Where Does That Highway Go?

Day 93

Today was strange. Not just because I wasn’t home for the holiday, but because I was out. I had moved to a Walmart to sleep last night—the forest was a bit skeevy for my taste—and I awoke to an empty parking lot. The streets of Alexandria weren’t deserted, but they were very, very quiet. It was a calm, reflective morning, perfect for Thanksgiving.

I didn’t care about missing Labor Day (mediocre) or Halloween (actively terrible except for the excitement of the little kids), but I am somewhat broken up about missing this one. If you’ve followed this blog, you can guess that I enjoy the food. But I also appreciate the sentiment of the day and its lack of pretense. There are no decorations, no Thanksgiving songs. The myth of Thanksgiving’s origin is dangerous, but I tend to associate that with the shortcomings of our public schools and not with the day itself. No, Thanksgiving is a wonderful day and an even better weekend. Best of all, it kicks off the halcyon glow of December, when the entire country celebrates the end of one cycle and the start of another. Christmas as a holiday is nice, but December in total? Incredible. A true blessing before we collectively nosedive toward the nadir that is February.

I decided not to try to replace Thanksgiving. Instead, today was a collection of short travel and pastimes. I bounced from spot to spot, walking around if able, then hiding in the car once a signature Louisiana storm blew in. I puzzled, I listened to music and podcasts, I read. It was a pleasant day out of context. My only two concessions to the holiday were a bowl of stuffing with lunch and a moment spent thinking about the gifts and blessings in my life. I think I’ll cook myself a miniature Thanksgiving dinner once I get back home.

After lunch (boudin balls, which are basically Cajun arancini), I drove south to Opelousas. I’ll be moving pretty slowly over the next few days, taking in the state. Enjoy your leftovers!

2 Comments

  1. Carol Salvi

    We missed you today. It was great to Face Time with you. You did miss an interesting craft! It was fun to see how invested most were. Silent- and weaving yarn or thread around nails! Not sure Mike was as invested which did give us a few laughs!

    Enjoy the rest of your adventure! See you in a couple of weeks.

    Love,
    Nonni

  2. Grandma

    I think I know what it must have been like to spend Thanksgiving away from all that makes it special, and you know that you are missing all the special stuff. I felt that way the first time I woke up alone on Christmas morning. I felt so much that I was missing something very special. I was consoled knowing that later in the day my Mom and Dad and I forget who else (the Lawtons? Dave?) would arrive for dinner and we would celebrate Christmas together. And I would be busy preparing food, etc. But for that block of time it was kind of unsettling. It gave you time, though, to reflect on the day and how and why it’s celebrated, and to call to mind all that you are thankful for. And that was a good thing. Good idea, your plan to cook yourself a mini T-Day dinner when you get home. A consolation prize! Arancini: I had to google that. Sounds delicious! But labor intensive. You are fortunate for having your Italian heritage! I might try to make them sometime. The recipe I found said to make them the day before serving, frying them up when ready to serve. Same for the tomato sauce. (How can I be thinking of food after all that I have eaten the past couple of days!) We had a nice doggy time on Thanksgiving with Marc and Chrissy, Sydney and K, and Sydney’s Dungeon and Dragons friends. Good food, good company. Love, Grandma

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