Wednesday's Thanksgiving Hodgepodge!

Yes, I am still alive....just super busy and, believe it or not, the internet is not a priority most days. :-) But livin' life IS!!!! :-)
BUT I just had to make time to do the Wednesday Hodgepodge, even if I have gotten WAYYYYYYY behind on my Giving Thanks Challenge! I may just catch it up on my sidebar!
Anywayyyyy.....here is my contribution to the Hodgepodge! I just love that word!! :-)

1. If you had known what they knew then, would you have boarded the Mayflower?
Well, I tend to be a bit of a daredevil and I am always up for a challenge. I tend to be like the Apostle Peter, too! Ready to jump in with both feet! But, over time, my enthusiasm tends to wane a bit. BUT,in all honesty, I'd have to say....."When do we sail?"
Oh, and this would have certainly been in my younger years. As I've gotten older....now at the mature age of 59, I probably would have stayed on land!


2. How far have you traveled on a boat and how do you feel about boats in general?
Hmmm.....we travelled to Perry's Island in Lake Erie one summer. That was a one-way 17 mile trip and loads of fun!! And I've also taken the ferry to the Statue of Liberty. Neither trip was very long and did not affect me adversely. I'm okay with boats!

3. What traditions have you kept, acquired thru marriage, and/or tossed? If you're single what are some of your family's favorite Thanksgiving traditions?

The only tradition I can remember Ed, Daniel and I having through the years is this one:
I would always have the turkey and rolls baked by mid-morning, say ten-ish.
Daniel would usually wake up about that same time and ever since he was old enough to do so, as soon as his eyes opened, the first word out of his mouth, even before his feet hit the floor, would be, "Fooood"! :-)
Well, he and his dad would come into the kitchen and I would carve off a few slices of hot, juicy turkey and butter rolls for them as they sat down at the table and while I continued doing this and that in the kitchen they would enjoy a leisurely mid-morning snack. :-) They did this for years!! We would have dinner later at about 1 or 2 in the afternoon.

As a child the only tradition that I can recall is having the same foods at Thanksgiving each year and, oh, how we looked forward to Thanksgiving dinner! There was not ONE thing that I did not like! Okay, well, I wasn't craaazy about sweet potatoes but I ate them smothered with butter and gravy or noodles. :-)

Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, noodles, homemade yeast rolls, pumpkin pie. I honestly don't remember anything green being on the table...:-)....though there may have been, most likely in the form of green beans, but not green bean casserole. It would have been green beans fixed with bacon, the way my mama taught me to fix them and I still do today. :-)

I do remember waking up early in the morning and hearing my Dad in the kitchen humming. It would still be dark and everyone else snug in bed still. He was always up before anyone else, making coffee and starting the rolls and noodles for Thanksgiving dinner.

Dad would have on a pair of gray work pants, and a clean, white t-shirt, his hair freshly combed and usually a dish towel laying over one shoulder.

Our dinette set was gray and red, with chrome legs on the tables and chairs. Remember those? :-) I would crawl up onto one of the chair, all sleepy-eyed and Dad would tell me to go over to the sink and wash my hands so I could help him shake out the noodles as he cut them. :-) It is such a precious memory that I have. Just me and Dad in the early-morning kitchen, working together, not saying much, but there was no need for alot of conversation. How I loved my dad!




4. What time is dinner and how many will be round your table? And what is the one side dish you cannot do without on Thanksgiving day?
We will be going to our son's in-laws for Thanksgiving dinner and it will be at 2pm. I believe there will be approximately 15 people there.
Besides the turkey, we must have noodles on Thanksgiving! That is a Peters' family tradition. (Peters' was my maiden name.) And, yes, I have the noodles made! :-)


Yes, I know it goes against all I believe in to ask for 'just one', but I made up for it by asking three questions here.


5. Have you ever used a fire extinguisher? Do tell....
No, I never have but we do have two in the house, just in case. I'm thinking I need to make sure that I know how to use them? :-/


6. Tell about a situation that caused you dreadful trepidation and feet dragging, only to realize later it was a true blessing.
Well, I am not able to share the details here but I can tell you that on the other side of even the most dreadful of situations, you will indeed find the blessng of the Lord when you've done all that you can to make things right, when you've been honest with yourself and others and when you've allowed yourself to completely surrender to the Lord and His will, humbling yourself before Him.


7. Baked, sweet, mashed, hash browned or french fried...which one's your favorite?
I would have to say hash-browned or homefries! With plenty of salt and some ketchup!! :-)


8. Insert your own random thought here.
Would you believe my mind is just kind of empty at the present time? But I do have some fleeting thoughts.....
I will say that I am so thankful for little Jaylon. I never thought I could love a little one like I did Daniel, but I do.....oh, and how! :-) And this "grandmother" love is different than the "mother" love that I had for Daniel.
I am more patient. I am not so pre-occupied with all that needs to be done. I so enjoy watching him grow and learn and discover every little thing. I think it is just that I have slowed down and come to realize what is really important and am able to give myself to that more now.
I'm sure I was much the same with Daniel but life WAS busier for us then, what with us both working full-time jobs, me until he was 2 1/2. We must have done a pretty good job. I mean, the boy....Daniel.....has turned out pretty well! :-) The Lord is so good.
I am so thankful for where I am at in my life. At times, I feel kind of cocooned in the wisdom that I have gained through the years and there is a secure feeling about it, this being a "mature" woman. :-) Oh, but I've earned it and learned most of it the hard way, but learn it I have! :-) And I'm still learning. Aren't we always? But I've been so blessed to reach this "good" place in my life for which I am so thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving to each of you and remember:

"Count your blessings,
Name them one by one,
Count your blessings,
See what God hath done!
Count your blessings,
Name them one by one,
Count your many blessings
See what God hath done."