Written November 26, 2024
Hello Dear Readers,
The fourth week of November is always a busy season for me. In the United States, we have Thanksgiving Day. My family always holds a dinner party on Thanksgiving Day. Instead of one family hosting and serving everyone, we usually bring dishes when multiple families gather for the feast.
My sister and I love baking. I usually prepare dinner for Thanksgiving or Christmas, and my sister sometimes bakes bread. My brother-in-law usually prepares the main dishes. He is one of the best people to prepare the main meat dish for Thanksgiving. He is a meat smoker and has made fabulous dishes in the past.
Since it’s feast week, I plan to bake pies today. I’m going to bake a pumpkin and an apple pie this afternoon. The last thing I want to do is make them all in a rush. Last week, I selected the recipes and noted the ingredients needed for these desserts. I shared this list with my wife so we could buy them during our grocery shopping.
Sometimes, ingredients such as spices (cinnamon, all spices, Nutmegs) run out from groceries if we try to purchase them at the last minute. My wife ensured we had those spices in October because we didn’t want to hunt them around.
I was not always very close to my family. Before I got my brain stroke, I didn’t spend much time with my family. We were living far away from our families. I have so many cousins and relatives, and they have so much family drama, and I tried to stay away from that. Then, I became sick. I think when you have a near-death experience, you see life entirely differently. When my wife suggested we live near my family, I was happy. She probably noticed the changes in me. She was aware I called both my parents at least once a week. Even though I live closer to my family, I still call both my parents each week.
A family gathering like this holds deep meaning. We create something special for one another and express our gratitude. That is how we celebrate our Thanksgiving days. The celebration may not be extravagant, yet it fills me with contentment. I feel their love for me just as strongly as I love them.