As kids, we would hear her complaining non-stop about other people but I never really realized that there was an internal fued as well.
This year it was all I could do to bite my tongue as I was nominated as peace keeper. Ugh! I had to call her and tell her we would NOT be coming down on the scheduled traditional day but a day later. (insert me making a mean face) I.DID.NOT. want to do this. I am the only one in the family that she has not had a quarrel with (YET!-until she finds out her original wedding band was stolen from me) and I didn't want it to start now!
Well needless to say the date was changed but I knew it was not going to be pleasant. I let her know that we would come up anyway on Thanksgiving Day and stay the night with her and HELP her cook for dinner the next day.
We squished 5 people and a dog in to my sister's little Honda.....literally sardine squished since L'il C was in her booster seat taking up a fair amount of room, my large marge booty in the teeninsy middle seat, and Mr. C's 6'4" self in the fetal position. But it was fun. ;)
We pumped ourself up about the one glimpse of hope that would come of that evening.... THE CHEX MIX! Every year my Grandmother makes this. Then the thought hit me that she may not have made it because she might be pouting. I.WAS.RIGHT! I ended up having to be the one to make it when I got there.
When we were getting ready for bed she asked us what time we would be getting up since Amy and I would be cleaning and preparing the turkey. ?????
(Read in Genie voice) 'scuse me? *scoffs* Are you lookin' at me? Did you rub my lamp? Did you wake me up? Did you bring me here? And all of a sudden you're walkin' out on me, I don't think so.
Sure enough. She was mad that we were late so we were to do it ALL by ourselves. I took this as a learning opportunity to prove I could do it as well as she does. Amy took it as punishment for being there since she can't cook. Both of us are squimish when it somes to touching raw meat.
I did okay until it came time to get the gibblets (for the gravy) and the neck out of the inside. I thought it was going to be squishy insides that I had to dig in but after I pulled the neck out it was just an empty cavity. Where did the giblets go?? My Grandmother, who on any given day gets up before the crack of dawn, was staying in her room pretending to be asleep to see if we were capable of doing it on our own.
Gibblets were no where to be found. So we did what any person would do. We called our mom who was on her way to the City.
Amy calling my mom:
Hi Mom. Is it possible that our turkey didn't come with gibblets? We can't find them anywhere.
Mom: No, Amy, that's not possible. Look harder.
Amy: Cheri' is looking very hard and none can be found.
Mom: They are probably in the white wrapper that's on the end of the turkey.
Amy: (long pause) Hmmm...well that sucks. We threw that away.
So we dug it out of the trash, washed it off before my Grandmother got up and continued on.
After the turkey was in the oven, we spent the rest of the morning getting everything else ready. Amy was in charge of the easy stuff: setting the table, the mashed potatoes, part of the salad (I finished the other part because she got so excited to put the marshmallows on the sweet potatoes!, cranberry sauce, deviled eggs, and corn.
I prepared the turkey, ham, dressing, sweet potatoes, etc. and my mom brought the desserts. Everything was delicious and everyone had plenty to eat.
After all of the drama that I refuse to go in depth about, my Grandmother sits down and says that she would like for everyone to say something for which they are thankful. Seriously?!
"I am very thankful that I will not be coming back here next year....or any other year for that matter." Uhm....no. That wasn't it. I just smiled politely and mentioned how much I loved family time!
And as my uncle said one year in the midst of all of the glorious family times in pure uncle sarcasm, "Happy Happy Joy Joy!" (compliments of Rin and Stimpy)
-
Amy had this to say:
Yeah so we survived...BUT I can guarantee we won't all come out alive if it ever happens again. You can count me out next Thanksgiving...maybe even Christmas. ;)
- 8:49 AM
-
Candice had this to say:
Aahh, Thanksgiving with the family. Sometimes I miss being home - well, alot of the time - but then I remember all the craziness. Now, I just deal with it with my in-laws. I'd much rather be dealing with my family, though!
- 1:28 PM
