Pokeberry Boys and More of Life's Joys: Our Last Lehman Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving day dawned a dreary, rainy day this year. A prelude to the day to come for me.

I started the day not feeling well; pneumonia is trying to sink it's ugly fangs into me, and I'm fighting it with guns blazing. As we cooked and cleaned, my brother came to the house for a minute; Dad wanted his coffee warmed up. I could see something was bothering my brother, and I called him on it. "What's wrong?" I asked. He shook his head, sadly, and didn't want to say anything. "No, you can't do that to me, you have to tell me now!" I fussed at him. After a little bit more back and forth, Ricky knew I wasn't going to let it go (I have a knack for that; dog with a bone mentality a lot of times. Not something to be proud of all the time, but whatever.)

He then told me that our Dad had made the decision that this year was to be the last year that he hosted Thanksgiving. After 40 years, he's tired. Daddy is one of 8 children (he's #6). His older sister, Viola, passed away in 2012. His other sisters and his youngest brother are all ill and were not able to come. So, out of 8 children, there were only 4 brothers there.

Dinner time

Two of my many cousins

Oh, how it tore my heart to hear my Daddy cry. He loves doing the Thanksgiving pig, but he's sad that his brother and sisters couldn't be there. And he's tired. He'll tell you "I'm not a spring chicken anymore!", but in my eyes, he'll always be my Daddy. The Man of Steel. He's been through a lot in his 68 years. More than most, and has come out a better man each time.

Man of Steel

But it still hurts to see your Daddy slow down.

There have been rumblings of "well, Tina, you should take up the mantle and keep this tradition going!", and there would be nothing that would make me happier. I have other family obligations, too, though. Every other year, we go with my husband's family to western Maryland to a ski resort town for Thanksgiving. I can't just stop that. Plus, this girl has no idea how to cook a pig. None. Well, I know you put it on the cooker, but I've never DONE it before!

So for now, the Thanksgiving tradition is done. For now. I have a feeling, though, that we haven't seen the last of this annual, appetizing food-fest!!