I grew up in a family with a lot of sibs. My dad has siblings so does my Mom. Some years we were at gatherings so large I doubt I knew the names of everyone present. Often things were broken out into the "kids" table and adult table. In some locations the tables were not actually in the same room but all the kids were instructed to have manners, get along and don't interrupt the adults. I wasn't very old before I realized if we were "guests" then we didn't have to do the dishes. I am sure I liked that part but didn't love the starched, itchy finery we all had to wear. Definitely a trade off.
Blowfish is an only child.
No sibs and no geographically close cousins. Mermaid is the only child Blowfish and I were blessed to have. Her childhood Thanksgiving memories are very different than mine. I always pine for my sibs at the holidays as I am acutely aware of what is being missed. Blowfish and Mermaid are oblivious. For Mermaids childhood Thanksgivings, I always made the effort to be well organized before the day so on the day I would be available to her as a playmate. I could never bear the thought of her spending a holiday alone in her room reading a book. We have enjoyed some great early adventures on a beach, gone for bike rides, raked and jumped in leaves our first year here at the Pond. There was a great benefit to having most everything done so there would be playtime while the turkey was roasting. A win win as playing with Mermaid was always so much fun I didn't miss the larger family presence.
On the years when the weather did not lend itself to outdoor interests we played games or watched a movie.
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
or
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Both are about a hundred hours long with songs which will echo in your head for days and days afterward. It was a very long Thanksgiving the year Blowfish taught her about the rewind button. She was elated at the idea of stopping time to repeat an experience. I was less thrilled. Occasionally I would try to slide off the sofa to go check on things in the Kitchen but it wouldn't be long before she was urging my return because the "best part" is coming!!!! I was always very thankful for the good weather years.
We still have those movies but they are VCR tapes not DVD's. We did keep one TV with a built-in VCR but it is in Blowfish's office and not in a space where we can all gather round.
This Thanksgiving our temperatures will climb close to 70 but we are also expecting showers. Likely we will be inside more than outside. I've had a little ongoing debate with myself. Should I get copies of these favorites on dvd? Now that we are all adults is this how I want to spend Thanksgiving?
How about it bloggers, would you get the dvd's or not?
11 comments:
I vote NO on the DVDS. Do something outside. You're fish! You won't melt in the rain.
here's a gag gift for blowfish:
http://blowfishshoes.com/
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
*sung like in bohemian rhapsody*
have her make things in the kitchen with you! or decorate. not the movies! you can have football in the background which is the white noise for thanksgiving....that comes straight from my grandmother. so shall it be written, so shall it be done.
No, Fishy, no no. Mermaid prolly guards her old memories, doan mess wif' 'em. MAKE NEW ONES....inside or out, or both, be together makain' new grown up memories to cherish. When SHE brings the DVD around one year, then ya know she wants the nostalgia, otherwise , could it seem to her she has to be forever the little girl on Thanksgivin'?
I'm bettin' Mermaid will git them DVD's some year when she means to announce the arrival of a MerMinnow.
Yeah!
I know I am making the best choice if a Troll, a Rotty and a true
Southern Belle are in agreement.
Thanks for implanting Chitty Chitty Bang Bang into my head for the entire day . . .
I vote "no," and "yes" to outside activity.
IF I had the chance of 70 degree weather I would be OUTSIDE, despite the showers. So I vote no too. Given she no longer lives at home, why waste precious watching and not talking?
I'd go for a big walk, either before or after your meal.
My Mother banned all Disney movies from our lives. No joke.
Moi,
Hopefully there will be no rain and the outdoors will be our playground.
Really sorry about the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang loop.
Boxer,
Not planning to watch movies in place of other activities. More along the lines of the hostess having on hand whatever a guest might want. Sometimes she likes to fall asleep on the sofa watching old movies.
OH! Sorry. I was tired and seem to have read the wrong way. I still say "no" on the DVD's.
"Onward"
(put it's super sweet of you to consider them.)
Good morning Fishy,
Blow up your TV. Throw away your paper...
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Karl,
still laughing but.....
We watch the Macy's parade in the morning while baking cookies and doing other prep. Blowfish likes to sleepwatch the football games after the feast and before the desserts.
Probably the primary reason we are not having a Thanksgiving picnic on the lake. I am the only one of us who would jettison all the traditions for a different experience.
Sigh, but they do all the dishes :-)
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