Warm Wishes This Holiday

Here in the United States, we are gathering together with family and friends on Thursday to celebrate Thanksgiving.

A day of gratitude for all that we have . . .

I'm sitting here at almost 1:00 AM and I really should be in bed right now. I have a full day of cooking for tomorrow. We have no guests coming and we are not going to anyone's home. It will be a fully relaxing day here at home with my family. My fridge is full of goodies which we plan on eating up all day long. I'm sure none of us will have any room for the actual turkey and stuffing when it comes dinner time.

I remember well as a child going to my grandmother's house for Thanksgiving. She always made the most delicious stuffing. I would die to have her recipe today! I have never seen stuffing like hers in the 20+ years since I have left Iowa. I really need to have that recipe!

My grandmother always had such delicious treats out to nibble on while she cooked and sauced and made her home smell like heaven and cookies. She always went to the butcher and had the best pieces of sausage and dried beef. My mouth is literally watering at the thought.

She would always sit on one side of the table and my father on the other. I can see it clearly in my head now. She would eat her delicious meal slowly and my brothers and I would stuff ourselves silly with her amazing dishes. Wonderful duck or goose usually, with sausages, of course, she was German. The most tasty creamed cabbage that I still make every holiday to this day, even though I am the only one who eat every single bite of it.

My grandmother would sit in her chair and enjoy her beautifully cooked meal and always . . . always shed a tear or two or three . . . as a child I never quite understood why she would cry so quickly. But as an adult and a mother . . . I completely understand it all now.

My grandmother was thankful to have her only son sitting with her, she was thankful for her little grandbabies stuffing themselves with whatever she put in front of them. She had joy in her heart that she was still able to provide such happiness to us all. She was alone for many years as my grandfather had died at an early age, much like my own father. So, to have family around was very important to her.

My grandmother died when I was just becoming a woman . . . I didn't know her as an adult because she had had a stroke when I was 16 year of age or so. The wonderful, delicious family dinners ceased after that as she could barely bring a spoon to her own lips. Shortly after that I moved to Chicago and a bit after that she passed.

I wish I had visited her more often while she was still alive . . . I wish I had taken time out of my busy teen years and spent time getting to know her . . . and her recipes. But I can say that whenever I think about my grandmother . . . it is always with joy in my heart . . . she gave me that to remember.

Warm wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving!