The Synergistic Pen

I hate this time of year.
Sue me.

Sometime right after Columbus Day (yanno, the celebration of the man that got lost and became famous for it) I see it coming... "THE SEASON"... the time of year when all sense of purpose and reason goes marching out the front door, not to be seen again until sometime in mid February... just in time for Valentine's Day... when you can start it all up again....

I went to the grocery store today. I thought maybe I'd cook Thanksgiving Dinner this year. Hadn't done it in a while. Folk have been taking care of us since Mom moved to Florida so all I've ever had to do was get up, get dressed and organize my naps before showing up at someone's house to eat.

I arrived at my local food dispensary at 6:35 am. The parking lot was full. Not a good sign. I grabbed a basket and tried to ignore the enticing items in the "bargain" aisle you are forced to manuveur through before getting to produce. Ok, so I picked up a couple of bags of marshmellows and they had beringer's on sale. I'll need that...

I didn't make a list. I never make a list. People all around me had lists. I felt like the crazy lady without a list as I picked out green beans and turnip greens and potatoes and mushrooms. The onions were nice, so I got some. So were the bananas. Enough of this.

I wanted to have cornish hens this year, as we really aren't turkey people (another reason why I don't like this time of year, what's so damned special about that dry ass bird anyway?) They didn't have any. Nice capons tho. I got one and a lovely english roast for the red meat eaters. A bit of bacon (pork for cooking, turkey for eating) and I was outta the meat department.

The rest of the trip went uneventually and I turned the last aisle and headed for the registers. Everyone's baskets were so full, as if we were preparing what we felt was going to be the last decent thanksgiving dinner we'll have for a while... that was kinda scary. My bill was less than $200 and I wondered how I managed that. I packed it all up, smiled at the cashier, told her to pace herself the day was young and headed out...

The local Target has a wreath out front. I frowned at it and kept driving. Cabala's had a Santa with something that looked like a rifle in its hand. I shook my head and got on the expressway... I didn't want to see anymore.

Whatever happened to Thanksgiving? Wasn't this the holiday where you saw the cousins you hadn't seen all year and grandma and big daddy sat at the ends of the table and smiled at their fam? Wasn't this the holiday where lies about pilgrims and indians and survival and all that crap gets repeated ad nauseum? Isn't this the holiday when all the women in the room announce the diet plan they'll be starting on January 1st?

Our Thanksgiving is going to be quiet. The way I like holidays. I'll marinate the dead animal carcasses and cook the plant matter and pa will fix a lovely winter beverage for us all. The boy will regal us with stories from his weird, yet errily creative mind and daughter dear will keep checking her text messages and the clock...

Friday morning, I'll pretend I wasn't asked about going shopping and start making some jewelry or something therapeutic like that and I'll scream, like I do every Friday after Thanksgiving as the first Christmas tune makes its appearance on the radio.

If I weren't so busy trying to find a floor to crash on for the inauguration, I'd have time to plan my winter escape to wisconsin or something self indulgent like that...

damn my priorities!

I hate this time of year.
pray for me...