Thanksgiving

Since my mothers passing, November has always been a special month for me. Not just because Thanksgiving is in November but of my mother's birthday falling on the twenty fourth of November. We observed mom's birthday on Thanksgiving as many of her years was in fact on Thanksgiving Day. Ever year around this time I begin thinking about my past birthday Thanksgivings. This year I'm sharing with you a couple of my memories .

I believe ever year in Valsetz my family had this ritual. ( as most American Family's has) Ours started on the night before Thanksgiving. As far back as I can remember it went like this. Just before dad got home mom would start telling me make sure you bring in enough wood for the kitchen stove tonight we are cooking turkey all night. My folks friends would start to show up after dinner. Mom had to work like crazy to get the kitchen table set up for card playing and us kids busy and out of the way for most of the night while the turkey cooked away in the oven of the old wood stove. I remember before television (3 channels in black & white ) we were giving permission by mom to sit in front of the radio as long as we could stay awake on that night.

Now a story I always think about. This happened in my later years I must have been about 13 year of age. Mom had told me repeatedly to bring in extra wood for the stove to cook the turkey. I had not even filled the wood box for the front room let along extra wood for the kitchen. Before I knew it dad was coming in the front door and I was making tracks to get out the back door. I was not fast enough mom was at the back door. Then my S*%$ hit the fan. Before I could say mom I'm getting the wood now my mom informed my dad she said " your son has yet to fill the wood box and bring in extra to cook the turkey" Dad then said "boy you get that wood in here for your mom now!" Then it happened I become the defiant teenager. I said to my parents "I'm not filling that wood box again Pat is old enough to fill the box". Then I went deeper in the dodo I said "I'm leaving home and you can eat that turkey with out me". I'm now thinking now do I get out of this? What in the hell have I done? Every one eats turkey tomorrow and I have to starve or beg for food. Then the tough teenager comes out again. I go on about being homeless and starving but I will make it. Thinking about it and not being a head doctor I believe I became of age of the defiant teen. But what a time to choose to become a defiant teen and leaving home. I think I shocked my folks because both stood there and said nothing. then I seen it in my dad's face you know the one I'm talking about if you are over 40 years of age.For those that have never seen the look it's the look of death the father give before he beats your butt for disrespecting your mother.

Mom then saved the day and my butt. Mom spoke up and said "Jerry it's your choice to leave or stay but we all will Miss you at dinner tomorrow." Then quickly she said' if you decide to leave will you please fill the wood box and bring in extra wood for the turkey before you go."

That was the best thanksgiving ever! By the way I never told my folks I was leaving home again.

I have one more story to tell you about my mom. This one happened years before we moved to

Valsetz,Oregon.

Most of my folks married life togather before Oregon was raising Pinto Beans in Colorado on farm land they leased.

I have to confess I was only about 5 or 6 so I don't know if this story is from hearing it ever year at Thanksgiving or From experience. Near the old farm house was a shed dad keep his farm equipment in with a fenced yard that contained chicken coops and chickens. in those days (late forties) we had chicken and ham on Thanksgiving day.

As the story goes mom went out to choose a chicken for Thanksgiving dinner. Mom spotted this
rooster that was limping around the yard. You got it right if you thought mom would pick that limping rooster for our Thanksgiving dinner.

So fate of that rooster was in mom's hands. After chasing the rooster around the yard for a while she finally caught him and then telling the rooster he was harder to catch than any other chicken she ever caught before mom grabbed the rooster by the head with both hands and began ringing the rooster's neck.

Mom had always killed her chickens in this manor I don't remember her ever useing a axe. After ringing the chicken's neck mom would then put the chicken in boiling water to make it easy to remove the feathers. I believe mom would have won first prize for chicken neck ringer
if there was ever a contest.

As I was saying mom grabbed the rooster by the head and begin swinging the body around in a circle, before mom got the rooster's neck rung the rooster slipped out of her hands and landed on the roof of dad's equipment shed. Mom was pissed and not about to climb up on the shed roof to retrieve the rooster, mom grabbed another bird and begin the task again.

Come Thanksgiving morning The roosters were crowing but one rooster sounded a lot closer to

the house than the others did.

Dad come in the house and was laughing so hard he looked as if crying. After gaining his composure dad told mom I was going to go upon the shed roof after the rooster you threw up there yesterday. Guess what I found ? I found your rooster crowing very loud and walking around with out a limp.

My guess is that is the first rooster with a Thanksgiving pardon and probably be the last.

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone!