Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Tradition

With Thanksgiving coming up, my family is beginning to buzz. Last week I called my sister and told her she should plan on decorating the tables and doing it up right. I could see her rubbing her hands together in anticipation. Decorating is her thang. She did accuse me of having her decorate so that she would stay out of the kitchen. Well, yeah! But then my sister called back the other night to say that there seems to be a conspiracy to keep her from decorating – that we were going to have T-Day at my brother’s house. That was the first I had heard that rumor. I know communication often breaks down in our family, so I told my sister I would check it out. So I called my SIL. Sure enough, my SIL and mother have decided not to have T-Day at Mom’s as we have had in the past. My brother’s house is very nice and I know all will be well, but it has caused me to do some thinking about tradition.

After talking with my SIL last night, I called my baby sister to tell her that we were indeed having Thanksgiving at Pete’s house. Kathy was good with that even though she may not get to decorate using Mom’s China. She also told me that her husband had told her to stop trying all sorts of strange new recipes and to learn to make the old traditional recipes from Mom. You see, Mom always makes the dressing – my grandmother’s recipe, of course. Most people love it. Jesse does not, but after asking around she discovered that everyone has the tradition of making awful dressing. Although our family now fries several turkeys and they are most popular at dinner, my mom insists that we bake a turkey so that she can have the broth to make her dressing. If no one wants to eat a baked turkey, surely we can just buy turkey broth to do the dressing – but that would mean breaking tradition.

Although my BIL told my sister not to make any odd recipes, what will we have to tease my sister about if she does not make some crazy recipe? It is tradition to pick on her – she is the baby, ya know! On the phone, she told me that she had talked with our big brother and told him to be sure and bring tamales from Austin. That is so wrong. Every year he brings the funkiest tamales ever, when most of us would rather have good ol’ traditional tamales. Okay, I will admit that some funky tamales are good, but it is also a tradition for my brother-in-law and me to go down to the "tamale/crack house" as he calls it, and buy some excellent traditional tamales. And we will do it, too!

I’m feeling my traditional world being shook a bit this year, but I’m good. Since I am usually head wrangler at Thanksgiving, maybe I need to take a break. It is tradition for me to be bossy, but I think I will let the other type-A personalities take over. I think my little brother could play the part of Dad. Maybe it will be a new tradition.

As long as we get to play some football, all will be well.

10 comments:

Andy said...

You're on to something, Lou with backing off on the Chief role. It'll be good. It'll be good for everybody.

Those that step up and take charge will really enjoy it, and you'll enjoy watching them enjoy it. I've seen it happen just like that in my own rather large family.

I remember the first Thanksgiving that was not held at Mom & Dad's house. It was different, but it was just as great...and big Sis and BIL did a smash-up job sort of moving our family toward the day that Mom & Dad won't be here.

Old traditions...good! New traditions...good, too!

BTW: Buy a can of turkey broth. (Just my vote...I don't eat turkey, but can pound down half a pan of dressing, and canned turkey broth is just as good).

Buck said...

It is tradition for me to be bossy, but I think I will let the other type-A personalities take over.

Are you mellowing out in your old age, Lou?

Aside from the above... Andy got his licks in first and said a lot of the same things I was gonna say. Except that tamales are GOOD. I'm the beneficiary of home-made, mouth watering tamales every Thanksgiving and thank The Deity At Hand for THAT!

Anonymous said...

Grandma says that the Tradition is... to do what ever she says! Especially since Dad is not here to boss.

Dave (aka Buckskins Rule) said...

I guessed we missed out on the tradition of bad dressing. Mrs. BR's is always good.

I used to really enjoy Thanksgiving. Then I retired from the Navy and we moved back "home". Too much family-in-law. I'll leave it at that.

Bag Blog said...

Anon, I'm sure glad Grandma is in charge.

BR, I love our dressing, but some people can really muck it up.

Buck and Andy, I don't have a problem letting go of the chief role. In fact, I'm kind of on a roll.

Staci said...

It sounds like your turkey day will be a success no matter how you look at it.

Pass the tamales, please!

Boomer!

Anonymous said...

Should I send some baguettes from France?

Bag Blog said...

Anon, I think the Baggetts from OK will be enough.

Jo Castillo said...

Sounds like fun. Hope you have a great Turkey Day. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, too. We will be at David's in Kentucky so will miss some of our traditions, too. It is always good there, though.

Catherine MacDermott said...

Wherever the celebration -- I send my love from France and wish I were personally delivering baguettes from Europe -- ah, maybe next year.