeses.... the cold cut bread, those are my favorites. The rest of the fare I passed on mostly, choosing to save room for dessert. Babies were wooed and held and shushed and cuddled. Messes were made. The definition of a good holiday in my book. All these growing families are pretty amazing don't you think?
Just like year's past between the dinner course and the dessert course Cornelius makes his arrival known. He rings the doorbell and there he be! This year he brought the book and a bag full of Christmas jammies. Which shockingly, were exaclty like pairs of pjs found in the kid's dresser drawers earlier that morning. I am nothing if not frugal. Later that night as I read the kid's the Elf on the Shelf story Letty started to ponder the wonder of the whole Christmas Magic thing. Shouldn't he be left outside? How does he open windows? And so on. But sure enough come morning there he was, needing no assistance with window opening afterall.
I had that pie for breakfast the following day. There is no use denying it. It is my favorite. My sister makes good pie.
And so Thanksgiving, we bid you ado. Until next year!
Last year's Thanksgiving here.
