Thirteen Thanksgiving Thursday
1. I recently ate a fly. I heard it go down into my mug of tea like a Kamikaze pilot. But 5 minutes later, I forgot about it and took a big gulp and got a surprise. I spit it out whole, and it flew away.
2. I’m forever grateful that I took typing in high school. I can speed type, but if the thought comes into my head – hey, how am I doing this? – Or how do my fingers know what to do? – I suddenly forget how to type.
3. Sometimes I imagine that my brothers, Jim and Dan, who died 4 years ago, visit my blog. I once got a comment from a Jim that sounded like something my Jim would say, and I wondered if it could be him. When I get comments from Houston Texas, where Dan lived, I think Dan could be behind it. I recently connected with a blogger named Colleen whose blog address was “danno” something. That was my brother Dan’s nickname.
4. I had a dream last Thursday where my mother and sisters came to visit. I was living in this big old house of several stories, and it was FILTHY. One bed was full of ants, and I hadn’t even given them clean sheets. I was making excuses, all the while thinking to myself, “Oh my God, I’m blogging too much. How did I let this happen?”
5. When I woke up I was so relived that my house isn’t THAT bad. (Unless you look in the cupboard drawers and closets.)
6. My arms are sore from sawing rutabagas for Thanksgiving Dinner.
7. I cry every Thanksgiving because we do a communal potluck at my neighbor’s farm and, besides the above rutabagas, I bring the boiled creamed ONIONS. (Try peeling 10 pounds of onions sometime).
8. I always liked the Indians more than the Pilgrims.
9. “The first illegal immigrants were the Pilgrims” was a sign I saw while watching “Race is the Place” on PBS this past Tuesday night.
10. The most interesting Google search that brought someone to my site this week was “Pretty Boy Floyd” (I live in Floyd, Virginia).
11. I had lunch this week with my good friend, Alwyn. She’s giving things away because she’s moving and trying to downsize. The first thing she said to me when we met was, “I have a vest I want to give you. I’m de-vesting. Have you ever heard of that?” “Yes,” I answered. “It’s the opposite of investing, right?”
12. She later said, after I recited the poem I wrote for Elliot to her, “I don’t understand “atheism.” To say you don’t believe in anything is believing in something.
13. My Asheville potter son who loves the Red Sox arrived from Asheville NC for Thanksgiving in a gorilla suit. More on that later…
Comments
Happy Thanksgiving!
I do believe that your brothers do visit your blog and your dreams and all that wonderful stuff. I think he led us to meet too.
I'll be thinking of you today. :)
Posted by: Chickadee | November 24, 2005 9:31 AM
I wish you A HAPPY THANKSGIVING and I am sending much LOVE!!!
I can't believe the fly tea...but I do believe Jim & Dan visit. oxoxoxo
Posted by: Sherry | November 24, 2005 10:25 AM
The fly in the tea comment caught me off guard.. did it actually fly away... what an ordeal for the poor fly... what an ordeal for you!
My Dad died 6 years ago. I often feel his presence. I not only believe that your brothers are reading your blog.. I believe they are often standing close by.
Posted by: Simply Coll | November 24, 2005 10:42 AM
I'm thankful you reminded me to do the Thursday Thirteen!
OMG gross at #1; I laughed (and related) at #4; I loved #s 8 & 9; Andy Pratt did a song called Avenging Annie that talks about Pretty Boy Floyd and #s 11 & 12 just made me laugh.
My 13 will be up soon :-)
Posted by: Janet | November 24, 2005 11:17 AM
Happy Thanksgiving!
Posted by: SquashedToad | November 24, 2005 12:02 PM
You lost me when you said you swallowed the fly. That's a big fear of mine. LOL Happy Thanksgiving and Michele sent me.
Posted by: chatty | November 24, 2005 12:08 PM
COLLEN! THE BOKS ARRIVED AT MY DOOR, TODAY...THANKSGIVING DAY!!! I have surmised that they probably arrived at the WRONG house, (people who were away, I think) maybe about a week ago...I cannot tell exactly, but based on another piece of mail that was with the books, which was NOT dated, but...too long to explain....I'm guessing it was about a week ago...like maybe last Friday!!! So, just a few moments ago, I heard a thud outside my front door and when I went to look, there they were!!
