The "Real Thanksgiving" Story

It was an ordinary day. Saturday after Thanksgiving. We call it the "Real Thanksgiving", since that is when our family get's together to celebrate turkey day. We are having 19 1/2 people at 1:00 PM for dinner. Our son Derek and his family of 3, our daughter Brynn and her family of 4 plus dog, our son Tad, my mom, my brother Steve and his wife as well as his 2 kids and their families which total 8 1/2, and Carol and I. Should add up to 19 1/2. The 1/2 belongs to Steve's daughter Kelly who is pregnant with her third child. Carol stuffed and baked TWO turkeys yesterday in preparation for today. Total of 21.4 pounds of turkey. She also made the candied sweet potatoes. We carved the turkeys yesterday and put them in a roaster oven and popped them in the fridge overnight. This morning we put the turkey on low, put the stuffing in the Crockpot on low, put the sweet potatoes on the BBQ grill on low, and put Ina's corn in the oven. I peeled the potatoes for mashing and we put them on the stove. Carol readies the gravy and warms the rolls and gets out the cranberry sauce. Everything under control!! Our daughter and her husband Dave and kids Courtney and Camille arrived last night and helped set the table this morning. Other started to arrive at 12:30 PM found a spot in front of the TV to watch Penn State play Michigan State. At a little after 1:00 we gathered around the table for our meal. We all pitched in and said our prayer "God is Great" and we were ready for the feast. Went smooth except for the fact that I told everyone to pass the food counter-clockwise. I was told that that was bad luck, but too late at that point. Dessert followed with pumpkin pie, cherry pie, brownies, ice cream and whipped cream. Then the fun started. Doing the dishes. Some dishes can go in the dishwasher, others not. Silverware has to be hand washed. Most everyone knows the routine and they pitch in to clear the table and clean up the kitchen. Plastic containers are filled for those that want to have the same thing for the rest of the week. And then we sit and gossip .... I mean talk! TV features another ball game by now. Dave is a high school football coach in Maryland and seems to have a former player playing in every game on the TV. Penn State linebacker, Nebraska defensive lineman, Maryland noseguard and defensive back, Stanford noseguard, ..... and the list goes on. We cheer for everyone of his players. And then, just like that, everyone goes home, except Brynn and her family who will go back to Maryland tomorrow. Another historical memory in the LDub family. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - Pixs from top are: LDub chopping almost 10 pounds of potatoes, Carol working on the gravy and corn (notice the green bowl - 12/11/09 story), LDub emptying one of the turkeys of the stuffing, Courtney finishing the table settings, and my plate full of goodies.