SMI - 11/23/13

Another Saturday morning, cold and cloudy in Ahia this morning, a little on the gloomy side, but we are supposed to see the sun some today.

If you read my blog yesterday, you are aware of my theory on the Kennedy assassination. I have always felt it was somehow an "internal" event. Shortly after it happened, I shared my thoughts with some friends, some scoffed, some agreed. I think now, after a 50th Anniversary of great proportions, I am in more agreement with myself than ever.

If, he was in fact, facing a terminal illness, he would have been known as the President who served a few years, got sick, suffered, and passed on. Not a very impressive legacy to leave. But now, this way, we celebrate his "assassination" every year, and this year, the 50th Anniversary of his Assassination. And, we still remember him as the young, vibrant, charismatic President, husband and father.

What greater legacy than that. Was it planned by his father, his family? We will probably never know, but in my opinion, yes.

Thanksgiving in a few days, in a way I love this upcoming season, and, in a way, I dread it. I look forward to fixing the diner, having the family that is here in Newark, for diner, but, as a "worrier" I am  glad when it is over. I always think of those who have nothing, no home, no job, perhaps a dinner offered to them by some well meaning agency or individual. A few moments with a good hot meal, some fond memories, relived, then, back to reality. I think of my fond memories as a child, the warmth of a nice home, a loving family, a table loaded with fine hot food, and have to wonder what memories those children will have.

When I dream of hitting the lottery, that one that was 500 million, I wondered how much "good" I could do with that, how many families could I help, how many homeless could I get off the streets. Every cold Winter night, I envision some small child, huddled with a brother or sister, trying to sleep on the ground, and more so, about their future. I honestly don't see how Obama can sleep at night as long as some child is hungry, homeless, living under a bridge. Or, how can any of us?

For those reading this that do celebrate the Day, a Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. Love and Peace to the rest of my readers, all over the world.

THE FIRST Thanksgiving

I feel a special "kindred" about this holiday. My middle name is Bradford, and I have been traced back to Governor Bradford.

All through the first summer and the early part of autumn the Pilgrims were busy and happy. They had planted and cared for their first fields of corn. They had found wild strawberries in the meadows, raspberries on the hillsides, and wild grapes in the woods.

In the forest just back of the village wild turkeys and deer were easily shot. In the shallow waters of the bay there was plenty of fish, clams, and lobsters.

The summer had been warm, with a good deal of rain and much sunshine; and so, when autumn came, there was a fine crop of corn.

"Let us gather the fruits of our first harvest and rejoice together," said Governor Bradford.

"Yes," said Elder Brewster, "let us take a day upon which we may thank God for all our blessings and invite to it our Indian friends who have been so kind to us."

The Pilgrims said that one day was not enough; so they planned to have a celebration for a whole week.

The great Indian chief, Massasoit, came with ninety of his bravest warriors, all gaily dressed in deerskins, feathers, and fox tails, with their faces smeared with red, white, and yellow paint. As a sign of rank, Massasoit wore a string of bones and a bag of tobacco around his neck. In his belt he carried a long knife. His face was painted red, and his hair was daubed with oil.

There were only eleven buildings in the whole of Plymouth village, four log storehouses, and seven little log dwelling-houses, so the Indian guests ate and slept out of doors. This did not matter for it was one of those warm weeks in the season that we call Indian summer.

To supply meat for the occasion four men had already been sent out to hunt wild turkeys. They killed enough in one day to last the company almost a week.

Massasoit helped the feast along by sending some of his best hunters into the woods. They brought back five deer which they gave to their pale face friends, that all might have enough to eat.

Under the trees were built long, rude tables on which were piled baked clams, broiled fish, roasted turkey, and venison. The young Pilgrim women helped serve the food to the hungry redskins. We shall always remember two of the fair young girls who waited on the first Thanksgiving table. One was Mary Chilton, who leaped first from the boat at Plymouth Rock. The other was Mary Allerton. She lived for seventy-eight years after this first Thanksgiving; of those who came over in the Mayflower she was the last to die.

What a merry time everybody had during that week! How the mothers must have laughed as they told about the first Monday morning on Cape Cod, when they all went ashore to wash their clothes! It must have been a big washing, for there had been no chance to do it at sea, so stormy had been the long voyage of sixty-three days. They little thought that Monday would always after be kept as washing day. One proud Pilgrim mother, we may be sure, showed her baby boy, Peregrine White.

And so the fun went on. In the daytime the young men ran races, played games, and had a shooting match. Every night the Indians sang and danced for their friends; and to make the party still more lively they gave every now and then a shrill war whoop that made the woods echo in the still night air.

The third day came. Massasoit had been well treated, and would have liked to stay longer, but he said that he could not be away from his camp for more than three days. So the pipe of peace was silently passed around. Then, taking their gifts of glass beads and trinkets, the Indian King and his warriors said farewell to their English friends and began their long march through the woods to their wigwams on Mount Hope Bay.

On the last day of this Thanksgiving party, Elder Brewster preached the first Thanksgiving sermon and all the Pilgrims united in thanking God for His goodness to them.

