Circle of Life.. and Happy Thanksgiving

Well, here it is Thanksgiving. I was all set to order Chinese food, which I kept telling myself weeks before.

Why slave over a stove all day? The kids show up and immediately set out to destroy your cleaned-up mess.. and inhale everything in approx. 20 minutes anyway. Why not just order in and enjoy their company? They send a text asking what’s for supper. I texted back, and it will be a surprise.

I break down the day before and decide to cook a ham, scalloped potatoes, and roasted vegetables, the whole nine yards! The truth is, I have been out with my girlfriends, eating out most of the week, I’d like a home-cooked meal. Turkey is out because they have had their fill of turkey from other obligations.

The first thing my grandson did upon arriving, was go directly to the fridge and proceeded to inventory everything in it. I interrupt him and give him a big hug (while closing the fridge door) I am so happy to see him.. he has grown and I can’t get used to his lower voice. Well, the first thing I had to do was drag him out of my bedroom twice. He had found my big magnifying mirror and was checking out his zits.. geez.. meanwhile, his mom was stretched out on top of my bed, texting.

He decides he wants some milk so back into the fridge he goes, pours some milk, takes a drink, and pours the rest down the sink! “Did you just pour that milk down the sink I shrill at him?”  “Well it tastes like water..” he says.. “and relax it was only a 1/4 cup”. (I only buy skim milk) Oh my… I need to keep it together, he is a teenager after all.

His mom meantime, is now checking out the clothes in my closet to see if anything interests her (she is leaving for Vegas with her boyfriend the next day). I decided it was time for wine and opened the first bottle of white.

Grandson then plops down on the arm of my big leather reclining chair and I can see it starting to wobble. I tell him to sit in it properly..  he sits there for 5 seconds then heads over to crank up the white leather stools I have butting up to my center island. He perches atop one of these wiggling them and fidgets back and forth until I ask nicely (or was it nicely…hmmm) to crank it down because they are just cheap chairs and could break. I pour myself more wine.

Tiring of the stool or maybe he is looking to annoy me on purpose now.. he plops (why can’t he just lower himself into things.. why must he always take a running leap and plop?) into my leather office chair on wheels then proceeds to wheel himself around the living room and kitchen on my bamboo floor (they mark up easily and are not very tough). I motion him out of that chair and claim it for myself.. to keep him out of it. I am starting to wonder what was it I missed about him.

My granddaughter appears with her new boyfriend.. flowers, a gaudy piece of jewelry, and a card signed by them and anyone else who wants in, this is typical for us. We also share a love of gaudy jewelry.

While waiting for the rest of my brood to appear, the appetizers are disappearing at an alarming rate, into my grandson’s stomach. I cut the celery into narrower stalks while he wanders over to the stove and starts picking at the top crusts of my homemade buns.. “for god’s sake take a bun” Am I shrilling again I wonder? I pour myself another glass of wine. I tell someone… anyone, text your uncle and see what’s taking him so long while trying not to sound desperate.

My son and his wife entered, and finally, the grandson has a new focus, thank god. It was time to eat and I pulled out the ham and everyone was sooooo thankful it was not turkey.

Grandson picks at the ham while I bring out the roasted vegetables and scalloped potatoes. I try to steer everyone to the red wine (because I like the white) but it is no use..  my two bottles of white are empty, drat!

Ok, we need to be real here.. who among us who does all of this cooking, gets to enjoy this spread we manage to produce? We are always last… waiting for everyone to help themselves (I do it buffet style on my counter.. I live in a condo now, with little space). Then we pop up and down to fetch this and that, well some do, I sit down and drink my wine, whew… I am exhausted already, “aren’t you going to eat mom,” asks my son. So I regretfully set down my wine and go and fix a plate.

I notice my grandson only has ham on his plate and buns (he did demolish most of the appetizers, I’m thinking). He does or says something to annoy his mom and his sister now. I turn to my daughter and say “You should have eaten him when he was born” (some species do eat their young) and my daughter agrees.. then my granddaughter pipes up  “Ya.. and nana you should have eaten Mom!“

“Ah.. the circle of life, and Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours…

copyright Oct 13, 2014