TRADITIONS

Last week we celebrated Thanksgiving.  It's one of my favourite holidays - let's be honest, any holiday where our family gets together is my favourite.  

We have a few traditions associated with this day.  The first one occurs mid afternoon when Ian offers to help set the table.

TRADITION 1

Ian: Would you like help setting the table?

Me: Um... I guess... if you really want to. (I know what's coming)

Ian: There's a lot of people here, do you just want to use paper plates?

Me: No, I want to use the china.

Ian: Are you sure?

Me: Yes, I'm quite sure.

Ian: Should I get the glasses from the kitchen?  You don't want to use the crystal do you?

Me: Yes, I want to use the crystal.

It is the same conversation we will have at Christmas and then again at Easter.  We bought some lovely crystal glasses on a trip to Ireland a few years ago and I think it's funny that Ian never wants use them.  There is a reason for this which I will explain later.

TRADITION 2

Before our meal begins, we go around the table and each person tells what they are most thankful for.  Usually by the time we get to the end there will have been a few laughs and a few tears.  It is the best part of my day.

TRADITION 3

We all eat too much turkey and the trimmings but always seem to have enough room for dessert.


TRADITION 4

The guys do the dishes.  This is the reason that Ian hates to use the crystal glasses...they need to be hand washed.   While I enjoy taking a rest after the meal, I pay for this act of kindness when I get asked a million questions as to where things belong and then for the rest of the week as I try to find all my kitchen gadgets.

TRADITION 5

Relaxing after the meal and dishes are done.  This takes many forms but we seem to congregate together and play a game.  This year we gathered around our outdoor fireplace and watched the stars come out while drinking hot chocolate.  

I think Matthew went a little overboard with the fire but I'll let you be the judge.

The only thing that kept this from being an absolutely perfect day was the absence of Daniel, Olivia, and Adam.  We missed them. : (

RADIO GAGA

I have poked fun at both my husband and son-in-law in the last couple of posts so it's only fitting that I should confess that I am not above being confounded or confused myself but I guess you already know that from my Tales of the Crypt.

When I was a quite young (4 or 5) we had a radio not too unlike the one pictured above.  When you turned on the power, a light would come on inside and on our model, if you turned the radio just the right way, you could see a bit through the speaker cloth.

One day the DJ announced that the next song to be played would be by the Beatles.  I heard Beatles but thought "beetles" and was incredulous.  Surely not?  Beetles?... beetles can't play music. I immediately rushed to the radio and spent the entire song trying to look through the speaker cloth to see if I could spot little beetles playing musical instruments inside our radio.

I think it's funny that not once had I questioned my belief that tiny little people played music inside our radio but the minute the DJ said "Beatles" I became a skeptic.