Family, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving traditions, Uncategorized

Holiday leftovers

by Another Slice

Sometimes, the best parts of a holiday meal are the leftovers.

If you’re having another slice of turkey or pie, it means you’re still with the people you love, either at the table and chatting over cups of coffee or tea, or in spirit and reminiscing over the melded flavors of memories.

This year, because three of our family members live in the same city and work in an industry that gets busier during the holiday season, we spent Thanksgiving in Minneapolis.

We shared a charming Airbnb with our newly expanded family including in-laws, outlaws, our LA-based daughter, a patient 21-year old sportswriter, an excited 10-year old and an amazingly well-behaved six-month old puppy.

The Thanksgiving table we enjoyed this year sagged heavy with so much food, laughter and love that I didn’t have room on my plate for it all. It took me a full 24 hours, including a walk, a hot yoga class and a visit to Holidazzle before I could find space in my stomach for a slice of pie…and then I had two.

We had a few hiccups, including a hilarious reconnaissance mission by my husband Vince and daughter Katherine that eventually resulted in the successful retrieval of our daughter Molly’s car from the impound lot, but aren’t those the stories that, like leftovers, get even tastier with time?

The holiday leftovers I look forward to every year include foods like turkey and sweet potato casserole, feelings like gratitude and joy and memories of all the occasions I get to enjoy them all.

Here’s hoping your holiday season is filled with all sorts of delicious leftovers.

There’s nothing better than a good, lingering holiday meal around a table full of people you love, though sometimes, especially when all those people and puppies are still around, the leftovers are even tastier.
Molly makes our turkey every year. This year, she was nervous about using a dry brine. I guess I didn’t realize how stressed she was until I saw how thrilled she was to discover how delicious (once again) her turkey turned out to be. She cracks me up.
And speaking of stressed…this is a screenshot of the text exchange between Katherine and Vince after she jumped in a van at the impound lot to retrieve Molly’s car. I have actually been with Katherine when she jumped in the wrong van, so I found the whole situation particularly hilarious. Also, Katherine is and always has been very dramatic so, having just seen the movie Yentl, she looked forlornly out the van window and softly sang “Papa can you hear me?” as it drove away.
It was the right van, though, and we were able to deliver Molly her car when we visited her on the job at Patisserie 46. Smiles and delicious pastries all around.
Later, we went to Holidazzle. Though we arrived too late for the fireworks, we did have fun.
We all rode the “Thwing”. While we can’t say we were “swept up in the blissful joy” or that we left with “a giant smile, an opened soul and a little windswept hair”, we did agree that whoever wrote the ad copy for it really leaned in.
We enjoyed a little hot cider and a big snowglobe.
And I always love to see my kids together.

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