giving thanks..

So how was everyone’s thanksgiving holiday weekend?

Mine was eventful as ever!

Thursday we spent our entire day with ‘family’ – and by that I mean by the ones that we chose not the ones we are born into. As life and opportunities pull us away from our primary roots and we spend so much of our time with friends with whom we share our birthdays, jobs, dance classes, carpools, and the shortcomings that bind us all together, we realize at some point in time that this is your real family. Ones whom you can bank on and trust that they would be there for you through thick and thin, support you, lend an ear when you need one.

I belong to two different core groups in our area, there are smaller ones, but these two are what I’d like to call my comfort zone.
One group is the sedate, put-together, level-headed, mature kind. I am the youngest truant-entrant. One that the ladies in a group who usually look down on in a ‘what a child’ manner, one who is labeled the ‘clown’ because she is well a lot more cheerful, and laughs for really no big reason. I am the one whom they tolerate nodding heads at each other, and sometimes miss when I am not around to pull the whole group together. Needless to say, there have been times when it’s been a bore and a drag being the only ‘entertainer’ but I value them for what they are. They are the ones who’ve been here much longer than I, who have gone through an era of raising kids without Bollywood, and balavihar classes, and who motivate and make their kids a success. Established and wise, in many ways, am truly fortunate to know them and even glad that they even include me in their monthly potluck dinners.

The second group is the brazen one. The “youngsters” [as in not by their age, but their kids’age] ones who are still battling feeding and teething problems, ones who unabashedly walk with a wine glass in one while straddling a whining toddler in the other, who decide to visit comedy clubs and host ladies nite-outs as in coming home half-tipsy at 2 am. They tell me that decidely that am the stabler perhaps saner one mainly coz I’ve done it all?! I can contest that point of course, but we will let that be.. 😉 *am such a shameless lil brag aren’t i? haha*

There are days Ive felt like am the bridge between the 2 groups.

Thanksgiving day drove home the point.

My son’s sleepover birthday party with his friends at home was on Wednesday [which really isn’t a ‘sleep’over as some of you may know] and after not sleeping the night, and what with trips between bowling and laser places and pasta and pizza dinners, I was quite ready to not want to go anywhere at all. The weather helped a whole bunch. Raining and mucky.
We were invited to the whole day thanksgiving bash that was planned out at group 2. So after waiting for all the party kids to leave to their respective homes, we trooped out to the partyhome. The men had promised to serve up a delicious breakfast, lunch and dinner – Indian and desi style – to all us ladies and kids.

sunk in…?

Boy, what a treat that was. The men armed themselves with an ihome and ipod, alternately belting out english, tamil and hindi music, football in the background, wailing kids sticking to dad’s knees, they accomplished an awesome feast for 12 families.
Menu u ask?

we missed breakfast but apparently pancakes and omelets were a hit.
Lunch – veggie and cheese quesadillas for the kids, vegetable kurma, chicken with coconut milk, fried rice, kothhu paratha with egg and one batch without egg.
Men went through some painstaking cutting, chopping veggies in the right size and diameter, while one washed up huge vessels in the sink, one mixed drinks for us ladies – andboy, were the ladies demanding! One wanted a pina colada, while the other wanted a virgin version, a couple of red wine bottles emptied right in front of my eyes, and some preferred orange juice with a dash of vodka.
Afternoon was spent with a few catnaps, throwing the ball outside with the kids, and some heated discussions on sports and how crappy some movies were. Critics, and fans, each enthused with their opinions mixed with a cacaphony of fashion news, and piano tunes. A huge pot of tea was made and a couple of chefs walked in to make pakodas for us. We had to leave for dinner with group 1, but as we left we could see the turkey turning a nice shade of brown, smells wafting through the three floors, chicken methi was being passed around, cranberry sauce was turning a browner shade of red on the stove, and the corn bread trays were sitting on the counter cooling their heels off.

Inertia was low to leave, but commitments had to be honored and so we left to our other dinner where I spent half the time raving about how good the men were and how amazing the synchronized skills of making a meal were exhibited. Met all the older kids who came back home for the holidays and caught up with the latest management and economics classses they are taking at the University.

1 girl spent her summer in Africa, and she regaled me with her account of all the fantastic experience she gained while living with an urban family and then with a rural family. She hadn’t showered for 10 days and ate bland rice and beans and yet, she had the most wonderful time hiking an ative volcano that erupted in June, being chased by a wild elephant while her friend drove through dirt, topped off her month long excursion with a safari. This was no package deal that she pleasured through, but a proper course offered through Stanford [she is doing her UG there] on some economics course that she had to apply and be in good standing to be selected. Another guy spoke about how much he actually missed his mom’s cooking [it’s his 1st year away] wheel at school but all he wanted as his back home meal was Don Pablo and Taco Bell?!
Have been watching all these young adults since they were kids – as in toddlers, elementary school, through braces and broken shins, gawky middle-schoolers to polished highschoolers winning and acing their way through life.

We wrapped a dinner with good spicy andhra style food.

As I was putting the baby down, I sent a thank you up into the sky – Truly, you couldn’t ask for more?!

So, what did you guys do?