It was November, 1967 and we were stationed in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. We had rented sight unseen a "small trailer" behind our landlord's house to live in while we were there. The "small trailer" turned out to be no larger than today's travel trailers - I'm sure it was no bigger than 8' x 32' - but we were together and still newly married, so closeness was not a disadvantage.
It was our first Thanksgiving with no family around for either of us and I was very hesitant about trying to tackle a Thanksgiving meal, but I was determined to give it a try. I'm from a large family, and the Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings was a tradition.....and I was steeped in tradition as all good Southerners are.
There were two other soldiers from the Carolinas that hubby invited for dinner that day. I didn't mind - it's a waste cooking a turkey just for two. Dinner turned out to be pretty good, even if it was my first stab at it. I had watched my mother bake a turkey and had memorized her recipe for homemade dressing from helping her make it so many times. A small ten pound turkey was all we could cram into the little stove and I think we had to flatten him out a bit even then. It was crowded in that little trailer that day, but the food was good and the company was welcome. We were all thankful for the companionship that lessened the homesick feeling for all of us on that first Thanksgiving Day we had spent without family.
It's a beautiful memory, that Thanksgiving Day - one that I'll never forget. That Thanksgiving season also produced another memory - a flashback that has stayed in my head for all these years. I was alone for most of each day while hubby was on base, so TV became my best friend. Have you ever had a commercial jingle that has stayed with you for awhile? That's what they're supposed to do - to remind you of the product of that commercial. Well, the ABC network had some special programming that year on the day after Thanksgiving that they wanted viewers to watch. They had a jingle that they played over and over on commercials. I've sung this jingle to myself at Thanksgiving EVERY year since. I could never find anyone who remembered it so was I ever surprised when I googled it and found an old clip of it on Youtube.
Aha! Now you'll have trouble getting it out of your head too.
We have so many things to be thankful for. Say a special thank you to the men and women who serve our country proudly. Share a meal with them if you have the opportunity. Do you have a special Thanksgiving memory? Treasure it - and share it.
Note: God's word teaches us to share with others out of gratitude, not out of guilt or duty.
It was our first Thanksgiving with no family around for either of us and I was very hesitant about trying to tackle a Thanksgiving meal, but I was determined to give it a try. I'm from a large family, and the Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings was a tradition.....and I was steeped in tradition as all good Southerners are.
There were two other soldiers from the Carolinas that hubby invited for dinner that day. I didn't mind - it's a waste cooking a turkey just for two. Dinner turned out to be pretty good, even if it was my first stab at it. I had watched my mother bake a turkey and had memorized her recipe for homemade dressing from helping her make it so many times. A small ten pound turkey was all we could cram into the little stove and I think we had to flatten him out a bit even then. It was crowded in that little trailer that day, but the food was good and the company was welcome. We were all thankful for the companionship that lessened the homesick feeling for all of us on that first Thanksgiving Day we had spent without family.
It's a beautiful memory, that Thanksgiving Day - one that I'll never forget. That Thanksgiving season also produced another memory - a flashback that has stayed in my head for all these years. I was alone for most of each day while hubby was on base, so TV became my best friend. Have you ever had a commercial jingle that has stayed with you for awhile? That's what they're supposed to do - to remind you of the product of that commercial. Well, the ABC network had some special programming that year on the day after Thanksgiving that they wanted viewers to watch. They had a jingle that they played over and over on commercials. I've sung this jingle to myself at Thanksgiving EVERY year since. I could never find anyone who remembered it so was I ever surprised when I googled it and found an old clip of it on Youtube.
Aha! Now you'll have trouble getting it out of your head too.
We have so many things to be thankful for. Say a special thank you to the men and women who serve our country proudly. Share a meal with them if you have the opportunity. Do you have a special Thanksgiving memory? Treasure it - and share it.
Note: God's word teaches us to share with others out of gratitude, not out of guilt or duty.
"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: "It is more blessed to give than to receive. " – Acts 20:35
That is a funny jingle. It must make you smile at the memory of it.
ReplyDeleteFor us, while I can remember often having the single GIs over for every day dinner when we were active duty, we never did Thanksgiving in our home. It seems that for the big holiday meals, there has always been one of my family members within driving distance or an adventurous military friend that wanted to create the feast in their home and invite everyone over.
Now that we are retired and close to my family, we take others with us when we go over for the holiday meals.
Have a blessed and perfectly wonderful Thanksgiving full of treasured old and new memories.
Dear, Glenda.
ReplyDeleteOh, you have one wonderful unforgettable memory of Thanksgiving Day and good of you that you did a fine job for your Turkey♬♬♬
Haha, "first stab". I liked the expression.
PS> I am repeating it, but I really love your new profile picture, my friend. You are beautiful, warmhearted looking lady♡♡♡
Hi Glenda, I hope you are having a great Thanksgiving. We just got back from my sis in laws. I am so full I could bust. Then tomorrow I guess I have a turkey to cook. Someone gave us one Tuesday and I just put it in the fridge since the freezer was full. I think it is about 12 lbs. How long do they take to be completely thawed?
ReplyDeleteYou said in a comment to me that you were in Seattle during an earthquake. What year was that? The one I was in there was in the 60s we were almost ready to leave for school. I haven't heard of any others. I left that area in 1975. My mom and sis are still up there.
Well, gotta go. Take care :)