The Skinny Winnie Fireplace/Heater that I gifted myself for Thanksgiving, arrived with a big scratch on its painted front. Its mantel-top became unglued and fell off in the process of my trying to remove the unit from the packaging. And then, there was a slight problem getting it to stand upright. But once it got unpacked, there was no way the fireplace was going to be sent back. Even scraped, unglued, and off-kilter. I was hell-bent on having the thing installed and running before Turkey Day. Sensing my determination, a devoted friend came over to help put it in place.
My Thanksgiving is not supposed to be a food-frenzy this year. Invited to another devoted friend’s Thanksgiving dinner, I am simply going to cook a tiny turkey breast for myself, and maybe a sweet potato dish, so I can have traditional leftovers for the weekend. The fake fireplace is to distract me with comforts other than food at this difficult time of the year, the time when some of us who have suffered great losses question what we really need, what we want, and what we have to be grateful for.
So my dog and I are basking in light and warmth. At this moment, I’m feeling very blessed. And I’m wishing everyone lots of light and warmth, and devoted friends.
Happy Thanksgiving.
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Blessings to you, Robin. My dogs are hanging out on the warm hearthstone today. On Thanksgiving Day, I shared a vegan dinner with friends in Syracuse. We’ve shared quiet Thanksgivings for 10 years or so now–and I always weep for Vic on this day and the days after, especially as I drive the roads that once took us to Hamilton where he taught. Grief comes around to visit on holidays, it seems, and I don’t even try to talk myself out of it.
Grief and ghosts are the visitors around holiday time for me too, Elaine. It seems I dream more during these times too. Nothing to try to escape. It grounds me during all the chaos of the season. And I’d rather deal with the sadness and tears than have nothing left of my loving at all.
Wishing you a comfortable and warmThanksgiving with happy memories to keep you warm (not to mention your unique faux fireplace)!
Hi Joan. I was thinking about you yesterday as I made my mother’s old combination of cut-up pineapple, and then the roast pepper with anchovies, all the beautiful foods we used to stuff ourselves with before the turkey and trimmings ever got to the table. I hope you had a wonderful holiday. Yes, I was comfortable and warm, and stuffed most of the day. Wishing you and Mark light and warmth in the rest of this cold, gray season. OMG the stupid fireplace is so mesmerizing. Delightful!
I’m a fan our yours and so look forward to your posts! My favorite part of thanksgiving is the sharing; ideas, grief, feelings, friendships, hugs, and yes to enjoying food. My husband of 42 yrs suddenly dropped dead 9 years ago. Your sharing of grief and words is a blessing to others who are in a similar state of mind. The sense of belonging to others who share our feelings is really comforting. I urge you to continue posting your gift with words!!!
Yow, Bev. Thank you so much for being out there, listening, and speaking up. This is a gift you’ve given me. Sometimes I wonder who is out there and if anyone is getting anything out of my pictures and words. Sometimes I feel I couldn’t possibly have anything to add to the constant flow of yammering going on in the world. (I’m actually going to be writing less and hopefully listening more to people in the days to come). I love sharing too. It’s not my fave part of Thanksgiving so much as my fave part of living. And you’ve pointed out to me that it is the sharing with “others who are in a similar state of mind” is what I meant to be doing, all along, since I started writing. You are so right about the feeling of belonging to others who have experienced similar losses. I will be posting, just maybe not spending as much time at writing as before. I’m hoping to do it in pictures more, for a bit. Even though it is difficult to say things in pictures, like: I hope you find ways to be at peace with a sudden loss of a husband of 42 years. Nine years. That’s about the time I “lost” my daughter. Some days it feels like forever-ago. And some days it feels like it just happened. I wish you comfort and peace. Thank you.
I agree, the bunged-up fake fireplace has to stay! Especially since it is a source of warmth and beauty! I love that you have devoted friends who come to help set fireplaces up with you, and who invite you for Thanksgiving dinner. I hope the homey one with just you and Suki will be just as “hyggelig” as the multi-friend feast.
My favorite part of Thanksgiving is going around the table, each person saying something they’re thankful for from the past year.
Love, Lucy
Oooh, Lucy, I forgot that part of Thanksgiving: the sharing of what we’re grateful for. So grateful we did not do that last night around my friend’s exquisite feasting table. I actually meant to request a round of : what is an old family tradition that you keep (or maybe do not keep) from your past Thanksgivings? Don’t know why it’s so hard to share my gratefulness out loud. Maybe I don’t really trust my ability to be grateful yet. Or maybe I don’t trust the ones around me to understand what I’m grateful for. Maybe it’s just too close to what could bring me to my breaking point. Definitely not my fave part of Thanksgiving. I hope you had a grand one though. And I’m wishing you happy holidays as we go forward to the next. Cheers!
Your new fireplace looks like serious ‘hygge’ to me, Robin – the Scandinavian tradition of candle-lighting and the like, for getting through the long dreary winter months. Suki looks very pleased there and hopefully it will give the light and warmth you need..
Pam, it’s one more way to get through the holidays: adding light and warmth wherever one can. I’m trying not to think of how it will add to my electricity bill. Just gonna enjoy it. Wishing you lots of whatever it takes to make this time of the year better.
Happy Thanksgiving Robin and Suki!
Happy Thanksgiving to you too, Frank. I was afraid to say “Happy” because sometimes I get blasted at, “How can you expect me to be happy when….” But I, and Suki, really do wish you wonderful holidays. Even though.