Gobble, Gobble

I've always secretly admired the Americans for their version of Thanksgiving. It makes so much more sense to have it in November. Not so much in terms of celebrating harvest, as that's loooong done, particularly in Canada, but as a sort of gateway into that other Holiday Season.

Thanksgiving in November helps to keep consumerism at bay (a bit) and forces people to think about something else before they lay themselves prostrate at the altar of Must Buy the Perfect Present This Year. It's all about family and giving thanks and counting blessings.

Oh, and days off, of course. I love how it's such a big holiday that Americans schedule a day off to recover.

We decided to use our days off locally this year (yes - we are Holiday Locavores) and stayed home instead of making our usual trip up to Canada. Much as we love weekends home, they tend to be very busy and we get back feeling more tired than when we left. Plus, given that we always go home for Christmas as well, we get puzzled looks and raised eyebrows in December and people say, "weren't you just here?"

I'll admit to being quite homesick on Wednesday. The week prior was full of conversations like this:

Kind Coworker: So, PM, what are your plans for Thanksgiving?

PM: Oh, nothing.

KC: [quizzical look]

PM: Well, see, I'm Canadian. We celebrate Thanksgiving in October, so I've been there, done that.

KC: Oh, I see. So you went up to see your family?

PM: Um, no. It's not that big of a deal. But my in-laws were out and she made me pie, so that was pretty fantastic.

KC: Mmmm, did you get turkey, too?

PM: Um, no. We don't eat meat at our house.

KC: Oh. So basically it's just a four-day weekend for you and your family.

PM: Yup!

KC: [wistfully] That sounds kind of nice.

And as nice as it has been to stay in pajamas, drink coffee, and go for numerous walks around the lake, I was still sad when everyone else was packing up and getting ready to go Home and make turkey and complain about overeating...everyone except me.

So I was sad for awhile. But Old Dutch and onion chip dip and three books and a few pots of coffee have done wonders to help me cope.

The kids are loving it, too. Their eyes are about ready to bug out of their heads from all the TV they've been watching. But we have been sending them outside. Because, check out The Boy's latest obsession:

NONONONONONONONONONONONONONONO!

(Also: of course the Canadian kid's wearing shorts in November)

Yep, he's discovered football. Actually so has The Husband. He used to watch two games a year (hola Super Bowl and Grey Cup!) but now he's averaging at least two games a week. The Boy gets into it too - "Dad, which team are we voting for?" - and The Husband went out to get a ball to throw around with him. Which led to this:

The Husband: [whispering] PM!!

PM: [whispering back] What?

TH: OhmygoodnessPM - I was playing football with The Boy...he's totally got an arm for it.

PM: [unimpressed] Oh, really?

TH: Yeah, the kid's throwing spirals - and it's his first time! And it's totally not just me - a neighbour walked by and said, "hey, that kid's pretty good!"

PM: [picturing after-school practices and weekend tournaments and trying to get uniforms clean and having to learn what an off-side kick is] Oh.

TH: You know, the lowest salary in the NFL is, like, three million dollars. Our kids totally going pro.

PM: Sigh.

When in Rome...