Turkey Day

I don't like Thanksgiving. Not as a concept, but as a holiday and certainly as a dinner menu it is not my favorite. There are several reasons behind this theory, chief being I don't like turkey. I'll eat it if I have to but I'd rather not. Add to this the fact that until my mid twenties I hated to cook and you have a recipe for disaster. No pun intended. When I was little Thanksgiving was a loud, drunken holiday filled with football and food I didn't care for. Shuttling between my grandparents houses so that just when I got comfy at one place it was time to leave and go to the other. Eat at both houses so as not to be rude equaled an upset stomach for the long ride home. As I got older and married, had kids of my own I began to understand the insane pressure to be everywhere and celebrate with everyone. I once drive from West Hills to Victorville then back to Canoga Park just to have all the bases covered. I always wanted to just drop out of Thanksgiving. Boycott all together and go out for Chinese. The part that was good was family. Being little and running around like a nut ball with my cousins. Listening to my grandparents and aunts and uncles tell stories. Plus, surviving turkey day meant Christmas was that much closer. About half way through my marriage my ex and I began bucked convention and started our own tradition of going dirt bike riding for the holiday. The girl who hated to cook became Martha Stewart of the motorhome and I loved it! We cooked turkey in a trashcan, had bonfires, rode dirt bikes all day and watched the stars at night. No stress. No pressure and no over eating unless you wanted to. I began to love Thanksgiving.  Now it's the second turkey day since my divorce. The ex claimed this holiday because he has the motorhome and the dirt bikes. I agreed because after all I could care less about turkey. The first turkey day I had the kids. He was busy and couldn't put together the trip and that was fine by me. This year, they're going and my heart hurts. Selfish me. I hope they'll have fun with their dad and his girlfriend. I hope they ride safe and wear all their safety gear. As for me... I still haven't made it to the point of Chinese food on turnkey day but I am going to the movies with a friend and hopping between two places for food and fellowship. One house even has ziti along with their turkey! Genius!  I have cultivated some wonderful friendships and I am blessed to have family that loves me even if I don't love Thanksgiving .