The first Thanksgiving was nearly four hundred years ago. Since that time, Thanksgiving has been kept by the people of our nation as the great family festival of the year. At this time children and grandchildren return to the old home, the long table is spread, and brothers and sisters, who had been separated, again seat themselves side by side.

Thanksgiving is our season of sweet and blessed memories.

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Best Wishes to All

A Thanksgiving Story T in C

Harry Caster, through his attorney C. Brewton Collier revealed today that a family Thanksgiving Dinner was ruined when a "breast implant" was discovered in their turkey.


"It was devastating for the family," Collier stated, "You can just imagine, that after a lengthy pre-dinner Thanksgiving Prayer, given by their cousin, the Reverend Dennison Sanker, Pastor of the Fourteenth Avenue Church of the Open Book, in Highland Park, which was offered right after the grand entrance of the platter carrying the tastefully prepared and deeply browned bird being carried in by the family cook, Estelle Patrone, that the discovery, needless to say, ruined the day.

Caster had meticulously sharpened his carving knife, and with a grand gesture, took his first cut into the breast of the bird, which penetrated the breast implant and squirted the heated contents over all the fourteen relatives in attendance.

Collier went on to say, "The stuff in that thing was over heated and the material had expanded and when Harry just touched it with that sharp knife of his, it exploded. It apparently wasn't implanted too deep because it shot out of that turkey and did one circle around the room like a balloon. It finally ended up in Aunt Sarah Morton's cranberry and walnut sauce.

Caster ended up taking the group to The Family Buffet for dinner.

It is anticipated that Judge Brenda Carlson will eventually hear the case. No court date has been set.

The origin of the elective surgery has not been determined.

I have to be honest ..................

I've been thinking about it, and well, I have decided, just don't wish me a Happy Thanksgiving .... I appreciate the good wishes and the sentiments and all, but I have to be honest, I really haven't had a really happy Thanksgiving since the kids left home.

Ok, some in Reno were great.

Ok, one, spent at the Would with Debra and all, Brad was there, and we all got together for that. That was great, even though they made me work as a hat check girl and I wasn't allowed to take tips, but it was a great day.

Ok, and the one spent at the Coaster, that was great with Dean and his family.

But to be honest, I miss waking up Melissa and Brad, making them sit and watch the Macy's Parade, and making them enjoy it. I miss putting the turkey on low the night before and waking up with the aroma of turkey in the air. I miss breaking up all that bread for the dressing. No, I guess I will be doing that tomorrow. No, I will cheat a little and buy the stuff already broken up and seasoned.

I miss making them watch the Lions football game, Brad finally got to liking it, Melissa never did. And, those leftovers, cold Turkey, my favorite. I cannot make dressing anymore the way it used to be.

Jim Madison loved my dressing. Onions, butter, celery and rich Turkey broth. I think it was that I made it in Mom's old roaster that made it good. Dean has that now, but I think he lost the lid. Many a turkey was cooked in that old blue roaster. It had a rounded bottom and a rounded lid. Have never seen one like it. I had straight sides, rounded bottom and lid.  It was probably a hundred years old back then, had belonged to her Mom and maybe even a generation before that. I think that old blue roaster was the secret to the whole meal.

Ok, this year we will have Brooklyn Jean Dilts with us, our Great Granddaughter, her first Thanksgiving, so that will make this one special.

So, I guess there have been some special ones since then.

I was just thinking back to where all I have spent the day.

Dayton, Ohio, San Diego, California, Seattle, Washington, one at sea on the old Mitchell TAP114, San Bruno, California, Reno, Nevada, Klamath Falls, Oregon, Newark, Ohio, East Hanover, New Jersey, Highland, New York and Newark, Ohio. I think that's all.

Again, Happy Thanksgiving to ALL ...................

Thanksgiving 2010

Another one has rolled around. I am at the age where, when a holiday rolls around, I always have to wonder if I will be around for the next one. I don't make a big deal out of it, I just have to wonder if this is my last one. But then, now  another one is here.

It was always a big day in the Dooley household, but generally just our family, Mom, Dad, my brother and myself. Always a big turkey and all that goes with the meal, but not a lot of family. So, a lot of good memories, but nothing stands out from my "home" years, other than Mom's cooking and all her "seasonal" decorations. She loved nothing more than "family."

I don't think we had a "Black Friday" then, I think it was just the Friday after Thanksgiving, and I don't recall if it was a shopping day or not.

One that I really remember was in the late fifties, not sure which year.

I was working at the Primm in Reno, graveyard shift, 3AM till 11AM. There was a good crowd in town and we had a good night on the crap table. I remember Ernie Primm coming in, pulled up in front with his driver in his nice green Caddy, came in the club and had his morning drink, a Manhattan, which Dave always had waiting for him on the end of the bar.

He stopped by our table, said good morning, and asked how we had done. I told him we had a good night and he signaled to Dave, the bartender, to set us up after the shift. So, that's how I ended up at the bar after work. Old friend, Jimmy Jones was at the bar and we started talking, and some other "dealers" and others soon joined in on our conversation.

