39 people... maybe 40 for Thanksgiving!

Yep! We had our annual Thanksgiving Dinner with a few family members... there were 39-40 of us, depending on who was counting. Our Thanksgiving festival involves renting the basement of a church. Today we were trying to figure out how long this gathering has been going on in our family. The location has changed a few times, from people's houses, to a large hall, to the church. Best 'guesstimates' are at least 40 years. My parents have been married for almost 37 years and Dad remembers going to these kinds of gathering before he and mom were married. So... it is quite a tradition. It involves my maternal grandmother's family. My grandmother had 4 siblings, so there were five kids in her family. My grandmother and her two remaining sisters have made sure the tradition has continued. So today all three sisters were in attendance with their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren... My grandmother who, I am sure was the first to arrive at the church to get things started, sat down when everyone started going through the line. She refused several offers of jumping in ahead of people and of people offering to bring her a plate. She waited, patiently, sat off to the side and watched. I have no idea what thoughts she was thinking... but I am sure it was a lot for her to take in.

I DO have pictures that I took, but I forgot my cable that connects the camera to the computer... so you will all have to wait until the weekend to see the photos. We tried to get one picture of everyone, but it was a challenge.

It was a nice day. My knee held up pretty well... I was able to stand and talk with people for a while before we all sat down to eat. However, after the meal, I was ready to just stay sitting. The cement floors of the church basement were a little tough, so I visited with those sitting closest to me.

I got to see my cousin today, the one who had recently been injured in an accident... and my first thought at seeing him was Wow.. he looks great...Since last year he has been diagnosed as being diabetic and has had to change his eating and exercise habits. He had been doing a lot of running, and he looks like a runner... he has that physique now. He did so well to be there today, to be with everybody who had so many questions. He got tired quickly and was more than ready to head home after the meal to lay down, but he did great. He has some obvious injuries to his face, but overall, he really looked well. How amazing that he is out of the hospital.

One of my cousins... second cousins I suppose, made sure to come and talk to me about my knee. This cousin is an eye doctor and was highly interested in what PVNS is all about. I am sure with his medical background, it intrigues him more than some. My parents had seen him recently at their eye appointments and had been updating him on my knee. It was nice to talk to him, and others about how I was feeling. My grandmother kept telling me to take it easy and be careful... not to push to hard. Advice I will take to heart.

I also got to see my aunts, one of whom I had stayed with the night before Thanksgiving last year. It was nice to see her though I would have liked more time with her. But, I will get to visit with her again, maybe close to Christmas, depending on where I am to celebrate it.

Of course there was a missing person today... my maternal grandmother. Traditionally she would stay at home and my mom's sister and her family were here for Thanksgiving. On years when my aunt did not make it to Maine, Gram would join us with Dad's side of the family. She was so welcomed and loved there too. Tradition has always been coming home from our day away and telling her all about the food that was there...lots of food... and the dessert table... and of course how various people were doing. Coming home yesterday...knowing Gram wouldn't be here was hard. And I am sure that today was especially hard on my mom. A year ago she spent Thanksgiving with her mother...just the two of them. Gram had been too sick to travel to join the big gathering, my aunt wasn't coming up at Thanksgiving because she was going to come up the following week for Gram's surgery... and mom really wanted Dad to be with his mother... so mom and Gramie spent the day together... in their nightgowns... eating Thanksgiving day food..and enjoying each other's company...one of mom's favorite Thanksgivings.

While I am not thankful that I got to see only one of my grandmothers today, I am thankful that in our hearts, my mom's mom was with us today... every day...

That reminds me... I am learning a new skill... something my grandmother had spent hours, probably years if we added it all up... doing... Knitting. Yup.. I am knitting a scarf! I have made a few mistakes, but I am doing it. It is something that takes time to show progress, but it is kind of nice because it gives me something to focus on without having to think about anything else.... now I have to figure out how I could knit at home... with yarn... and FOUR cats!

Pictures to come soon, I promise! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!