Well, it's Thanksgiving Day, and I'm at my dad's house, all the men are sleeping in chairs or on couches while Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is on television. Glenda is rocking Isaiah and I'm hidden in the back room, typing here -- it's like a mini vacation coming to Cadiz -- everyone wants to hold the baby so I don't have to. Anyway, I was loafing around the kitchen while everyone else was cleaning up -- I have somehow escaped the clean up brigade in our family - an honor that I am quite happy to have acheived --and Glenda and my cousin Angie were talking about only having Chili for lunch on Christmas Day. I was devastated. It's true that I understand that they all have other family and events in which they are eating big meals. But the Walker Family Event is our big event -- this is what we do and all that we do. I didn't realize that the reason that we had to have 5 events growing up (granddaddy broadbent's house, aunt martha's house, grandma walker's house, The terrell's for a couple of years) was because when I got older, I wasn't going to get to have any. And then what traditions do I get to create for Elijah and Isaiah. And it shows you that a fat girl is writing when part of the event is really about the food. You don't eat Chili at Christmas. You might eat chili at one christmas event - but not at the only christmas event that you are going to have. Jodi always has finger foods and snacks - to compensate for the big meals that she has -- But our family - well - we got nothing -- and if they change Christmas dinner - then we'll my son will grow up thinking Christmas is about chili and presents -- I just can't handle that. To top it off, I can't even use Jose's family as their idea of a christmas feast is tamales -- which are not my favorite food -- they aren't even in the top 100 -- they are in the oh my god i'm going to starve in the desert if i don't get some nourishment bottom 20 -- but you get the general gist. I don't understand how and why christmas traditions change. Christmas with Grandma Walker is how I define Christmas. Every one of my 36 years has been spent with lunch on Christmas day at 1:00 with Grandma Walker. The location has changed - but not the meal or the time. Sure, all the grandkids grew up, got married and have families. But why does that mean that this tradition has to change -- I'd even understand the need to compromise and change lunch to supper and alternate the meal so everyone can travel -- but I don't understand just making an attempt to scrap it in its entirity (sp). That's just not right. So, rest assured my 3 or 4 avid readers - that I shall do my cancer best to work around the problem -- using a bit of guild if I have to --- And what works better than guilt that the lack of tradition that we are creating for my children - how shallow their memories will be -- and let me just say that those memories are important enough to me that if I have to create my own - then so be it --
venting and raging completed. Hope all had a happy holiday.
