In less than a week, Thanksgiving will be here. My family is not the kind that experiences conflict over holidays meals. As I mentioned previously, I'm half Hispanic and almost all of that side of my family lives within a couple blocks of each other. As you may imagine we are very close. By close I mean we are all up in each others business at all times (or so it often feels). Since we tight-knit, family dinners throughout the year are a regular occurrence. Thanksgiving dinner isn't particularly stressful for us. Usually I look forward to Thanksgiving with my family because after all the stress of helping my mother get there "on time," I enjoy my being there.
This year will be different. This year will be difficult. This year will be the first Thanksgiving without my Puna. He was my mother's father. Until this year, I would go over to my grandparent's house early Thanksgiving morning with my cousins and prepare the turkey under his guidance. My cousins and I would all hang out and be obnoxious toward each other like the tight-knit family we are. My Grammy would make the stuffing while we prepared the bird. My Puna would usually get the foil ready with his meticulous technique. Over the years I took this over for him but he would still double check my work and give plenty of advice on whether or not I'm doing it correctly. After we finally got the bird into the oven, we would all sit down to have a breakfast of soft boiled eggs and biscuits. This was our routine for 15 years and this will be the first year completely without him.
This is why I am dreading Thanksgiving. I don't like change and this is a massive one. One that I have no control over. One that I will have to live through.
