Thursday, November 24, 2011
Thanksgiving Writing Prompt
Today is an essay in the making.
Don't miss the opportunity to write it down.
Here is your prompt:
1) Set the stage of your day, who is there with you, describe the room, the people, what everyone wears and says. Describe the smells.
2) How do you feel among these people, eating this food?
(Not how you are supposed to feel but how you really feel. Tell your truth in beautiful whispers).
3) Remember a Thanksgiving from the past and see how that one is different or the same as this.
4) Then come back to the room of your moment, see it all again, what detail stands out most for you?
If anyone asks, "what are you doing?" Tell them it's a writing assignment for a teacher and leave it at that.
Send it to me, or even do it in the comment box, and I'll post it here on the site (I might edit a few). The best essay will win a free signed copy of Found.
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Below my bedroom is the furnace in the garage, and it woke me up early Thanksgiving morning with a noise I’ve never heard before. At least I thought it was the furnace. It could have been something outside. It has been less than a year since I’ve been in this house, and its sounds sometimes make me afraid something has broken or is leaking. I knew my two favorite little turkeys were planning breakfast in bed for me and didn’t want anything to ruin it. Not hearing it again, I fell back asleep. A couple of hours later I awoke again and whispered a reminder in my young son’s ear that if he wants to make me breakfast he might want to get up now! In his pajamas, he padded into his sister’s room and began the task of waking her up. While I read my latest book (The Kid by Sapphire) and checked my email on the smart phone, they banged around in the kitchen. Soon, a tray appeared with coffee, Swiss raspberry yogurt and a pastry from the Amish Farmers Market the kids bought with their money.
Dipping the poppy seed pastry in the yogurt won approval from my son. My daughter made a good, strong cup of coffee, with a bit of coaching on how to use the coffeemaker. I loved that breakfast! There’s a shot of it on my Facebook page now. They ate with me in bed, being very careful not to spill their food on my comforter. Usually breakfast in bed is a luxury reserved only for Mother’s Day. Now that their mom and dad live separately, I suppose many of our traditions may be reinvented. They called Dad to say Happy Thanksgiving, and I reminded the kids we’ll see him later when we all go to his parents for Thanksgiving dinner. As they ended the call, I made a mental note to have him bring the Arlo Guthrie CD so we can listen to Alice’s Restaurant in the car on the way. Divorce or no, some things just have to happen every year! Grandmom and Grandpop still think of me as part of their family, which is a huge emotional relief to me. I was so afraid I’d have no family left, other than the kids, after the divorce.
Today isn’t really too different from other Thanksgivings, because my connection to the kids is what it always has been. Even thought their Dad is in his home today, when we were together, it had been a long time since we felt close. I do, however, miss making that big turkey! The onions and garlic sizzling in butter for the stuffing, tossing in any spices and garnishes that struck my fancy . . . always nuts and dried cranberries, though. We brought it to the grandparents after roasting it at home. One year, as I carried it to the car in the big blue speckled-ware roasting pan, our dog Penny dolefully stared at me, thinking (I just know), “Please, Mommy, drop the pan. Please!” This year, Grandma said we don’t have to make the turkey. Instead, we are making cornbread, which I need to start in a minute.
My daughter is in the kitchen making the cornbread, and also shortbread cookies for tonight. In my new house, the kitchen is much nicer than in the old house and she is becoming a good baker. We just finished watching the old version of Cheaper by the Dozen. Now, my son is bored and wants to walk the bunny on the leash with me. If I don’t get off this couch right now, someone is going to start whining! No fire in the fireplace, no smell of turkey roasting, but I am happy.
We met at 5pm at my sisters where the decorations on the tables were simply gorgeous-candles in varying sizes in glass rectangular vases with a small display of roses (all varying degrees of fall colors). We were seated according to family origin. My sister's family together and my family together and all the small kids together. There were handmade turkeys with M&M's in them for the kids-dressed in varying degrees of shorts and pants to ties and shirts and hats. Kids love baseball caps. We all said what we were thankful for (one serious and one frivolous. I said social media for my fun one. The noise level was high with everyone having fun and dropped to a mere whisper while we consumed so much food. My mom the matriarch, who is so disable as to not hold her head up and with her leaning to the side said "everything when asked what she was thankful for". This might be her last Thanksgiving as she is frail, unable to walk and clearly leans to her right so much so that it is painful to watch. She did manage to ask my son (her first grandson) to turn around and talk to her and then when he asked her how she was, she screamed you would know if you had turned around to see. The one doctor at our Thanksgiving told us that was a very positive sign (even in anger) that she is still present. Not sure that the outburst wasn't just her angry at being in a body she can't use anymore. For the preceding three days she has been the most alert in the last few years, not sure what that signifies. Anyway my son talked with her and explained he had three kids to watch over and was sorry if he ignored her (which really he didn't). She has no affect and for the most part remembers nothing that happened one minute before. But her speech varies from softness to meanness in the blink of an eye. After dinner we sat around eating great desserts and then went to sit on big couches in my sister's house. My mom left and we told stories. The best thing for me was the orange jello mold. It was my grandmother's recipe and a must at every Thanksgiving. The jello mold is old fashion orange jello with something else that makes it creamy and not see through. Added is cantaloupe balls and watermelon balls (both somehow still available every Thanksgiving as if the farmers know we need it to make Nanny's jello mold.
So Liza, which one do I consider and can I cut and paste and put over at the other web site too?
Same question to you Madgew!
Jennifer, the second one is the one I prefer you to use. The one that ends with " . . . I am happy." (The one in whch I added the bit about Alice's Restaurant!) Thanks for indulging me my revisions. Cut and paste away!
Thanks, Liza
Liza, I've done some work on your piece over at www.jenniferlauckmemoirwriting.com.
http://jenniferlauckmemoirwriting.com/writing-tip-12-go-to-work-now#comment-290
Madgew...you are next!
Jennifer, thanks for your comments! I have begun rewriting the essay and will post it when I am done.
Lisa, send me your email so I can send you a prize for your submission....jennifer@jenniferlauck.com
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