Thanksgiving c/o the T.s

For Thanksgiving I drove down to Silver Spring, site of, well, my childhood. The T.'s, our former neighbors and close family friends, had extended the offer soon after Mom's funeral and Dad and I quickly, and gratefully, accepted. I left early on the morning of Thanksgiving, as I figured it would make for easier travel than right after work on Wednesday. I was right.
Appetizers that were eventually put out once the day got a little later included this crab/shrimp/cream cheese dish.
I wandered over to my former home and took a few photographs of the train rolling by and the new paint job.
This used to be my playground.
While the turkeys did their thing and other dishes were properly dealt with, I drank a sparkling drink with cranberry. I was entirely unhelpful with the cooking.
There were 13 of us, so two turkeys: one smoked, one roasted. This first turkey is the smoked one.
This is the roasted one.
Though I had heard much about them, this was my first time meeting B. and D.'s grandkids, and the first time in a long time that I had seen either of their parents.
Boy in the background is the older brother to boy in the front and his twin bro not pictured.
Mmmmmmm.
Mmmmmmmm.
Desserts were just as plentiful as the turkeys and sides. So much so that both I and B. and D.'s son R. got pies with candles and a round of 'Happy Birthday.' This is me pretending to eat all the pie.
There were also turkey cupcakes with gravy filling.
And apple pie. Man. I was definitely stuffed by the end of the meal.

After dinner there was much sitting about.
And being cat-like. Or at least I think this is what he's being.

Some even walked on ceilings with the help of their tall uncle.
And by some I mean all three people under four feet tall.
Eventually it was down to B., D., R., my dad and myself. All rather wiped from the eating and drinking, but pleasantly so I think.
Here D. and I are, looking how we look all of the time: perky.
Thanksgiving over the years has always been a relatively good holiday for me. My birthday falls on or around it, so there are presents and that's always nice. Growing up we'd go to a family friend's in D.C. and celebrate with her and her extended family, but as I got older I bowed out of returning home once or twice, then started hosting the holiday myself (to mixed and often drunken results). Since I left Chicago and haven't had a life partner type or good apartment for entertaining, my interest in trying to gather my parents and a motley crue of friends together for the holiday has gone by the wayside. All I can think about is all the dishes and time, and the lack of places for people to sit. If Thanksgiving was in June I'd do it on the deck. Anyways. My point is that it was nice to blend in with the T.'s larger crew on this first Thanksgiving sans Mom. Another point may be that there is some relief in the lack of traditions my nuclear family had, as this makes the holidays less of some sort of minefield of recollection and loss. This is only my take, of course. My overall point is that I was thankful for the longstanding friendship of B. and D. to my parents and me...which is how one should be on a day like Thanksgiving.