A Promise Kept
I promised you a post about my family's double Thanksgiving; I promised myself that I'd post those pictures so they don't get lost in some almost inevitable data crash. So, very belatedly, here goes.
As has become usual, we celebrated Thanksgiving at John and Pam's. They have the big house and, more importantly, they have the energy and organization to pull off big dinners. And this was a big dinner. From my side of the family, besides myself, Samantha, Alan, and Olga, Olga's son, Zach, and Zach's friend, Ruby, and my sister, Debbie..
From Pam's side of the family, her father, Steve, and his wife, Phoebe; Steve's sister, Judy, and her son, Justin; Pam's brother, Sam, and his wife, Yvonne; and Evan, also Pam's brother.
To complete the picture, Christine, a member of John's running club, joined us.
That's Pam, standing up, directing traffic, with her aunt, Judy, peeking out behind her. You get a glimple of Pam and John's not-very-big kitchen behind her. Seated in front of Pam is her father's wife, Phoebe (her mother died years ago of complications of diabetes). My sister, Debbie, is on one side of Phoebe; on the other side, is Justin, Judy's son. Pam's father, Steve, is next to Justin.
From left to right, Justin, Steve still serving himself food, Christine, and John.
Again from left to right, Alan in the plaid shirt, Samantha, Yvonne, Sam, and, in the yellow tee, Evan. Also several platters of food. Nobody went away hungry. In fact, I don't think anyone went away without left-overs.
Going right to left this time, Alan, his partner Olga (Alan wants to get married, Olga doesn't), her son Zach, and his friend Ruby.
It was a lovely, congenial meal. When we first started mingling families at the holidays, I felt that Pam's family ignored me, but time has passed, we've shared holidays, and I now feel comfortable with them and they, I think, with me. The only exception may be Judy and Justin. They live in the East Village in New York and so we don't have nearly as many shared experiences to build on.
The next day, John, Pam, Debbie, and me piled in John's car and drove down to Salisbury, Maryland where my niece, Lara, and her family -- husband Steve and children Ella, Ed, and Nicole -- live. They usually drive three hours to Philadelphia to join us, but that's just not right. Last year we went down to see them once, and we are trying to make that at least an annual event.
This year, Steve and the three kids...they are hardly 'children' anymore...spent Thanksgiving Day with his parents while Lara stayed home with the four dogs. As a result, all five of them considered this Friday feast...and it was a feast...a crab feast...their true Thanksgiving when they were altogether and we joined them.
Unhappily, this time I was more interested in the food than the people and only managed to take two people-pictures.
Olga, Alan, and John.
Debbie is nearest the camera; my grandniece, Lara, is picking away further down the table. I'll try to do better next time, which is tomorrow when we gather to celebrate Hanukkah at John and Pam's, of course.
Finally, as also promised, a quick account of my visit with mandagrammy.
I hadn't been out to Lancaster to see her since she was discharged from the hospital in August. I felt badly about that, partly because I didn't want her to think she had to be in distress before I'd come for a visit but mostly because I missed her. She is such a positive and interesting person that it is a joy to be with her. So, shortly after Thanksgiving, I got on the train and took off for Lancaster, a trip of a little over an hour. Or usually an hour's trip. This time the tracks were being worked on, and the trip there (but not back) took a good two hours. That would have been okay -- the train is comfortable -- but it cut into my visit.
After a quick ride in a Lyft, I got to her house about 1:00 p.m.
mandagrammy and her granddaughter, Amy, live in the second floor apartment. That's their balcony.
I didn't see Amy this visit. She works in retail (Walmart? not sure) and this is a very busy time of the year. mandagrammy and I had to struggle along without her which involved a delicious lunch, much admiring of her two beautiful cats, Britin and Cinnamon, and a whole lot of talking. I don't understand quite how this works, but we never seem to run out of things to discuss. Amazing!
It was a lovely afternoon, and I'm going to make sure I visit again soon, weather permitting.
