Voting time...
From our blog last week we announced a contest - “I’d like to hear your best Thanksgiving story or tradition. For the one who gets the most votes I have a “knock off” iPod Shuffle....whoopee :).”
From roughly 1000 people who visit “the Blog the Binds”, five of you submitted stories. Now it’s time for you, dear reader to vote from the five we received:
1.
Dale, when I was in the 5th grade (meaning a long time ago!), our family took a trip from our home in the panhandle of far NW Florida to an aunt's home in Tampa. I still remember my dad coming into my brother's and my room about 3 A.M., waking us up, and asking if we were ready to go to "Florida." (We lived in Florida, but many people viewed our part of the state as just an extension of south Alabama. So, we were going to take a trip to the "real Florida.") All of us were excited about going. We hit the road, but around Tallahassee, because of dense fog, we took a wrong turn and traveled several miles in the wrong direction before dad realized his mistake and made "corrections to our course." We arrived in Tampa in time for a bountiful Thanksgiving dinner and visit with an aunt, uncle, and our cousins. On our return trip we stopped and visited an alligator farm. Every Thanksgiving Day is a wonderful occasion, but for some reason that one sticks out in my childhood memories. As I grew in spiritual maturity I came to see that thanksgiving is not a day, but an abiding spirit. A blessed Thanksgiving Day to all!
2.
My sister and I grew up in St. Louis with my mother. My grandmother and grandfather (from England, and quite proper folks) lived nearby and always joined our small family for holidays.
One year when I was about 9 and my sister Courtney was 6 we all gathered around our table in the usual fashion. I believe we had an extra guest from grandma's church. She was always good about inviting someone who had no family in the area.
So our table sat like this: grandad, grandma, church guest, Courtney, mom and me. We were dressed in nice dresses and mom worked hard to set the perfect table. As the food was passed around we practiced our best manners as we were told beforehand to be on our best behavior.
As I passed the mashed potatoes and was handed the rolls, I caught a glimpse of my sister across the table trying to secretly get my attention. I looked at her with question-marked brows as she discretley pointed at the basket of rolls and mouthed, "stiinky" while wrinkling up her nose.
So here was the turning point. Do I ignore her and pass them on continuing my manners, or do I smell them? Did I say that I was 9? And as I remember ALL holiday gatherings when we were young it was like we (my sister and I) lived in our own little world that the grown ups in their conversations were unaware of.
All that to say.......you guessed it. I smelled them. And they WERE stinky! I have no idea why but they were the smelliest rolls in history! My face showed it and my sister died laughing! Instantlly the adults were aware of us as all eyes (including my moms, "you're gonna get it" look) were on us.
So we stopped. But just as everyone went back to talking, Courtney took a sip of milk and we made eye contact. The giggles were released along with the milk in her mouth and even out her nose. Well then I lost contol and went into an outright fit of laughter. All I remember were looks of disgust, and grandma sopping up milk as mom banished us to our rooms.
To this day, we still talk about the "stinky rolls"........but grandma doesn't know. :)
3.
"Your Thanksging Plans have changed"---David Lipscomb High School Football Mustang Guru---Bayron Binkley made that statement famous on the Lipscomb Radio Network....and for the 7th straight year...our Thanksgiving plans have included football practice on Turkey Day...and Black Friday...ends with Friday Night Lights...and Mustang football.
This year the Mustangs will face Memphis Mitchell....trying to earn their 6th trip to the TSSAA State finals...out of the past 7 years!
This has become a great Thanksgiving Tradition for our family. My boys and I also enjoy watching NCAA basketball holiday tournament...especially late night games form Maui or Alaska featuring the Carolina Tar Heels!!
Of course---we love to be with family...and enjoy great food! In my younger days...I always went hunting on Thanksgiving Day with my dad and other relatives...now my boys and I enjoy watching games togehter...and while they were playing football...we enjoyed the "Thanksgiving Game Day Experience"---during the Holiday week! I hope these memories will be great Thanksgiving Memories for them in the days to come. We all have a lot ot be thankful for...not just today...but everyday! What a great Journey...a wonderful Journey to the SON! Dale we've had some great football experiences together! The era ends this year...as Ryan Nowers...graduates...the last of our orginial broadcast team! Have a great Thanksgiving!
4.
Our family has always been close (one of the blessings I'm most thankful for) and we have always enjoyed laughing together. To this day, the terms "green bean casserole" and "THE mashed potatoes" mean something only to our family members. One of my favorite Thanksgiving memories was made today, by my 4-year-old, Daniel. As we all listed what we are thankful for, he struggled a bit with the concept and got some help. Later today, he ran up to me and said, "Mommie, I'm thankful for the bidoes (that's vidoes to most people) at Grammie and Poppie's house." Oh the simple pleasures of childhood. :)
5.
Every wednesday night, we would leave Northport Al after church and drive 4 hours to my grandmother's house in Columbus, Ga-we would arrive to her about about 2:00 in the morning-w/o fail she would have hot ham sandwiches and mouth watering pecan pie waiting on us. Her house was heated only with small gas heaters in the rooms, so if you had to go to the bathroom at the end of the house, you literally ran to and from your heated room! This long open area in the middle of the house served as the place where the food was placed and kept throughout the day. Thursdays was spent eating, playing paper football, watching the Detroit Lions play on tv, and racing each other on the special "curbs" she had built that separated her yard from the right of way grounds. My grandmother made Thanksgiving special, and to this day pecan pie is my favorite. If you have not tried it taste ham sandwiches at 2 am. It is the greatest!