Throwback Thursday - Thanksgiving in the '50's

Oh my, how times have changed.

How many men eat Thanksgiving dinner in a dress shirt and tie anymore, especially in their own house?

My grandfather is on the far right.  I remember him as a t-shirt and flannel shirt kind of guy.  Not on Thanksgiving, I guess. The guy next to my grandfather is my Uncle Bob, and then my aunt Ettie.  The couple next to them were friends of my aunt and uncle.  I can't remember their names.

I'm so thankful to have these old pictures; slides that my aunt Dot took.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Throwback Thursday - A Thanksgiving memory - 1971

With all the talk this week of Winter Storm Boreas, it reminded me of Thanksgiving 1971. Paul and I were going to his parents' house and my grandmother and Aunt Dot were supposed to go to my Aunt Esther's in Abington, MA. We had so much snow on Thanksgiving morning that they also ended up at Paul's parents' house for dinner.

I googled Thanksgiving 1971 and on the www.erh.noaa.gov/aly/Past/WINTER.htm site this is what it said:

"Thanksgiving Snowstorm of 1971 (November 24-25, 1971)

Heavy snow began on the day before Thanksgiving and continued into Thanksgiving day. Albany picked up 22.5", the greatest November snowfall on record, with amounts up to 30" reported elsewhere. This storm turned the busiest travel day of the year into a nightmare, with many stranded travelers not making it to their destinations on Thanksgiving."

I remember us talking about that for years: the fact that my aunt Ettie had no pies on Thanksgiving day, and we had double the amount.

I'm thankful that this year all we are supposed to get in our area is a little rain.

Throwback Thursday - Pumpkin Pie or Squash Pie?

Having this pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving reminded me of past Thanksgivings at my grandmother's house. 

If you follow my blog at all, you've heard me talk of my Aunt Dot's friend Steph.  Well, Steph and her family used to come over on Thanksgiving afternoon for dessert. 

These are pictures from Thanksgiving 1966.


Ettie, Dot, Steph

These are the guys, in the living room, most likely watching football.  The women and kids were either in the kitchen or in the dining room. 

Steph's husband Ray, my Dad, and Ettie's husband Bob

The pumpkin pie that we had this Thanksgiving reminded me of a funny story about Steph and pumpkin pie.  Steph came from New Jersey where no one had ever heard of a squash pie.  Every year my grandmother would make either a squash pie, pumpkin pie or both.  Steph always asked which one it was before she ate it because she loved pumpkin pie but wouldn't touch squash pie.  One year my family decided to play a trick on Steph.  They told her she was having pumpkin pie and when she finished they asked her how it was.  "Delicious" she said.  They all had a great laugh when they told her she had just eaten squash pie!

This year, the day after Thanksgiving, my Aunt Ettie and cousin Lynda came for a visit.  We picked up my Aunt Dot and went to visit Steph.

Steph, Dot, Ettie

 We had a wonderful visit, talking alot about old times.  I brought up the pumpkin pie vs the squash pie and Steph told the story again.  We all had a good laugh! 

Good memories.

Throwback Thursday - Thanksgiving 1974

Thanksgiving Day 1974 at my grandmother's house.   Paul took this picture in two pictures and then put them together.  There was no "panorama app" in those days!  Left to right - my mother-in-law Priscilla, Kristen (she was 2.  Mark was about 3 1/2 months so he is probably somewhere in his infant seat), my grandmother, Dot, me, and my father-in-law Fred.

So many things in this picture that I remember.  My grandmother always wearing an apron on holidays.  The V-8 juice in the little glasses (my family doesn't like V-8 so I stopped serving it on Thanksgiving, but we always had it).  It's hard to see but I can tell there is marshmellow fruit salad that my mother-in-law made.  Dot also used to bring it to my house on holidays.  We haven't had it in a long time.  I should see if I have the recipe.  My aunt's picture that she painted above the piano.  It is in her room at the Atrium now.  The picture of Dot singing for the Bethany Hour on the piano.  She also has this in her room now.  The sheet music on the piano that my grandmother used to play (and she would also sing while she played).  I wish I could hear that again. 

One of the things that I am thankful for this season is old pictures.  Funny to think that even some of the pictures Paul and I took are now considered old pictures!

Thanksgiving Day

Another Thanksgiving. It seems like this year just flew by. Today was a good day.

