Ghosts of Thanksgiving Past

Well kids it's been ages since last we gathered. A lot of changes have happened.

As Queen Elizabeth commented about 1992, "annus horribilis" has been our 2009. I'm just trying to get through the rest of this year, and hope 2010 is better.

First of all, shortly after my last post, beloved auntie Betsy Mae entered hospice and passed away on April 5 - Palm Sunday morning. She was a major player in my life. She sparked my interest in old movies when I was in elementary school. When I returned home after two years of college back east, Betsy and I would attend movies (and Mom too) at Sheldon Art Gallery's "American Movie Classics Series." When that series ended we'd hit mainstream films as well. We'd have dinner at Alice's Restaurant (a familiar family restaurant for long-time Lincolnites), attend the film, then snack afterward at Lum's restaurant on "O" street. We'd also carve our pumpkins together. Her absence is just beginning to feel like reality. In early October I was browsing through Ben Franklin and Campbell's looking at decorations and planning my table centerpiece for Thanksgiving all the while thinking I'd run my ideas passed Betsy for her input.

Mark's mom entered hospice the beginning of summer. She stabilized until August, then passed away Aug 20. She just couldn't recover from the stroke and the multitude of infections and other medical issues that subsequently arose. The boys are orphans now as they lost their dad to brain cancer in 1987. I met Mark the following year, so I never knew his dad. Neita was the hub in that family.

So two empty seats at our Thanksgiving tables this year.

As it happened, I ended up canceling Thanksgiving for my side of the family. We always celebrate the Saturday-Before since Mark's family celebrates on Thanksgiving proper. But this year I'd caught a bad respiratory thing (NOT H1N1) and knew I couldn't recover fast enough to pull together a dinner. Mom and niece Paige agreed so I concentrated on getting myself healthy and am looking towards Christmas.

Thanksgiving morning Mark, Cassie, and I loaded the van (and I mean loaded. Read: Cassie packs practically her entire room when I say, "Pack a few things to entertain yourself for the drive up and back.") and met at brother-in-law Gordie's place; we ate at Divot's in Norfolk. First time in 20 years that we were up and back the same day.

The empty seats are not quite as obvious yet. A change in tradition was probably good for this first year.