A topic for discussion this week, was Thanksgiving. It has been rumoured that the actual sharing food was fish! Perhaps lobster! The pilgrims lived by the sea. Turkey was not necessarily on the menu. My comment last week, about Yorkshire Pudding was tongue in cheek, but a tradition has to start somewhere! Why turkey? Probably because it is (or was) a large enough foodstuff to share. I am also pretty sure that turkey was not on the menu on the original Christmas! However, I am not going there! Despite not conforming completely to the language, I do conform to tradition!
Enjoying Texas is quite easy. The phrase "Everything is bigger in Texas" is very much a tradition. Texans do enjoy celebrating, and I am happy to be included. Heading into the yuletide season, ears are treated to the crooning of various celebrities as one enters the shop. Trees take up an enormous amount of floor space. Bright and sparkling angels hover over huge red and jeweled encrusted guards. Wrapping paper looms large at the entrance to every aisle. Baubles and decorations overflow in bins placed, no doubt, strategically in walkways. This is all before coming to the food items. "A must...." and "Don't forget..." signs appear over cans and packets that apparently are needed to make the twenty fifth day of December a success.
The weather has taken a turn, at least for this week, and started off quite chilly. I went swimming Monday morning. It was a little on the cold side, but I was determined to have my last aquatic experience of the year in the last month of the year. I felt incredibly blessed, floating as the sun rose, being able to enjoy this pastime much further into the year than I had anticipated. The 'feels like' temperature was about ten degrees colder than the actual, and I knew the time had come to hang up the wetsuit for another season. The wind picked up and was biting. Tuesday morning was cold!
I could not resist taking the water temperature on Tuesday morning, mainly to give myself a cast iron excuse as to why I was walking rather than swimming. It was 51 degrees. In the past, I may have taken this as a challenge, but I have no need to prove anything, anymore. I have never really had to prove anything to anyone, except myself, so it really wasn't a win, win situation, neither was it a lose, lose one, but just an 'and your point is?' to myself!
Texas does appear to bring out the best (or perhaps worst) in me. It is December. I live in the largest state in the lower 48! Everything is not only bigger, but bolder! I was feeling bold! Much as my state of attire is conservative, and age appropriate (mainly) I do enjoy the month that hosts the special yuletide date! It was cold enough to wear the patterned tights, the fun footwear, and of course, the subtle Christmas tree dress. One of last year's buys was a pair of silver, sparkling boots that would light up a dark room. They could be hired out for power outages, and diminish the stars that decorate my tights! Each day I wore something quite sparkly, and totally age inappropriate. Being the eccentric English woman appears to be my calling.
Friday turned into Saturday, and I met my daughter, who now has a three year old! It was his party in the afternoon, and was very excited. I am not sure that he knew exactly why he was excited, but he knew he was having a 'pizza party' and was going to blow out a candle.....again!
I received a call from my eldest grandson, who had been to see his football (soccer) team play that afternoon. My son had taken him to Tottenham, and watched them defeat the other team. Ollie gave me a detailed account of the game. I told him that the reason I support the same team was because my dad supported them. "Did he ever go?" he asked. I told him that my dad lived near the grounds, and would go and see them play. I thought of how proud my dad would be of my son, and how he would have loved the fact that he takes the boys to football despite them supporting different teams.
The party was fun, with the kids being able to play outside, as the afternoon was glorious, sunny and warm. He played nicely with his friends, and they all seemed to have a lovely time. My grandson is an American, and uses American terms. Grandma may have to conform a little more when it comes to language! I thought of how proud my dad would be of my daughter, and how he would have loved to have told his friends all about his 'American' great grandson. It was quite an emotional day.
We did not stay until the end of the party, which went on later than the birthday boy's usual bedtime, but it was a special occasion. I felt very blessed to receive hugs from my daughter's friends, and to be part of such a lovely afternoon.
It was a little chilly Sunday morning, and the afternoon was not conducive to sitting outside. I had managed to get an hour in the sun on Saturday, so feel as if I had 'scored'. I spoke to my sister, who said it had been raining and quite miserable. I tidied my sunroom and was quite comfortable in a t-shirt. I am not sure if Texas adopted me, or I adopted Texas!
I am listening to the 'countdowns' on how many shopping days are left, and wondering, again, where the year has gone! However, there are still more than three weeks left! I shall make the most of each day, I hope, and report in ........... another story!
No comments:
Post a Comment