An ExPat's Thanksgiving

(The following is a continuation of the post on 11/27)

The pictures of Tom Turkey one might see in a supermarket ad are oddly different from a Real Tom Turkey. The frozen bird, safely tucked up amongst all the other frozen birds, looks quite fat and round, minus its head and any un-useful part. The Real Tom Turkey isn't like that at all. The Real one has all his parts still firmly attached. And moving around.

I shall draw a veil over the part where Ted had to 'take care of' our turkey. However, small daughter and I felt we should not shrink away from watching. So we experienced it all.

We helped remove the feathers and prepared our turkey, which did not end up looking like the Butterball we were used to. But it was good, it was so, so, good!

There are several things about a Thanksgiving meal that are very much American, and decidedly un-British. The most important of these is the pumpkin pie. With whipped cream. Pumpkin, in England, is considered only as a vegetable, and not a suitable sweet. So I told my British guests ahead of time that we would be serving up some old fashioned pumpkin pie. Friend Rosie was excited to try it. And I was sure they would like it!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/psharpley/2077699349/

The Day developed wonderfully, in all respects. Our guests enjoyed the turkey and trimmings, the rolls (with jam) and the pumpkin pie. Robert especially warmed to the conversation, and told several stories of his own travels. We all ended the day thankful to have found ourselves that much richer having met.

The next morning dawned cold and bright, and as I picked up the milk from the porch, I saw an ambulance parked outside the house next door. Robert's house. I watched closely with dread in my heart, not really wanting to be told what had happened. Another neighbor approached where I stood,  and said that Robert had suffered a heart attack. He died later that morning.

This was awful! We had just had that wonderful meal together. We had talked about his daughter and how he was looking forward to seeing her for Christmas. We had laughed and become good friends with Robert. And he was gone. So soon!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/photoemtchet/4197499831/

All of these things made that Thanksgiving Day an unforgettable one. It was like life itself - at times unpredictable in its blessings and its sadnesses. Just the day before, my husband had led us all in a Thanksgiving prayer, filled with gratitude for all we had been given, and for life itself. 

Let us continue thanking. Not just on Thanksgiving Day.

See you along the way!

the SconeLady

photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/psharpley/2077699349/">browniesfordinner</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">cc</a>


photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/photoemtchet/4197499831/">PhotoChet</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">cc</a>