Thanksgiving leftovers, Grandma’s gravy, and a road trip (7 Quick Takes)

~1~

I had thought that this would be the first Thanksgiving we would spend with extended family since 2019. By Wednesday afternoon, however, I could see that that wasn’t going to happen, thanks to a few sicknesses running through the family.

My mother told me she would be happy to share the food she had planned to serve us with our household and my sister’s. But I ran to the store to get a few items so I could make some of the meal for us. I had never roasted a turkey, but I figured if I could find one that was thawed, I could give it a try. And I found a fresh turkey. We were set.

~2~

All our younger son really wanted for Thanksgiving was “Grandma’s gravy.” I felt confident I could come through.

How hard could it be to make gravy?

I called my mother to ask for directions. The turkey came out looking and smelling wonderful. And all the other sides came together—especially the stuffing and rutabaga I picked up from my parents’ house.

But the gravy I made from the drippings was terrible. It was the consistency of cement—and no one dared find out whether it tasted any better.

Luckily, I had bought a jar of gravy, just in case, and that got us through dinner. My mother had made enough of her exquisite gravy that I made an after-dinner run to my sister and brother-in-law’s house to pick up their extra.

So, my son enjoyed Grandma’s gravy—and we’ll have a belated Thanksgiving dinner with our family when everyone is healthy again.

~3~

In Baltimore, it’s not Thanksgiving without sauerkraut, and sauerkraut is something I can make. I picked up some Ostrowski’s bratwurst, sautéed it, put it in a crockpot with some fresh sauerkraut, added caraway seeds, a little brown sugar, and some apple cider vinegar, and let it cook all day on low.

The aroma of roasting turkey is delightful, but the sauerkraut always gets me excited for the meal.

~4~

I made a small veggie tray for our family in the shape of a turkey, as I usually do. It’s rare that anyone notices that the vegetables are in any particular shape, but this year they spotted it without seeing my Instagram post.

It was a special Thanksgiving. I would like to have been with extended family, but Thanksgiving is just a day. We have so much that we are grateful for, and we will find ways to be together. And my mother sent us some of her pumpkin pie.

Life is bliss.

~5~

Last weekend, our sons and I drove to New York to spend the weekend with my sister Maureen and her children.

My nephew, who’s a senior in high school, was performing in a play—his last high school play—and I thought it would be fun to fit in a trip.

We had the most wonderful time. The boys had a blast with their cousins, and I got to hang out with Maureen. And the play was outstanding.

~6~

I never mind a road trip, but I wasn’t sure I loved the idea of driving at peak travel time on Friday. Both boys insisted on going to school all day that day, so we pulled out of our driveway at about 4:20 p.m. Still, we arrived at the cousins’ house around 9—not bad at all.

I could pine for the days of parenting toddlers and preschoolers, but there is something marvelous about traveling with teens. We each packed for ourselves with little guidance from me. No one forgot anything essential, and we arrived in New York with two trumpets and a saxophone in the back of the car. Even with traffic, the drive was smooth and easy. No one needed to stop, and no one complained. We simply drove, and occasionally I would say things like, “Looks like we’re about an hour away.”

~7~

On our drive home, we pulled over at a rest stop to fuel up. I thought we might run in for some food, but no one really wanted to add travel time, so I filled the tank with gas and we hit the road again.

While I was fueling up, I saw a little bird eating a roll on the ground. It didn’t care that I was nearby. With cars and trucks barreling by, I was the least noisy thing around.

Especially as bird owners, we notice birds everywhere. This morning, I looked outside and saw a mechanical crane working on the house that’s being built in our neighborhood.

I called for our boys to see the crane.

“Is it a real crane?” one asked.

“Yes!” I said. “And it’s pretty big!”

He looked and I saw his face fall. “Oh,” he said. “I thought you meant the bird.”

Life is full of disappointments, and there are never enough birds in the world.

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