Thanksgiving -- A Wonderful Family Week-End

Thanksgiving. Thanks given. Giving thanks.

Thanks given. Nadine was in perfect physical shape in every way, hematocrit of 35; the whole family was here, Erek, Kate, Barry, Nadine, Raymi and me. Happy cooking, happy eating, happy socializing, happy games, happy walks, even happy contra dancing. I was SO glad the boys could be with her when she was feeling so perfectly well, as last time they'd visited she'd been having a hard time.

In my journal I wrote a soppy note about dishes, dirtied and washed and dirtied and washed over and over as a symbol of food enjoyed, and an expression of caring how it is served. I drew a heart underneath the journal entry.

I wonder if I'll have this new attitude of gratefulness when I wash the pile of dishes now in the sink....

WEDNESDAY

On Wednesday Raymi arrived first (around 1PM), tall, dark-haired, exuberant, and tie-dyed-shirted. We all immediately went to clinic together for Nadine's asparaginase, and the visit happily went routinely and fast. Ah, if all clinic visits could be like this. Raymi looked wiped-out in the room, understandable as he'd driven from Pittsburgh. After clinic we were so ravenous that we went straight to Great Harvest for sandwiches before going home.

Raymi has his hair short now, done with a delay after Nadine's diagnosis. I dreaded seeing him without his "trademark" gorgeous long thick dark hair, but he looked absolutely wonderful and there there was no danger of losing his uniquely striking appearance. The thick mass of shorter hair looked very good.

Raymi brought an AMAZING gift for Nadine, in a 5-foot-long box that delightfully puzzled her. It was a "walking-stick" flute, an approximately 5-foot-long narrow brown, slightly curved wood. What a gift! She picked it up and instantly created gorgeous music on it -- it had a sweet, rich sound. Plus she looked adorable, my slender girl on the couch with that huge long flute delicately balanced horizontally in front of her lips. It was obvious that Raymi relished getting this present for her.

Barry arrived at 7PM with the organic free-range turkey I'd ordered from Pierre, the local farmer. I wasn't planning to do do much cooking that night -- I was gearing up for the next day, Thanksgiving, when we were going to have homemade cranberry sauce, sweet potato pies, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, and of course the turkey. I had to get the turkey "brined" and had bought a bag for the purpose.

Getting the turkey plus brine into the bag was a comically clumsy operation that ended amazingly successfully with the squishy bulgy bag of brine and turkey in the fridge with no appreciable puddle.

Nadine's flute partner Victor arrived, and the two practiced the Cimarosa concerto again.

We were all hungry and getting so cranky that I relented on my "no-cook" evening and prepared a stir-fry with noodles, after which we all felt better. I was pretty tired, we all were, and I finally went to bed after I made up a bed and welcome note for Erek and Kate, who were arriving late.

Then I didn't sleep; Kate and Erek walked in while I was puttering around downstairs in my nightgown. I greeted them and teetered back up to bed.

THURSDAY -- FOOD DAY

The next day was Thanksgiving Food Day. -- Barry, Erek, Raymi and Nadine started up a game, but I knew the turkey had to tackled even if I wanted to play. They were fun to watch.

Kate came into the kitchen with me and we "did" the turkey together. I "zested" the lemon rind and Kate chopped the garlic; we massaged the turkey (literally) and Kate and I slid our hands under the skin and placed zested lemon peel, chopped garlic, and lemon slices all the way underneath it. Finally we hoisted it into the oven.

I'd requested a turkey thermometer from Barry, but he'd brought a candy thermometer instead, so I had to face Wegman's on Thanksgiving Day. After I got back, someone left the meat thermometer in the turkey and the plastic top melted. I made cranberry-orange sauce, Nadine worked on the stuffing I think, and Kate prepared mashed potatoes with cream.

Raymi went out for a run, and Barry and Erek joined. I made it for about a block and a half before puff-huffing back.

Dinner was magnificent! It was everything that anyone could have hoped for. Raymi had said he'd never had homecooked turkey that he'd liked -- this one was excellent. A full table with cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, beautiful turkey, stuffing, gravy. We all held hands -- it was thanks to the max.