I give many thanks, on this Thanksgiving Day for the arrival of your books, and wish you the plesantist of Holidays with Bountious Amounts Of Delicious Food! I will start reading your book, very soon....
Posted by: OldOldLady Of The Hills | November 24, 2005 2:25 PM
Yeah!! I'm so happy the books have arrived, and I hope you enjoy reading them. (There is a Thanksgiving story that I hope to post here...maybe tomorrow).
Posted by: colleen | November 24, 2005 2:54 PM
I'm so glad you didn't skip today! "I don't know why you swallowed the fly...." (now I'll be singing that, A G A I N. Thanks.)
Very warm wishes to you today, hugs!!!
Posted by: Leanne | November 24, 2005 4:46 PM
I first found your blog and then went to your website.. I truly enjoyed your poetry. You are a fine poet.
Posted by: connetta jean | November 24, 2005 5:04 PM
Stopping by to say hello....
I love your list.
I hope you are having a glorious Thanksgiving.
Posted by: Michele | November 24, 2005 6:55 PM
Ergh at the fly getting in your drink! We've got them everywhere at work at the moment and the bosses don't seem to be doing anything.
Posted by: Nikki-ann | November 24, 2005 7:07 PM
That's a whole lot of onions!
Lucky fly. Live to fly another day. What stories it can relate to its breathren.
I always like to think of the Pilgrims as a senior citizen from Somalia described them. "They were political refugees just like me."
Happy Thanksgiving.
Posted by: Pearl | November 24, 2005 7:58 PM
Happy Thanksgiving Colleen # & Joe!!! I do believe your brothers read/know what you blog. The fly thing made me make a face!;) I liked the Indians better too...just got explaining to my girls that they have been mis-informed in school about the Pilgrims and the Indians. Massasoit was the Indian that made friends with the Pilgrims. They kept telling me it was Squanto (sp?). I took them to Plymouth this summer. I've had one beer and I'm having a hard time typing already!LOL I've been told I'm a "cheap date". Hope you guys had a great Thanksgiving!!! xoxo
Posted by: TammyB. | November 24, 2005 8:42 PM
I don't envy you the job of peeling the onions; I hate doing most prep work and in fact had S peel the mountain of potatoes for our lunch today.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Posted by: terrilynn | November 24, 2005 8:50 PM
I found your blog through a link at Fond of Snape. I used to live in Floyd. I've not been back in a couple a years. I need to swing in for a visit just to see how much as changed and how much has stayed the same. = ) Be Well.
Posted by: LOUP | November 24, 2005 9:36 PM
Happy Thanksgiving! I too like the Indians more. I wish that when discussing immigration, more people remembered that every single person living in America, other than Native Americans, is a descendant of someone that came here looking for a better life for themselves and their families. One of my favorite Pearl S. Buck quotes is "We send missionaries to China so the Chinese can get to heaven, but we won't let them into our country."
Posted by: Mayberry | November 24, 2005 10:14 PM
I like the indians more too. I like that sign about the pilgrims, but the real first illegal immigrants where those that landed at Jamestown before the pilgrims hit Plymouth rock.
Hi! Michele sent me.
Posted by: Megan | November 25, 2005 10:58 AM
A fly? And he lived to fly another day!
This gorilla suit. Maybe I should just go to the next post above and see if you tell us about it there. So far Nyssa hasn't showed up in any strange costume, only looking very grubby.
Posted by: srp | November 26, 2005 1:07 AM
There's a good reason I put my coffee cup in a bug-free place whenever I have any left over. Cool that the fly flew away, though.
Posted by: Elissa Malcohn | November 26, 2005 10:36 PM
Your brothers live on through you. I feel I know them so well thanks to the eloquent way you write about them and keep their memory alive.
How I wish we could all have a sister like you.
Posted by: Carmi | November 27, 2005 1:15 AM