I went to the nieces for Thanksgiving dinner Saturday. My older brother (her father) my sister-in-law and her younger sister were in attendance.
It was a really nice day. I arrived in Salem at 10:00 and the niece, anxious to get a break from the family was actually waiting at the station when I got off the train. This was something of a notable occurrence, since arriving on time is usually something that happens to other people.
When we got to her house, the sister-in-law had achieved the perpendicular and was working on regaining consciousness. As she went to take a shower, by older brother and the other niece arrived back from a shopping expedition.
After that it was socializing, getting the dinner table ready, cooking and more socializing along with a fair amount of teasing. Older Bro and I kept the troops entertained with stories about all the things we got up to as kids, including sending my mother over the edge with the hanging teddy bear trick, which I am sure I will describe someday.
The turkey, in the way of Thanksgiving turkeys everywhere, took longer than it was suppose to, but was well worth the wait. The Niece outdid herself. I had provided a pecan pie that my sister-in-law requested, she had made mince pie.
All told it was a very enjoyable day, which is something. For years I have avoided family holidays, simply because they are usually just an excuse to get together and argue, but I am guessing with the blessings of age and the absence of my mother we were able to relax and just enjoy each others company.
So, a big thank you to the niece for a wonderful day.