Breaking Tradition
For a while, I've had this nagging urge to do something different for Thanksgiving. Really, the urge was to get the hell out of Dodge, but I knew that wasn't feasible with Ed's work schedule. Still, the voice in my head was telling me to go away for the day.
It wasn't until a friend asked what culinary delights I was planning to prepare for Thanksgiving that I put my finger on it. His comment was 'but you LOVE to cook!', along with some comments about the things I'd prepared last year.
Ding ding ding, we have arrived at the reason why I want to do something different. Last Thanksgiving was a fiasco and I want to erase that memory. Spending the whole day cooking, only to schlep it to Jane's apartment (because she refused to come here), only to get there and find no surface to put the food upon, let alone eat, was frustrating.
Let's just say that all day cooking marathons take a lot out of me, what with all that standing. To have to clean off tables to put food down, then a coffee table so the kids had someplace to put their plates, then wash plates so we adults could eat soured my feelings of gratitude for family.
There were other events of that day, the last we'd spend as a family with Jane outside a hospital, that I want to erase. I want a do-over, and since we won't get one of those, I want a holiday so outside traditions so that the enjoyment of the day can be restored.
Thing is, I have no idea where to begin on going somewhere for a holiday meal! A coworker suggested a very nice country club buffet about 45 minutes away, and she is a person who I can trust to steer me right on fine dining. However, I'm wondering if there is something closer to home that measures up. We had a fine meal years ago at the Branch Ranch, over in Plant City, but the restaurant has since closed down.
At least I've got four weeks to figure out a different holiday for us.
It wasn't until a friend asked what culinary delights I was planning to prepare for Thanksgiving that I put my finger on it. His comment was 'but you LOVE to cook!', along with some comments about the things I'd prepared last year.
Ding ding ding, we have arrived at the reason why I want to do something different. Last Thanksgiving was a fiasco and I want to erase that memory. Spending the whole day cooking, only to schlep it to Jane's apartment (because she refused to come here), only to get there and find no surface to put the food upon, let alone eat, was frustrating.
Let's just say that all day cooking marathons take a lot out of me, what with all that standing. To have to clean off tables to put food down, then a coffee table so the kids had someplace to put their plates, then wash plates so we adults could eat soured my feelings of gratitude for family.
There were other events of that day, the last we'd spend as a family with Jane outside a hospital, that I want to erase. I want a do-over, and since we won't get one of those, I want a holiday so outside traditions so that the enjoyment of the day can be restored.
Thing is, I have no idea where to begin on going somewhere for a holiday meal! A coworker suggested a very nice country club buffet about 45 minutes away, and she is a person who I can trust to steer me right on fine dining. However, I'm wondering if there is something closer to home that measures up. We had a fine meal years ago at the Branch Ranch, over in Plant City, but the restaurant has since closed down.
At least I've got four weeks to figure out a different holiday for us.
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