Happy Thanksgiving! Mom Gets an Outing

It was a dull start to Sunday, Oct. 8^th and windy. However, the thermometer read 21C inside and 16C outside so it was going to be a warm day. Checking the weather forecast for today, it showed rain around 8 and clearing before noon with a high of 23C. 

                       Picture overload from my family's Thanksgiving gathering

 

 First off, to all my Canadian friends and family, Happy Thanksgiving! It is a long weekend for us and we usually find everything closed on Monday so it forces those who get the day off from work to rest, relax and be thankful. I’m thankful every day of my life because we’re healthy, retired and living the life style we chose. I highly recommend this ‘job’, it is a job you will never get laid off from or let go.

My son is a good Dad

See? Nathan, my youngest grandson is fine

 This morning was quiet although I was busy finishing up the baking for today’s dinner in Hanover. I put together a Cauliflower Casserole that I’ve never made before. I found the recipe on line so hoped for the best. With a wee interruption to make bacon and eggs around 10 I finished baking the casserole. It didn’t look the way I was expecting it too so made up a white sauce to add to it and baked it for another few minutes.

My youngest sister, Wendy and my youngest niece, Morgan

Bill and I showered and upon checking the time of the ‘event’ on Facebook realized I had read it wrong. We left the house around 12:50 and drove into Durham to pick Mom up at Rockwood. She was dressed in a heavy sweater and her regular pants and although she always looks nice, I told her about the day and she agreed to change. I neglected to get a picture of her in her finery so I’m hoping someone else did.

My Bill with Bill and Wanda from PA, their son, Bill from New Jersey and 2 great nieces
3 Bills in one seating

You get so involved in what you are doing when with her, getting her dressed and answering her questions that taking a picture of her didn't happen. And you know me, I’m always trying to think of snapping the memory! 

Good thing Joanne and Ted have a long driveway
My sister-in-law Mary Beth, her daughter, Alaena, her son, Matthew, Nader and Noah were the first to leave
Mary Beth is from Petrolia so she had a long drive

Bill brought the car up to the door and we decided on just taking her cane instead of her walker. Mom was happy to get outside in the sunshine and go for a ride, commenting on the brown trees and the corn stalks ready to be harvested.

My children
Where did the time go?

We arrived at Ted and Joanne’s home at 2. We weren’t the first nor were we the last. As usual, the more that arrived, the more food was placed on the island in the kitchen. It was a delicious dinner with turkey and all the fixings. The dessert table was filled with every kind of pie and no duplicates! Once my two children arrived I put my phone away. I’ve learned to carry it with me if they are expected…..just in case they need to contact me.

My family, missing one grandson
Me, Patrick, Bridgette, Jacob and Nathan

Mom was naturally very confused who everyone was and to her it was very important that she remember all of our names. This meant constant repeating and telling her who we are until she suggested name tags. Brilliant! Joanne had some not so sticky labels we wrote our names on and we pinned them on our shirts. The questioning stopped.

The men mostly hung out on the deck outside but eventually we all spread out between the kitchen and outdoor air. Before MaryBeth and her family left, we bustled everyone together to get a group picture. Bill and I enjoyed it much better this year since it was only our family in attendance. Last year, Ted’s family joined us mainly because they hadn’t seen the new house either. This year's family photo was truly just that.

Bridgette and her youngest son, Jake

I took the opportunity to get a few individual snapshots of my kids and my little sister with her daughter. Mom’s back was causing her some grief and since we’d been there 4 hours we thought we needed to get her home. It was 6:30 when I walked Mom up to her room and we were greeted by a nurse with her evening medication. I was glad this gal called her by name because Mom had no idea where we were.

Patrick, always smiling
I think he got that from his Mom :)

My heart hurt when I left her even though I knew she was in good hands. I can’t even imagine being told this is your home and you have no recollection of it. 

34 in attendance and 3 of my siblings and their families are absent

She remembered her dolls and her red, white and blue blanket but her face was not buying much else. It was a good day. Mom knew she’d had a great dinner and lots of visiting and that is all we can hope for.

I noticed this sun dog on our drive home

When Bill and I got home the sun was just going down and Clemson was waiting for us. He got a later supper and I was in bed at 9. I was trying to watch a Bill Engval’s specials but couldn’t keep my eyes open. That is what pvr's are for so Bill recorded the programs. We love Bill Engval. I knew it meant an early morning but that was okay. I hope you had a great day too.

        And the sky did not let me down, something else to be thankful for. Beautiful!

The sun on the trees, no, this is not a picture of changed leaves

And the sun caught three of the turbines

Thank you for stopping by today. I love hearing from you!