Mason arrived with a turkey hat that he had made at Junie's (daycare). I don't know where Junie gets her energy but she always has something cute for the kids during the holidays.





Marley is always asking me to tell her stories from when "Mommy and Uncle Mark" were little. This week I was telling her about the hats that they wore one Thanksgiving. This picture was at my grandmother's house. It was 1977, so Kristen was 5 and in Kindergarten, and Mark was 3 and in preschool. Wow, that seems like so long ago.



We had Thanksgiving dinner from Memo's for the second year and everyone agreed that it was really good; a new tradition has definitely been made.

Izzy was very interested in our dinner when Paul brought it home.



It comes ready to heat up, with instructions on how long to heat everything and at what temperature. What can be easier than that?



There were 13 of us here for dinner including me, Paul, Dot, Big Baba, Kris, Toby, Marley, Mark, Janelle, Mason, my father, Stacia and Amy (Janelle's mother and sister).



Dot and my Dad.



This was the first time that Dot has been to my house since going to the Atrium and she was great. She was happy, social and interacting, and she stayed until 6:30, way after dark which she hasn't wanted to do for the last few years.

After dinner Mason, Marley and Mark (!?!) had a tea party. Mason loves the little Dora tea party set that Marley has at my house. Marley usually will play with this with him but today was special having Mark play too!





How come the men get to relax after dinner?



Poor Amy wasn't feeling good today.



I know this isn't a good picture but it cracks me up. Kristen called this the "technology room" - everyone was on some sort of computer, even my father! Too much.



Marley actually went home with Stacia and Amy tonight. Stacia invited her to make Christmas cookies with her on Friday.

We had a good day. I have a lot to be thankful for this year.

329/365 - Thanksgiving Day

Well, the Memo's Thanksgiving dinner was a huge success. We had originally expected 9 people, but my Dad and Marge weren't able to make it; Marge was not feeling well. So we were down to 7 people. Fred had ordered 12 meals so that we would have leftovers.

We had SO MUCH FOOD.

Paul picked it up in the morning. It came in tin foil pans with an instruction sheet for heating it all up.




Marley and Kris hanging out before dinner.




I was still nervous. What if it didn't taste good?

I had nothing to worry about. It was delicious. I think a new tradition has been born today!

I usually take the traditional picture of everyone at the table before dinner - much to the dismay of some (although I think they have gotten used to it and just smile; it's over quicker that way). One year Dot asked me why I take this picture every year, "It's always the same people." she said. It comes in handy, though, for Kris and Toby to remember where they had Thanksgiving as they switch with Toby's parents' every other year.

Anyhow, this year I forgot so I took it after we finished eating. Not as pretty, but I still wanted to take the picture.



Marley and Big Baba had a good time cracking nuts.



The cats got to watch Video Catnip.



I was done with the dishes by 3:30 and then we had dessert.



We were even able to watch a Christmas movie, The Muppet Christmas Carole. It was the most relaxing Thanksgiving that I have had in a long time. Thanks, Big Baba!

I have so much to be thankful for. Each year the holidays change a little; I am trying to learn to enjoy each year for what it is.

328/365 - We're trying something new....

This Thanksgiving we're trying something new. A couple of weeks ago on a Friday night, my father-in-law (Big Baba) came into the kitchen where I was and asked me if he had heard me say that I had to work the day before and the day after Thanksgiving. I said yes, and he said that he had a proposition for me. He had a piece of paper in his hand. He said that Memo's (a breakfast/lunch place that he goes to often) had a flier in the restaurant saying that they were going to be making Thanksgiving dinners for take-out. At first I was resistant, but then the more he talked, the better it sounded. I told him I would think about it. He said it would be his treat. I called Kristen the next day and asked her what she thought about it. She said, "Mom, what is the worst that can happen; it's awful and we hate it and we never do it again. I think you should go for it." Paul was all for it too. That settled it.

I'm a little nervous though.

I'll let you know tomorrow how it goes!

326/365 - Thanksgiving Day 2000

This is Nan (my grandmother) and Dot (my aunt) on Thanksgiving Day 2000. It was the last time that Nan was at my house. She was 99, and would turn 100 on January 12, 2001. She passed away a little over four months later. I miss her all the time, but especially on the holidays.

330/365 - Thanksgiving Day

So thankful for family. Happy Thanksgiving!