Thanksgiving, Take One

Yesterday was the annual Thanksgiving dinner in Bison. This dinner has gone on for at least eighty years or so, I think. It has evolved through the times, with its beginning as an all-day event with more of a carnival setting. Later, it was modified to an afternoon affair, still with the carnival. Now, it's an late morning/afternoon event, sans carnival. Every year my family, along with almost everyone else from my church, has a hand in the events of the day. My mom's job is to make dumplings to put in with the Sauerkraut (Only in Bison could you have sauerkraut & dumplings for Thanksgiving...I personally don't like it). This has been her job for many, many years. My dad usually hangs around the kitchen and helps in some way or another, usually supplying manpower by carrying heavy things for the ladies. This year, my dad also made a turkey, which I found to be somewhat surprising, but then again, not so much. Sometimes my dad can be quite domestic, I tell you. Since I was at least a fifth-grader, my job has been either refilling drinks or clearing tables. I never really minded that job, because it was a nice way to get to see everyone who was there, and I got a pretty decent workout by the time the day was through. Last year, I happened to miss the dinner, because I was in Kansas City for NCYC (National Catholic Youth Conference). Clearing tables was not solely my job, as there were many adults who did this job, as well. However, in my absence last year, I was replaced by the Confirmation class from Hennessey. June and Jodie (the teachers) are always looking for service projects for the class to participate in, and they decided that this would be a great fit. I figured that this year, I would go back to my same task, but, instead, I was approached for a different job.

There is a couple who lives in Blackwell by the name of Joe and Alma Reinert. They have a large farm of pecan trees, and for as long I can remember, they have been gracious enough to share their plenty with everyone, for a price of course. Reinert pecans are a mainstay in my house; they can be found in cookies, pies, strudels, atop bowls of ice cream, candied, and even in stockings as Christmas presents. As my family has enjoyed them for many years, many other families have, as well. They are usually sold at the Thanksgiving dinner, in their own booth. Alma's sister, Wilma, has been the lady in charge of selling them for many, many years. This year, and actually it was just last Thursday, Wilma had cataract surgery, and felt that she wouldn't be in prime condition to sell pecans, so she asked if someone could replace her for the year. Enter Doris, the Altar Society President/Dinner Coordinator. Doris asked me if I would be so kind as to step in, in Wilma's absence. I jumped at the opportunity, because I felt that selling pecans was a step up from clearing tables. It seemed much like moving up to the "big table" from the "kid's table" at Thanksgiving dinners when I was younger.

So, on Sunday morning, there I was at the pecan table, ready for action. Shortly after my arrival, I got a helper! Miss Caitlyn was sweet enough to jump in and help me. Caitlyn happens to be in Emily's and my Sunday school class (That's a story for another time), and she adores me and Emily both, so I was excited to have another young face to help me. Things were slow at the beginning, but eventually picked up. Along the way, I saw many familiar faces and was able to greet many people, which I enjoy doing. After a while, Kyle and Cody wanted to help, so I let them help also. As you know, many hands makes for light work. By the end of the day, I was an old pro at counting back change for random amounts and maneuvering the totes that the pecans were in. Many people were surprised at the change of faces at the pecan booth, and wanted to know "where Wilma was". I told them about her surgery, and they understood.

The day ended well, also. We have been blessed with unseasonably warm weather for the past few days, and even at 6:30 PM, it was still nice outside. Of course, it is dark by that time, but the full moon was out. I decided to soak up the moonlight and nice weather. (Refer to a previous post on my fascination with the nighttime sky) I went outside and found my perch on a certain spot on our flatbed trailer. I had a perfect view of the moon from there, and I had slight seclusion. My spot is one that is visibly hidden, if that makes sense at all; the trailer is in plain sight, but that wouldn't be the first place for one to look for someone else. I sat out there for at least thirty minutes, just basking in the glow of the moonlight. It was a still evening with only a slight breeze. I could hear the sound of what I'm pretty sure were crickets, oil wells pumping in the distance, the random vehicles that drove by periodically, and every once in a while, a pack of coyotes howling in the distance. I just sat there in a reverie, reflecting on random things and people. It was all like an unending, free-flowing prayer. In my short time out there, I gained a sort of peace I was lacking beforehand. Then I got chilled, and I went in and baked some cookies from the freezer. A lovely end, to a lovely day.

Tomorrow is the grade school band concert, and hopefully, tomorrow evening, or sometime in the near future, I'll regale the excitement that is sure to accompany that!