Strange Thanksgiving

I don't think I've ever had one quite like it. With five sons, twelve siblings and a dozen grandchildren, you'd think we'd be surrounded by people today. Truth is, it's the old man, me and the dogs. And no turkey.

Here's what happened: we'd planned to cook, probably have Derek's children over (he's the one in Iraq). Then we got the happy news that he was coming home. Plan B: wait and have the dinner when he gets here, maybe go to someone else's house on T-Day.

Then more news: he's be home on Thanksgiving Day at 2pm! Mad flurry to figure out how to get dinner cooked and get to the airport. After several phone conversations with his girlfriend, we had Plan C. Everything was good to go. We'd take things to his house, girlfriend's mother would cook while we went to the airport. We figured out who would bring what, and we were set.

Then a call from son #4, Aaron: He, wife Jaime and their two children were at Derek's house, caulking the new bathtub and brush-hogging the pasture. They were spending the night at my house. George and Clayton had just left, grandson Jared was at his mother's--so the hide-a-beds were empty, come on down! They'd be here to greet Derek on Thanksgiving.

Another phone call: bad sandstorm, the plane was stuck in Iraq, and Derek had to get to Kuwait before he'd know when he would be arriving here. On to Plan D: wait until Saturday for Thanksgiving to be sure he got here, his brothers can be here, and Derek will be able to get a little rest. A codicil to Plan D: dinner can't interfere with the WVU football game!

So instead of a crowd, it's just us, no turkey and a quiet day. Which is actually a wonderful change from the busyness of the past few weeks. I cleaned a little, read a little, petted my dog a lot, and enjoyed the changeable weather of a November day.

Latest news is an early morning arrival time, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this time it's for real. We'll see!