Thanksgiving

FaDay: 100
High Temp: 73F (Don't hate me, but it is gorgeous here!)
Status: Unemployed (and possibly soon to be receiving unemployment benefits!!!)

Sometimes I hesitate to even tell people about what my Thanksgiving is like, afraid of the overwhelming jealousy that it will cause. This year, however, there are so many of you loyally reading this silly blog that I have decided to try and describe just what the Horan Thanksgiving is all about.

First off, I have to say that spending my Thanksgiving with the Horans comes at a great cost, namely missing the holiday with my own family. Even though this will be my 6th Thanksgiving with the Horan clan, I still get a little twinge of sadness mixed in with my excitement when we book the plane tickets, knowing it is one more year I wont be with my family. I miss Aunt Sally's cranberries, my mom's sweet potato casserole, and the many pies my dad makes. I miss making the pies too, as many years I was sous for Chef Bob. And I miss the black Friday ladies lunch on the Hill (girls, have a slice of tiramisu and think of me).

The trade off is that Tom and I get to spend Christmas in St. Louis. And if you have to miss your own family's fete, you should definitely beg for an invitation to this one.

My first several Horan Thanksgivings were spent at a cute cabin near the Mount Shasta National Forest in far northern California. When our cabin benefactor decided to sell his fabulous vacation home, we spent a year at Nan's (Tom's mom's) house in the Bay Area, vowing to find a new location. That new location came in the most unexpected ways, with the entrance of Dr. Kim into the Horan family mix. He was brave (crazy?) enough to let the group borrow his beautiful ski cabin, and so last year we moved the trip to Truckee, CA (located just a stones throw from the north shore of Lake Tahoe). And we did so well that he has agreed to let us come back!

No matter where the festivities occur, the general goal of the holiday weekend remains the same, utter relaxation. We all travel to be there, and we all stay together. That means no one has to drive home after the pie course, and you don't have to get dressed to go watch the football game with your family either. Indeed, it is common to find a majority of the family in pajamas well into the afternoon, until someone suggests a hike, or a trip to town to pick up some forgotten ingredients for the evenings meal. Enthusiastic and rambunctious card games are liable to break out at any time, and there is always a fire in the fireplace. There are games, crafts, naps, puzzles and frequent visits to the hot tub on the back deck (have you ever been in a hot tub when it is snowing? It's the best!). There is also lots of food (and wine).

The Thanksgiving meal is the ultimate in tradition, and as new family members join, it has been fun to see what they add to the mix. I am not sure what the Horans were doing for pies and cranberries before I arrived... The pie recipes are my father's of course, built upon the pie crust that my Great Grandmother used. This year, I will do 3 different types, apple, raspberry cream and chocolate (two chocolates, actually). And someone else may even make a pumpkin one.

Tom and I leave Austin first thing tomorrow morning, and will be settled at the cabin by early afternoon. I plan to spend most of my time reading , cooking, eating, drinking, crocheting and embroidering Christmas presents and puzzling. I will make professional work out of lounging about and enjoying the mountain air. I will relish putting on my boots, and my big, down sleeping bag jacket and stomping in the already plentiful snow. I will talk wedding planning with my soon-to-be sister Erin, who is also getting married in 2010. I will forget that I am unemployed. I will catch up with my California family, and miss my family in St. Louis, Chicago and Madrid. I will joyously welcome the official start of the Christmas season, even if that means that all that is left of the big Thanksgiving meal is sandwiched between bread on Sean's and Colin's plates.

I hope you all have celebrations to look forward to as well. Happy Thanksgiving!