As I was leaving, I wished all a Happy Thanksgiving, inquired where they were having their "dinner."  Well, a lot of them were single and living in rooming houses or apartments, so they were eating in a restaurant somewhere. All dealers, all alone on Thanksgiving, all eating their traditional dinner in some casino dining room or at a counter. I had a few drinks by this time, well, a few more for dinner won't hurt. I invited them all, and their friends, apparently, to come to our place for  dinner. At least I had the presence  of mind to tell all to bring something, Dinner at 3, gave them the address, and left.

Before the day was over we had a crowd of people stop by, some for dinner, some for leftovers, and a few just to have a place to go. I think our first "seating" was about twelve, all away from home, all casino workers  which get a little hardened. I will never forget, we all sat down, a table full of food, (we had three turkeys, two were purchased from restaurants and brought) everyone brought something, Before we started eating, something was brought up about "Grace" and Jimmy Jones volunteered. I did not know it then, but he had started out as a Methodist minister, never knew the story, but, now a crap dealer in Reno.

Here sat a group of dealers. cocktail waitresses, 21 Dealers, a Wheel Dealer, one Floor Boss and one Boxman, one Crossroader, all people basically alone, sitting down to dinner, as a family, and Jimmy saying grace. It was a great moment for me.

I imagine that tomorrow, Thanksgiving Day, that a few people will remember that day and think about it. I know I will.

Happy Thanksgiving to Jimmy, Donna, Thelma, Bettye, Danny, Doc, Buster, Wesley, Hoot, Joe, Jack, Mark, Fitz, Meta, Ernie and Don and all the others, mostly all gone now ........  hopefully they are all together, again ...............

Thanksgiving Eve 2009

"Backward turn backward ............." I now have 77 Thanksgivings to remember, well, not the first few.

I remember many at 319 South Brown Street, in Dayton, Ohio. A big old house, tall ceilings, big rooms, I vaguely remember those, I was 11 when we moved to Oakwood. I mostly remember Jessie Maud Shannon Dooley, my Mom. she loved holidays and family, they were precious to her. She was never happier than when she had the whole family around her for a Thanksgiving Dinner.

She had table items just for specific holidays. Turkeys, pilgrims, a small horse drawn carriage, special dishes and plates, and always, too much food. We always ate early so we could help get rid of some of the leftovers in the evening.

I always liked to see Thanksgiving Day come, it meant Christmas was not too far away. What a great time of the year, Fall, Thanksgiving, Christmas. Most of the years memories revolved around that time of the year.

I think in the 40's sometime, we started watching the New York Parade, followed by the Lions football game, all black and white, and I think some of those memories were in front of the old Philco radio, rather than a TV.

I think I can reflect and still capture those aromas that came from the kitchen, sneaking out and taking a bite of Mom's dressing, and if early enough a bite of some turkey parts.

I think I liked the leftovers as well as the dinner, more informal, could use your hands .... that's when I developed my love for cold turkeys, cold turkey and cranberry sauce and leftover dressing. That dressing, Mom let the bread dry on a cutting board, would boil parts of the turkey for stock, and then to top it off, that rich broth in the bottom of the roasting pan. It was one of the very old, domed top roasters, this one my great grandmother had owned. It is in New Jersey now, I hope it gets used tomorrow. I have her backup one, will do a ham in it tomorrow. Boil celery and onion and butter in that rich broth and pour it over the dried bread, into a big roasting pan, and into the oven.

I think I was generally full, by the time the dinner call came. I guess I ate more before and after the actual dinner, didn't have to mind my manners as much.

One Thanksgiving stands our in my mind. Late 50's in Reno, Nevada. I was working at the Primm, got off at 11 AM, stopped for a festive drink at the bar. Jim Jones was there, we talked, he had no place to go, so I invited him home to dinner. Well, Reno, a lot of divorced gals and single guys, all alone. So, I started inviting them home for dinner. I got home early enough to warn everyone. We went out and got more of everything .... and around 3 or so, they started coming in. Two people had stopped and somehow picked up two large cooked, still hot, turkeys. Everyone brought something, we had an abundance of food. We used card tables, stuff we borrowed from neighbors, but we all got around a large table. I'm thinking there were 16 or more for dinner. One gal, who was a 21 dealer at the Primm, recently divorced, before we started eating, asked if she could say grace.

This was a pretty wild bunch, some professional gamblers, crap dealers, 21 dealers, 2wheel dealers, 3 keno writers, one boxman and a floor boss. Some had grown up in the "rackets" so to speak. I will never forget her prayer. All heads bowed, very reverent, and all thankful that we had all somehow gotten together for this meal.

Everyone hated to leave after dinner, we all just sat around in groups and talked. None had family's in the area, some had none at all, but that group became family, an many sat and talked till late in the evening.

My next shift at the Primm, it was the talk of the club, those that weren't there were jealous, and those that were, talked of the great time we had. Everyone thanked me, again and again. One old boxman, Jack Bailey came up to me as we were getting off shift, took my hand and said, "I really want to thank you for yesterday, it was the nicest Thanksgiving I ever had."

It was a memorable day, obviously one I will never forget, and I am sure tomorrow, any of that group that is still left, will be thinking of that impromptu Thanksgiving Dinner they had in Reno, way back in the 50's.