This weekend there are 17 of us coming together for Thanksgiving. Somehow every year we wind up crammed into a very small Tigh-Na-Mara cabin, clutching loaded dinner plates on our laps, balancing overfull wine glasses on the floor between our sock feet, and talking much too loudly with our mouths full. The air inside gets thick with a haze of burnt turkey grease, eye-biting firelog smoke because somebody didn't open the flue properly, debate over etymology of the word "pumpkin," and 16 other simultaneous conversations.
Dad traditionally gets too hot and traditionally announces "it's too bloody hot in here," and then traditionally throws the front door wide open to which the traditional response in chorus (ladies) is: "close the bleeding door, we're freezing!" It is then right and proper to shout out just exactly how hot or cold you feel, and then question aloud how anyone else cannot feel the same extreme nature of the temperature you are feeling right now, oh my god. This call-and-response game is very popular so is repeated several times over the course of the night.
Other longstanding traditions include:
Rachelle is feeling stressed about so many people playing the parts of sardines, and how is everyone going to sit at the same time or is it possible to eat from a plate balanced on your head and should we have a numbered ticket system for the bathroom? My family and I are more the "ehh, it'll take care of itself" kind of people. I love the chaos. I wish my mom and sisters Sara and Kinza were going to be there this year but they're studying or working in Toronto or living on the other side of the continent. Lame and trivial excuses like that. Sheesh.
Dad traditionally gets too hot and traditionally announces "it's too bloody hot in here," and then traditionally throws the front door wide open to which the traditional response in chorus (ladies) is: "close the bleeding door, we're freezing!" It is then right and proper to shout out just exactly how hot or cold you feel, and then question aloud how anyone else cannot feel the same extreme nature of the temperature you are feeling right now, oh my god. This call-and-response game is very popular so is repeated several times over the course of the night.
Other longstanding traditions include:
- I've (Urp) Had Too Much Pie But My Gullet Demands Just One More Slice
- Teachers Whining To Teachers About The State of Education These Days Support Group
- Trivial Pursuit Girls Against Boys Totally Outdated Edition
- One Bathroom, At Least The Door Locks
Rachelle is feeling stressed about so many people playing the parts of sardines, and how is everyone going to sit at the same time or is it possible to eat from a plate balanced on your head and should we have a numbered ticket system for the bathroom? My family and I are more the "ehh, it'll take care of itself" kind of people. I love the chaos. I wish my mom and sisters Sara and Kinza were going to be there this year but they're studying or working in Toronto or living on the other side of the continent. Lame and trivial excuses like that. Sheesh.
"Trivial Pursuit Girls Against Boys Totally Outdated Edition" -- beautiful! I think next year I might just purchase a newer edition of that game on the way there only to give the older generation some challenge and hopefully avoid the 30-question string turns.
Methinks I detect the vile aroma of sour grapes, forsooth.
SUCK IT UP, LOSERS!
wow, i'm sorry i missed that.