Next up

Road trip to the Island starting in about an hour. Agnes has new pneus des neiges which is a damgood thing as there is new snow down the hills across the lake and the highway cams show "slush" at the high points (altitudinally) of the proposed journey. An uncle and his dog are waiting for collection and I am hoping the ferry gods will let us get to the Island today.

The call of Family Thanksgiving is echoing across the land. GreydogBusCo puts all the extra dogs on, fills them with grandparents who no longer drive and students who can't afford the time or the insurance and delivers both to the gathering of the clans. These gatherings are variously cussessful: do I have to eat Auntie's jellied salad? (No) who is responsible for the the cranberry sauce and will they remember? (Me and whaddaya think?) why can't people leave me alone? (because ......) is the turkey done? (Let's have another glass of wine to be sure) but they happen because something makes us drive for hours and sit on jamcans of ferries to sit around and eat too much, listen to old and new stories, then ferry jam, drive for hours again. What is that something? I have no idea what it is for anyone else but I have a small collection of ideas about my "somethings".

For years, our small tribe of four went to the cabin and cooked turkey in a pit and seven vegetables on a two-burner camp stove. We made the pumpkin pie and cranberry sauce at home and carried them with all the kitchen and camping gear to the place The Sr Boy and I had built with salvaged wood, windows, and fireplace. It was the family gathering with few expectations: we would be together as a family and eat some excellent food. There were always walks: beach for preference, woods or road if the tide was too high. The locals we saw once a year at church were always welcoming if bemused that we were cooking turkey in a pit yet again.

I am not going to the cabin this year; The Jr Boy has to work and The Jr Girl has to travel.

I am going to the Island, though. There will be expectations but the only ones I am willing to participate in are excellent food and a walk. Maybe church. I can do those.

Everything else will have to be put back into the box for another time.

Thanks giving

and still breathing.....