The Same, But Different

This Thanksgiving was unlike any other.  What was different was that we stayed at home.  We gathered online with family on Thursday.  Perhaps the same was true for you.  Zoom has become the backdrop to many of our get togethers since March.

What was the same this Thanksgiving was pretty much everything else.  Robert and I created our usual feast.  He roasted a ten pound turkey in our outdoor pizza oven.  It always has that delicious smoky flavor.  His stuffing was homemade…a two day process beginning with making the bread from scratch.  Added to it were celery, onions, mushrooms, chicken stock and hazelnuts! 

My job was to prepare the sides and dessert.  I roasted sweet potatoes and sprinkled them with cinnamon and a touch of honey.  Of course, we had russet potatoes, first boiled with a bay leaf, garlic and green onions then mashed with cream, butter and salt. I made cranberry sauce from an Alton Brown recipe – delish! I also created a fresh spinach beet salad garnished with chives, basil and pepitas and served with a homemade vinaigrette.  And last but not least, I baked a pumpkin pie made from Libby’s Pumpkin puree.  My piece of pie was topped with coconut milk whipped cream.  Robert had his with whip out of a can!

Besides creating our traditional meal, we watched the Macy’s parade like in past years.

Journal Entry: November 23, 1995, Fountain Hills, Arizona:

“Watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade…so colorful and entertaining! Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop are singing a Hanukkah song on a Dunkin Donuts float! So funny!”

Another tradition we follow is reflecting on what we are thankful for. It’s the same every year.

Journal Entry: November 24, 2017, Newbury Park, California:

“We are so fortunate for all we have…each other, our families, our friends, our pets, our neighbors, our health, our home…just eveything!”

Being grateful for what we have is important, this year more than ever.