Considering that this is the view from my kitchen window, the weather may be a problem for the next few months. Cross your fingers, mandagrammy! FanSee
As has become usual, we celebrated Thanksgiving at John and Pam's. They have the big house and, more importantly, they have the energy and organization to pull off big dinners. And this was a big dinner. From my side of the family, besides myself, Samantha, Alan, and Olga, Olga's son, Zach, and Zach's friend, Ruby, and my sister, Debbie..
From Pam's side of the family, her father, Steve, and his wife, Phoebe; Steve's sister, Judy, and her son, Justin; Pam's brother, Sam, and his wife, Yvonne; and Evan, also Pam's brother.
To complete the picture, Christine, a member of John's running club, joined us.
That's Pam, standing up, directing traffic, with her aunt, Judy, peeking out behind her. You get a glimple of Pam and John's not-very-big kitchen behind her. Seated in front of Pam is her father's wife, Phoebe (her mother died years ago of complications of diabetes). My sister, Debbie, is on one side of Phoebe; on the other side, is Justin, Judy's son. Pam's father, Steve, is next to Justin.
From left to right, Justin, Steve still serving himself food, Christine, and John.
Again from left to right, Alan in the plaid shirt, Samantha, Yvonne, Sam, and, in the yellow tee, Evan. Also several platters of food. Nobody went away hungry. In fact, I don't think anyone went away without left-overs.
Going right to left this time, Alan, his partner Olga (Alan wants to get married, Olga doesn't), her son Zach, and his friend Ruby.
It was a lovely, congenial meal. When we first started mingling families at the holidays, I felt that Pam's family ignored me, but time has passed, we've shared holidays, and I now feel comfortable with them and they, I think, with me. The only exception may be Judy and Justin. They live in the East Village in New York and so we don't have nearly as many shared experiences to build on.
The next day, John, Pam, Debbie, and me piled in John's car and drove down to Salisbury, Maryland where my niece, Lara, and her family -- husband Steve and children Ella, Ed, and Nicole -- live. They usually drive three hours to Philadelphia to join us, but that's just not right. Last year we went down to see them once, and we are trying to make that at least an annual event.
This year, Steve and the three kids...they are hardly 'children' anymore...spent Thanksgiving Day with his parents while Lara stayed home with the four dogs. As a result, all five of them considered this Friday feast...and it was a feast...a crab feast...their true Thanksgiving when they were altogether and we joined them.
Unhappily, this time I was more interested in the food than the people and only managed to take two people-pictures.
Olga, Alan, and John.
Debbie is nearest the camera; my grandniece, Lara, is picking away further down the table. I'll try to do better next time, which is tomorrow when we gather to celebrate Hanukkah at John and Pam's, of course.
Finally, as also promised, a quick account of my visit with mandagrammy.
I hadn't been out to Lancaster to see her since she was discharged from the hospital in August. I felt badly about that, partly because I didn't want her to think she had to be in distress before I'd come for a visit but mostly because I missed her. She is such a positive and interesting person that it is a joy to be with her. So, shortly after Thanksgiving, I got on the train and took off for Lancaster, a trip of a little over an hour. Or usually an hour's trip. This time the tracks were being worked on, and the trip there (but not back) took a good two hours. That would have been okay -- the train is comfortable -- but it cut into my visit.
After a quick ride in a Lyft, I got to her house about 1:00 p.m.
mandagrammy and her granddaughter, Amy, live in the second floor apartment. That's their balcony.
I didn't see Amy this visit. She works in retail (Walmart? not sure) and this is a very busy time of the year. mandagrammy and I had to struggle along without her which involved a delicious lunch, much admiring of her two beautiful cats, Britin and Cinnamon, and a whole lot of talking. I don't understand quite how this works, but we never seem to run out of things to discuss. Amazing!
It was a lovely afternoon, and I'm going to make sure I visit again soon, weather permitting.
Considering that this is the view from my kitchen window, the weather may be a problem for the next few months. Cross your fingers, mandagrammy! FanSee