In a turkey day first, the natives are coming to us

“Because I Said So” column for The Commercial Appeal

Nov. 24, 2011

Due to a cornucopia of circumstances, we are not making our annual trip to Georgia this November. For the first time in a decade we’re spending Thanksgiving in Memphis. Not just in Memphis, but we’ll be hosting the meal at our house. A first!

Instead of loading four kids into the van, piling in luggage and snacks on top of them with CDs, DVDs and enough plastic bags within reach to catch the inevitable car sickness, our own Mayflower Mazda is in dry dock. We’re sleeping in, moving about in our pajamas and preheating the oven.

We are staying in our homeland and the natives are coming to us.

In addition to being the first Thanksgiving in so many years spent at home, and the first ever in our house, it will be the first time I’ve cooked a turkey. How difficult could it be? Will it be the first time my kids have tasted raw bird or stuffed charcoal? Possibly … (read more)