Thanksgiving has always been a favorite time for me.


When I was young, I used to love helping my mom in the kitchen on Thanksgiving morning. I am sure I was mostly in the way, but still, it was special mother/daughter time, and it is something I miss.


As I got older, and more was expected of me, I found excuses to avoid responsibility. This is prolly one reason I never learned to prepare any of the customary dishes associated with a Thanksgiving dinner. After my parents died, I was involved in a few Thanksgiving events with boyfriends, and my brothers and their families. I suppose due to my limited culinary skills and interest, I was always the one in charge of procuring dinner rolls and Cool Whip.


Tomorrow will mark the second time that David and I have celebrated Thanksgiving as husband and wife, and the fourth time we have celebrated together. In the past, we have spent the day with his family, and enjoyed the traditional fare prepared by his mother. David's mother is a wonderful cook, and the meals have always been stellar. The time with David's family has always been something I enjoyed and looked forward to each year.


This year, David's parents are in Hawaii for Thanksgiving.


David is insisting on a traditional meal and expects me to prepare it. Oh, he has been very supportive and he assures me that he will help. But still…if something could go wrong, and history suggests that it will, it will happen on my watch.


Two weeks ago, we all had an early Thanksgiving dinner at David's parents home, and his mom invited me to come over early, so she might help me learn how to prepare several customary Autumnal staples.

David dropped me off at his mom’s home a little after 8 AM, and then he went to play golf with his dad. When I entered the house, I could already smell stuff cooking. I made my way to the kitchen, and immediately, I was intimidated. David’s mom greeted me with a smile and offer of coffee, and I handed her my offering of brown n serve rolls and Cool Whip. I got myself some coffee, and began to look around…There was a turkey in the oven, I could see several pies sitting on the snack bar, an assortment of crackers and cheese were available for snacking, macaroni shells were boiling on the stove, and there was a large bowl of fresh green beans on the kitchen table.

Now, when I cook (and this is rare), I am lucky if I have the microwave going and something boiling on the stove, or cooking in the oven at the same time. God forbid if it is necessary for the toaster to be utilized simultaneously.

David’s mom moved about the kitchen like a factory worker on an assembly line. She would take something from a drawer, use it tend to one of her dishes, and then grab stuff from a cabinet as she made her way to the next item on her agenda. She never bumped into anything, dropped anything, cursed, and seldom did she need to back track…she was like a machine, oh, and she made conversation with me the entire time. I watched intently, making mental notes, and even trying to jot things down as I helped her in her kitchen.

My most significant contribution to this meal was peeling the sweet potatoes, cutting them into smaller pieces, arranging them in an oven dish, and then sprinkling them with brown sugar and marshmallows…and of course, the Cool Whip and dinner rolls. It felt good to contribute, and I felt as though I had made a difference. I could not help but think back and wish I had been more a part of this process while my own mother was alive.

So, anyway…tomorrow I am gonna try this by myself, and David says he will help. I am guessing he will spend more time watching the parade and football stuff on television, but we will see. If I can pull this off, I will feel pretty good about myself, and it might lead to a whole new “Maggie”.

I am sure many of you are chuckling about my lack of game when it comes to cooking. You prolly have wives who can cook like a champ and have prepared many wonderful Thanksgiving dinners.

On the other hand, maybe you are a woman, and you might smile and remember your first time.

I bought a new apron (not that I had an old one), a set of Pyrex cookware, and a turkey. David’s mom was kind enough to print directions and recipes for me, and she supplied me with a list of ingredients to buy. The checker girl at Publix prolly thought I was shopping for someone else; she has never seen me buy anything more advanced than Hamburger Helper before.

I am not sure I can do this, but I am gonna give it a try. I have that Butterball hotline on speed dial.

So, I will check in again next week.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!