Robin, Dear Heart, you are so appreciated by me; you're a survivor and *one tough cookie*--and I mean that as a compliment. Whenever/whatever you post is eagerly read and appreciated--from the good times to the hard ones.

I, too, am thankful for the GP and its members; this is the one place I visit every day when I'm on line. If I can't get here, I feel as if I've missed something important, and revisit, ASAP.

I sincerely hope each and everyone of us has a Happy Thanksgiving.

Peace, blessings, and hugs!

Thank you, Robin. My sentiments exactly. You shall have a wonderful year ahead, I know it.
Lots of things to be thankful for.
Peace, love and blessings
Lilo

Thank you, Robin. Peace and love.

Sheila

Whenever I think something is hard to do, I think of you, Robin and how strong and resourceful you are and all the bad times you conquered.
I am thankful for all of you, especially since I am the last of a group of friends here.
Thank you.

I was thankful to see a true oldtimer pop in here...Lynnie...bet that wont be happening again anytime soon.

Thanksgiving memories '50s and'60s

Mom had seven sisters and brothers each with their own kids. Grandma's house was the go to place for Thanksgiving dinner. The yard was about an acre it seemed and three quarters of it was garden. Corn in the back row, beans and peas, potato hills and squash, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, turnips, onions and much more. Rhubarb and ground cherry bushes were around the front edge. The chicken house was full and eggs were plentiful. All of this bounty went into Ball jars and ended up on the shelves in the root cellar.

We drove from Urbandale to Shellrock the day before or early that morning. Cherries and apples from our yard were packed and brought along to make pies. Velma, our Mom, Dora, Marlys, Leola, Margaret and Roberta were vying for their spots in the kitchen under the eye of Grandma Lena. It was a very busy kitchen. There would be as many as twenty kids out playing games in the yard while the men watched the football games. Some of us would pick ears of corn and peas right from the garden to munch, mmm so good. Some years we would head to a local pond and fish with our red and white bobbers on bamboo poles.

Grandma had a huge round oak table that could be extended with three centre boards. the dining room was the largest room in the house with a coal burning stove. There were two or three card tables set up for the kids and a side board to hold the food dishes that would not fit on the table. Some of us kids were put to work setting the tables. The smells from the kitchen were overwhelming by this time and the men would try to get tastes of favourites as they wandered in to the kitchen for another Pabst Blue Ribbon beer. They could be charming when entering the Women's domain to steel treats.

When we all sat down to eat the conversation would be about what had happened in the last year with each family. We were the furthest away and learning these bits of news was always interesting. The meal would linger for an hour at least or more then the older kids would have the job of cleaning up the table and washing the dishes. Men would retreat to to living room for more football while the women took over the dining room to continue the family news. The latest knitting or needle work was passed around while all the kids lives were reviewed.

Napping was in order for those affected by the triptophan then the local families would return home. we usually stayed over night and left the next morning as the drive was long. Have had and been to a few Thanksgiving days since but none on the scale of the ones I so fondly remember. We make our own memories of special events as we progress through our lives with new friends family and acquaintances. Make the best of your holiday this week and savour the experience. These are the things that matter.

{{gwi:136363}}

John, Velma, Dora, Marlys, Thomas, Robert, Leola, Jim,...

Yeah....lots of survivors here on this old site....
BUT..."bugfood?" LOL!
I know one who once survived being alligator bait...but never bug food!!
Linda C....typo queen!