Thursday, November 24, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving?


So upon us is yet another Thanksgiving Day...and I can't resist posting this story of such a memorable blessed day. Sorry Mom!

"The human spirit is stronger than anything that happens to it."

---Unknown

I recognize you are most likely reading the above quote and thinking what does that have to do with Thanksgiving. Well, I’ll tell you. Growing up we had a house full of family for the Thanksgiving feast; aunts, uncles, cousins, Grandma…you name ‘em and they were gathered in our small ranch home.

The ceremonial dinner was planned for noon as always and my mom took immense pride in preparing the turkey dressed in its finest! The night before rituals commenced with the production of the homemade dressing and shoving it inside that colossal bird enough to feed near thirty people. She enclosed that fowl and placed the roaster within the oven and set it to activate at 4:00am. Swollen with pride and pleased with her labor we went to bed in anticipation for the gathering of our family the subsequent day.

The next morning I awoke and got a whiff of that brilliant smell of turkey roasting and beamed proudly as I made a momentary look toward the clock: 7:00am. I rose out of bed and meandered into the kitchen and was shocked at the words gracing my ears; the words were coming out of my mother’s mouth, a staunch Christian woman. ‘God-damn son of a b----, well sh—‘ words I am most certain I had never even heard before!

The smell of the bird had truly been in my mind from year’s past. The oven failed had to turn on! My mom skittered around the kitchen slamming cupboards and the oven door, throwing pot holders and anything else she could get her hands on. She was swearing at the oven as if that would miraculously make it turn on or say, ‘Gosh, I’m sorry. Let’s try that again!

Meanwhile my sister and I took shelter. It was a wonder that raw bird and all that was stuffed up in it didn’t go flying through the kitchen, living room and any other room of the house…tears, curse words and flurry filled that humble abode and we were taking cover!

Well, no harm no ‘fowl’; hee hee! We may have had our Thanksgiving feast later than planned but it certainly made for amusement for the day and every gathering since. Each year following began with a ‘Ummm, that turkey sure smells good! Did you turn the oven on?’

So on this blessed day, may your oven turn on and everything go planned accordingly!




20 comments:

Corine Moore said...

LOL! :D Great story; thanks for sharing, and Happy Thanksgiving! May your oven always turn on! ;)

Corine :D

Fuzzy Tales said...

Ha! We can imagine it would have been a shock to hear your mom swearing like that. :-P

Happy Thanksgiving--have a wonderful celebration without any hitches!

T. Powell Coltrin said...

Very funny and shows how life can get the best of us. I'm not a cusser either and yet let something like that happen and wel.... Last year, I accidently turned off the oven (new oven) and a couple of hours down the pike, I thought, I'm not smellin' it.

I feel for your mom, but it's a story worth remembering.

Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Teresa

TexWisGirl said...

a little snag to remind us things aren't always perfect. :)

Wanda's Wings said...

LOL What a funny story. I have my oven on now waiting on the bird to arrive.

Jeanie said...

I might have said some of the same words the year I got the turkey all ready in the roaster pan and when I put it in the oven the pan was too big for the oven door to close.

Old Kitty said...

LOL!! What a fab story, thank you! May you have wonderful cooked roasting turkey and turkey smell filling your home today! Yay! Happy Thanksgiving! Take care
x

Lin said...

We had that happen one year too. And it was right when microwaves came out, so my aunt was running her bird over to the neighbor's house who had a microwave that would fit the darn turkey. She microwaved it to give it a "start" and finished up in the oven. Oh, the words we learn from those experiences!!

Happy Thanksgiving, pally!

Sylvia K said...

Oh, what a great, fun story!! I love it and what a great laugh to start my day! Thanks for sharing! Hope you have a wonderful day full of love and laughter -- and cooked turkey!! Enjoy!
Happy Thanksgiving!!

Sylvia

Inger said...

Isn't it interesting that when we really need something, it comes our way. And that quote was just what I needed. And the story was great too. Happy Thanksgiving.

Ginny Hartzler said...

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and do not try to use a timer to set your turkey roasting!!! Ha ha ha! I don't rely on things like that, except for an alarm clock. Seems they always mess up. I don't even pre-schedule posts, that never works for me, either!

Kim said...

Great story. I'm sure she has never let that happen again. I cook our Christmas turkey on Christmas Eve, timing it to be done before we leave for Church. Came home one year to a crispy turkey - forgot to turn oven off before leaving the house.

MunirGhiasuddin said...

Funny story. LOL Reminds me of Ramona's(Beverly Cleary's series) parents when they forget to turn on the crockpot/ slowcooker and when they come home the stew is still the raw meat with vegetables and water.
Thanks for the laughs.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

Out on the prairie said...

One year, I started a turkey at the end of a blizzard, not knowing we had over 15 inches of snow.Nobody could make it, lots of leftovers.Hope you are having a nice holiday.

Connie said...

HA! Cute story! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Tracy! :-)

Bossy Betty said...

Great story and a great memory too! Hope you had a happy Thanksgiving!

Catherine said...

Haha ~ sometimes it's those moments that make the best memories!
Hope you are having a wonderful weekend Tracy!
xo Catherine

Arkansas Patti said...

Love stories that start out with unusual profanity and end up just fine. Shows how to make something out of a bad situation. The staunchness of the human spirit at its best.

Nancy said...

A great memory -- no matter it involved cursing and the throwing of kitchen items! :)

Trust you and yours had a wonderful holiday, Tracy.

Carol Riggs said...

Ha! That's an amusing story (though I'm sure it wasn't at the time--at least for your mother!) Our turkey was done right at noon, and all went according to our plans, thank goodness. :)