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Friday, November 25, 2005

The Thanksgiving Report

I did Thanksgiving at my parents’ house as usual. And as usual it was kind of stressful. My mom always gets very stressed out about the whole thing and gets pissed if she doesn’t think I am helping enough. I am generally hesitant to help out though because if one doesn’t do everything her way, she gets all pissy about it.

My favorite part of the holiday is that time, after everyone has eaten and they are sitting around the table chatting and telling stories. That is the time when my mother wants me clearing the table or serving coffee or whatever. I got out of clearing the table because my sister was with us this year due to getting a divorce over the summer. But, I still had to go serve the pie RIGHT AFTER DINNER when no one really is ready for pie. Well, I wasn’t ready for pie yet anyways.

The pie serving wouldn’t have been so bad except she had to get up to criticize how I was doing it. My thought about that was that it probably took at least as much energy for her to get up and come into the kitchen to bitch at me about how I was cutting the pie as it would for her to cut and serve the pie herself. It certainly would have been easier for both of us if she simply did it herself. Or she could have relaxed at the table and not put energy into being such a bitch. She is only like this at holidays too. I think she has some notion that when she is the holiday hostess, everything has to be perfect (her version of perfect) or something.

It wasnt just the pie thing either that pissed me off. She totally *had* to get on my case about how I handled things last weekend with my dog Crissy. I spent too much money on an old dog. I should have gone to a cheaper vet. I shouldnt have run any tests. blah blah blah. She isnt usually this bad but she used to be like this EVERY day when I was in high school. I remember once she went to see a play I was in and then wouldnt shut up about how terrible it was and how she couldnt understand why we would choose a play that was written so badly (I told her that was because it was written by students). GRRRR. I would just as soon forget about that particular aspect of her personality.

It occurred to me, later on, that I would have had a much nicer holiday sitting home alone with a frozen turkey dinner. It wasn’t like I got to enjoy my favorite part of the day anyways Oh well. Maybe next year I will remember to demand complete pie autonomy and will bring the whole pies to the table with a stack of plates so I can sit and chat while cutting the pie. Ah well. Isn’t that how it always is? One always thinks of a better way to handle a situation after the situation is past and nothing can be done about it.

Or maybe next year, I will have Thanksgiving at my house. I’ll just get the Meijer turkey dinner and serve it all on paper plates. I’ll get everyone all liquored up first so they don’t notice that the dinner is from Meijer. When I told this plan to a friend, she said I should bring all the Meijer stuff home and put it in casserole pans in my oven so I could pretend that I cooked it all myself. Yeah…I think it could be a workable plan although I still think the frozen turkey dinner idea sounds attractive.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

yeah, my mom morphs into martha stewart on holidays too. there is something about being the "perfect hostess" that inspires such madness. oh well, we lived through another year!

Anonymous said...

Wow, i would have lost it on my mom if she pulled that. That is my dad's personality type- and I lose it on him regularly. He's used to it by now, obviously, because he doesn't stop.
too bad we can't pick our families eh???
I hope all was well dispite dealing with your mom.

Anonymous said...

This is the fourth year in a row I have had thanksgiving day alllll to myself. No family (of course, the past two, they're all 2700 miles away... hee hee hee), not even friends.

I cook my food. I watch whatever I want on tv. I put up my tree. After I'm entirely stuffed - I watch my tree.

I *highly* recommend it.

:) :) :) :) :) :)

Ali

Raymond said...

Hey You!!!!!!!!!!!
Yep, Thnksgvng had its drama at my mom's house too. Not too bad this year, but there were moments. OY!! Sorry to read about Crissy.. :-(

When I lived in Boston my friend was gonna take his Searcy (after the city in Alabama where he found her wandering on the freeway) to the vet cuz she was having such a baaaaaad few days before. We tried everything. She was in so much pain and stuff. So when my friend was at the door with Searcy in his arms they stopped to say "See ya later" to me. But I could see it in Searcy's eyes... really like she was telling me goodbye. It was really strong. She knew. :-(

Anyway... happier things: I'm spending all day really cleaning up my address books - consolidating all the diff infos into one book... is your email working yet? slynne... Or is there another that I can put into my book...? Hey, I've been emailing Kate a bit lately! :-)

- - Raymond

Lynne said...

Hey Raymond! Good to hear from you. I have to confess that my slynne.com email is still not working. I have found that after working all day fixing techical problems, I have little patience for fixing my own tech issues after work.

My alternate email address is

slynne30@yahoo.com

E-Speed said...

Wow. Sorry your mom was all stressed and took it out on you. T-Day is always so laid back at my families. My fave day of the year in fact.

I think liquor might help out at your moms next year! Infuse her turkey with it!

ps you did exactly what you should have for your dog. She is a part of your family and she deserved nothing less than the best. I am glad you went to so much effort to make her last days with you the best they could be.