The First Thanksgiving (in Georgia)

I met and married Ben in Pinellas County Florida. We moved to Cherokee County Georgia October 30, 1979.  We moved from a huge city to a County of about 50,000. Bennie was three years old. I thought Ben had moved us to the back of beyond. The nearest grocery store was 11 miles, the nearest McDonalds- even farther and we would need to go clear to Marietta to find a real restaurant that was open on Sunday. We were now hundreds of miles from family.

When we were growing up, Thanksgiving was a family affair. The table stretched from the kitchen through the dining room and into the living room. One year we set up in the basement…the only space large enough. My mother insisted on all of us setting at one table and some years it was a logistical nightmare to get all the “tables” set up together. I do not remember a dinner table set for less than 25 and I remember one year that the table was set for more than 40. (As an aside…why were Barb and I the only ones who ever did the dishes?)

But I digress…this story is about our first thanksgiving after moving to Georgia. We just could not afford to go home so soon after moving, and we were certainly going home for Christmas! So I set about making plans for our dinner. Today, people call me a great cook…and I started cooking young but let’s face it, 30 years ago I certainly wasn’t the knowledgeable cook I am now. Ben liked mince and I liked pumpkin so I made two pies…I knew it was too much, but that’s ok, who doesn’t like leftover dessert?  When I went grocery shopping that turkey looked a little small…so I picked up a slightly larger one-who doesn’t like leftover turkey?

Thanksgiving Day dawned early (5 am) and I stuffed the turkey and put it in the oven. Peeled potatoes- a pound per person sounds about right- peeled the butternut squash and put it on low to cook. Waldorf salad, banana bread (a double batch like my mother always made). Cauliflower with cheese sauce! I will say that everything was nicely cooked….neither the potatoes nor the gravy were lumpy….

Ben, 3 year old Bennie, and I set down to dinner….and looked upon the lovely TWENTY-THREE pound turkey.  Just in case you’re interested that works out to 7 and 2/3 pounds of turkey for each of us, a true mountain of mashed potatoes, squash, veggies, and 2/3 of a pie for each of us. We had lots of leftovers.

We headed home to Florida a month later for Christmas, on the drive down I told Ben “I HOPE THEY MAKE HAM!”

This Year we will have Ellies first Thanksgiving!