Day of the Turkey
I wonder how many people out there remember a movie called Night of the Lepus.
It was a horror movie about gigantic, carnivorous rabbits.
Rabbits.
And in the end, gigantic or not, carnivorous or not, they were still rabbits.
But it’s Thanksgiving, and I’m in that odd position where I’ve got people coming and not enough chairs.
I’ve got a turkey but no celery.
I’ve got–well, you get the picture.
In a couple of minutes, I’m going to run out to the store and pick up the celery, and then I’m going to come back and stuff the turkey.
My older son is home, which we were not entirely sure was going to happen this year, so there’s that. That makes me happy.
But I’ve gotten stale. For some reason, I don’t look forward to this kind of thing as much as I used to.
Maybe it’s because my life seems to be in some kind of holding pattern. I’ve got a half dozen serious problems that need some kind of resolution, and there are no resolutions in sight.
Of course, there are also no particular bad things in sight, either.
I’ve had periods in my life when everything has been falling apart and I’ve thought that I was going to crash and burn–that we were all going to crash and burn–but this is not like this.
There are bad things and better things and good things that will happen eventually, it’s just that none of them has happened in months, and none of them looks set to happen in the next few months.
That is, I think, one of the reasons I don’t seem to be able to make up my mind about what to do about teaching, or to finish the Georgia Xenakis novel.
Or even find a title for it. I really do have to figure out the title thing.
With so much up in the air, it just feels like there’s something wrong with making a definite decision about anything.
This is not the kind of thing that’s good for me, and I’ll shake out of it in a month or so.
But–sheesh.
Of course, turkey is one of my favorite foods, and actually stuffing one is even better.
So there’s that.
And I’ve got a lot of Poirot novels in the house, and no reason to set the alarm for the rest of the week-end.
So there’s that, too.
Come Monday, I’ll have to start making some sense.
But that’s four days away.
Happy Thanksgiving for those of you who are having it.
The rest of you should find an excuse for a four day week-end of your own.
4 Responses to 'Day of the Turkey'
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Happy Thanksgiving to you, too, Jane. My husband’s in the shower and when he’s out and dressed we’ll be heading up to my brother’s house with a car full of food. Mike’s got some stuff and we’ve got the rest.
It’s going to be a good day.
MaryF
25 Nov 10 at 11:56 am
Happy holidays to everyone who celebrates Thanksgiving (although it DOES seem a little late!)
I wish I had an excuse for a four-day weekend, but things aren’t really slack here. I’ll get a nice break over Christmas, though, and I’ll take a day beforehand to go Christmas shopping with my mother. She gets a bit uncomfortable with the crowds, and if there’s any ice or snow down, it can be dangerous.
But there isn’t snow or ice so far, not enough to count, anyway, and things are generally going well even without a holiday. I’ve discovered a classical concert series and last night’s, by Pentaedre Wind Quintet was fun.
And I hope you do finish the Georgia Xenakis book, because I’m looking forward to reading it.
No pressure, of course!
Cheryl
25 Nov 10 at 12:38 pm
Happy Turkey Day, all.
One nice thing about being older is knowing that the state of today, whether economically, emotionally, decisionally (not a word, I know), will not last.
I used to get myself into a wrapped-up stew of anticipatory dread and worry over things, completely eliminating the possibility of enjoying whatever *was* good at the time. I’ve gotten over that, I think. It makes the moment much more enjoyable, and whatever is currently in a downturn less troublesome.
I’ve got the ambrosia salad and the deviled eggs to transport to John’s sister’s house. It’s tiny and not an ideal holiday venue, but it’s close to their mother’s house, and was the only place she’d consent to visit for the day, and so we go. I love the family, they are a good-hearted bunch, and not a mean or drunken uncle in the group.
So, enjoy the moments, all. We’re all safe, well-fed, warm and in good company. Much to be thankful for.
Lymaree
25 Nov 10 at 2:03 pm
I remember “Night of the Lepus”–parts of it, anyway–which is probbly more than the cast and crew would admit to. Seems to me those giant rabits also showed up in “Damnation Alley”–a travesty of a movie made from a pretty good novella. At least “Lepus” didn’t have source material to mutilate.
Looks as though I have a four day weekend, and if I don’t the obligatory stuff is done. For the past 7 years of so my nearest and dearest have converged on a motel more or less centrally located motel which serves Thanksgiving dinner–no guests, no food prep and no leftovers. It won’t last, but I’ll miss it when we do something else.
If at all possible, make the decisions when you’re well, rested, and fed. And don’t stress too much over them: even the most carefully chosen “right” decision can go wrong for reasons we cannot foresee or control, and we’ll never know how the alternatives would have turned out.
robert_piepenbrink
26 Nov 10 at 2:47 pm