fruitful fields and healthful skies

Thanksgiving started out rather predictable, the Yale Crew gathering for flag football on the front lawn of the church. It's the site where a few years ago J.J. and dad had a meeting of the minds, if you will. Dinner started two hours late that year after both had their heads stitched up. True turkey battle wounds. Dad's scar was still visible last night from across the table. We tried our hands and feet at rugby first, scrumming, running, falling, kicking, etc. but switched to football after K's chin nearly collided with the pavement. The girls were the victors this year. (We had numbers up, and a dad who decided to play for our team, but we'll take the credit.)

Dinner was followed by Charades while our tummies turned turkey and mashed potatoes to make room for dessert. It's hard to give out awards for the best inaudible performances. Steve's "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," was rather memorable, the pinnacle being his facial expressions opening gifts under the Christmas tree. Then there was Mom's "The-Great-Gatsby-Sounds-Like-Cats-by" which had her down on the floor in a noiseless purr. I thought my one-woman-silent-show of "Romeo and Juliet" was rather moving, especially the poisoning scene, although it didn't buy us any extra time or points.

As long as we're giving out awards, I think Susan gets one for her caramel pecan pie, a bite of which I ate for breakfast this morning, amongst intermittent visits to the counter to snack on Grandma's pumpkin pie, a chart-topper year after year.

Football, potatoes, turkey and pie; family, friends and movies in the basement with full bellies -- there's much to be grateful for, and it's not just the feasting. This time of year I miss Grandpa the most -- when our thoughts turn to fortitude, and freedom, and thankfulness. His spot is much missed at the table. We spoke of Washington's and Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamations at dinner. And Dan Man recited "In Flander's Field" from memory, standing aside his Thanksgiving plate. I've included Lincoln's Proclamation below. (It's lengthy, but beautiful):

"The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union." President Abraham Lincoln 1863