Another Thanksgiving in Catasauqua

Thanksgivings are the best.  The smell of turkey in the oven - the filling, which is known as stuffing to others, is one of my favorites.  Not to mention cranberry sauce.  I use to make my own but I found the joy of Giant's cranberry orange relish through my bff Cathy, who ironically made her own this year.

Thanksgiving is the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, which is on right now,  it's football for Parke later today.  And if you are a true Catasauquian it is the famous Thanksgiving Day Game between the Catasauqua Rough Riders and the Northampton Konkrete Kids.  I went for many years when I was young, until it became my turn to cook.  If you are not from Catty then you cannot understand the importance of the game - it is Tradition.  This year Catty Football has been doing great and Saturday Catasauqua will be playing in the PIAA Class 2A State Quarterfinal for the first time in school history.  So stay safe Roughies, do not use all your best moves today save them for Saturday.

Many years ago I lived with a "non-rough rider"  who got very angry (there is a dent in the kitchen wall yet)  because my son wasn't home in time from the football game, he obviously did not respect tradition.  Game first - dinner later.

I saw another tradition this morning while walking Petey - the toilet papered house of a senior.  I like Thanksgiving - its the calm of the storm before the frenzy Christmas shopping.  It's the forgotten holiday - we leap from Halloween to Christmas with a pitstop for turkey and gravy.

Until last year I didn't know Thanksgiving was once moved on the calendar - I found out in the funniest of ways with bff Cathy again, at the movies watching Holiday Inn, an old Fred Astaire/Bing Crosby movie.  When they showed November the Turkey kept jumping back and forth, it is when FDR had decided to fiddle with the holiday.

Food traditions have changed for me over the years, we still have Turkey and I make my grandmother's filling.  I have added Mrs. Werner's, my ex-mother-in-laws sweet potatoes and now Parke's mother's Cope corn casserole.  A few years ago I added my famous chocolate chip cookies for the Grandkids, and this year I even made my Grandmother's apple tarts for my Mom.

Thanksgiving is also time to give thanks.  I am thankful for my Mom and Parke, I am thankful for my son, Robert and his wife Amy and my wonderful grandchildren, Katie, Joey and Bobby.  I am thankful for soooo many BFF's to numerous to mention, plus I don't want to forget anyone.  I am thankful for my church, my job (even though I had the BIGGEST hissy fit that I have had in a while yesterday) and my home.

I am thankful for Catasauqua and for you dear reader.  May you take today to just be blessed, rest, eat and be thankful.

Go Roughies, and that's another day in Catasauqua.