That night I raked leaves. It took about 2 hours, but it felt great moving and heaving stuff.

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 27th

Another glorious day. A morning of visiting together, a breakfast of pnacakes, and delicious leftovers for lunch and dinner.

About 10AM Nadiine's flute teacher Sophia arrived to coach Nadine and Victor on the Cimarosa concerto. Sophia was in a vivacious mood, sounding almost giddy; they played SO well. It was a party mood, with conversation as well as music. Sophia did an animated job conducting the soaring music, and the music SOARED.

A CONTRA DANCE -- Nadine Dances AND plays

Nadine, Raymi and I went to the Rochester Thanksgiving Contra Dance, dressed up and happy, Raymi in bright tie-dyed shirt and shorts, me in batik sleeveless long dress. . Barry, Kate and Erek stayed home.

It was a glorious dance night, the room mobbed with happy people, some of whom I knew from a large distance away. Raymi and I danced a complicated, hilarious square, and possibly a contra dance. Nadine and Raymi danced together, including at least one contra and a waltz.

Nadine danced EVERY DANCE!! and stayed fully energetic.

We happily drove back in the cold night -- and found the door locked! I hadn't brought the key -- I figured Kate, Erek and Barry would be home. But they'd gone out. It was cold and icky, and we huddled in Raymi's car. Happily, Nadine had Kate's cell phone number, and happier still, Kate answered the phone -- they came home.

Kate, Barry and Erek were in a very, very festive mood, and I joined the exuberance. Barry and Erek went back out, and Nadine, Kate and I stayed in the kitchen together; Kate and Nadine made it look like a party downstairs, and I went happily up to bed and left them to it.

SATURDAY -- VISITING AND MORE DANCING; NADINE JOINS BAND

Saturday everyone stayed in bed late, after which we had another family breakfast of oatmeal, and I made 5 sweet potato pies. Barry, Kate, Erek and Nadine went off to the Public Market, and came back with a wonderful variety of things including 2 flats of persimmons and wonderful vegetables.

Kate and Erek were going to cook dinner, but Raymi, Nadine and I were going to the dance, so they decided to make it the next day. Nadine fried up extra turkey with onions and spices.

Nadine, Raymi and I went to the dance again, this time Nadine sporting her bald head adorned with Nadine-made dangling earrings. We all danced for the first half.

After the break, Nadine disappeared. It turned out that Nadine wandered up to the English dance, and got taken into the band-- when I arrived while looking for her, there she was, sounding perfect with Tom Hodgson and Tim Ball, who were playing it. I enjoyed watching Nadine play and seeing th eswirling of the dancers. I made it downstairs for a very wild "last dance", and Raymi and I went to check on Nadine.

She played foot percussion again!!! After the official dance, she and her band friends did a wild version of Set Americaine with her long black and white striped socks, feet pumping up and down.

SURPRISE at home -- Erek and Kate had washed every dish, and the kitchen was beautifully cleaned up to a sparkle. What a great surprise. This time I'd brought the keys "just in case" but Kate and Erek were home.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 29

Erek and I took a nice long walk together, down Canterbury Street to Monroe, then turning right and walking all the way to where Monroe turns to Chestnut Street, across the freeway almost to the Eastman School before turning back and returning. I'd driven that route so often, and it was the first time I'd walked it all the way. I treasure those nice walks with him, the company, conversation, outdoors, and exercise combined into one.

Erek and Kate prepared a wonderful stir-fry -- I'd like to learn his method. Nadine folded paper cranes to make a hanging that can go under a doorway or archway. Kate had brought one for the house, which Nadine happily hung up.

Erek presented me with a wonderful "housewarming" present of three beautiful handmade ceramic bowls. I placed some tof the persimmons in one bowl and set all three of them in a row on the table.

By then I was sitting there blubbering and bubbling about how happy I was.

Erek and Kate finished their packing and we all said our byes. Raymi was staying until Wednesday.

Afterward, it was just me, Raymi and Nadine. I went up to bed.

Downstairs I could hear Raymi and Nadine's happy laughter.