Life on Newark-Granville Road: Thanksgiving 2023-Stoner Style

Thursday, November 23, 2023

Thanksgiving 2023-Stoner Style

Happy Thanksgiving, so much to be thankful for in our lives on Newark-Granville Road. Grateful to be hosting my family- all of us- this year! Peter arrived home last weekend, I picked Sally up on Tuesday after a bit of work, Sarah and family arrived in time for lunch on Wednesday, Nana/Mom arrived with Michael end of the afternoon and Clare, Matthew and his girls, Emma and Grace, flew in with general ease for a holiday flight. By 10 pm all had been fed and greeted! Bonus the Love-Fuller family joined us for chili/soup supper- what feels like a tradition now!

What I love about hosting:

Going to the grocery- truly I do enjoy the grocery store and really don't go as often these days. This meal required a few extra trips, including 6 am Kroeger run for the fresh parsley- I roast my turkey on top of this. It has been a joy to see folks and have holiday hugs and wishes galore! Also great people watching.
Work goes to the back burner, it has to, no way to plan and prep a meal like this without focus. I heard Joe talking about why he likes to shoot sporting clays, another it was fly fishing, we've discussed skiing does this as well- nothing like the fear of dying rushing down a mountain to take your mind off work- is a statement I'll never forget. Richard was correct!
I love setting a pretty table, using silver and china, the serving pieces!
Getting the house ready, this year we hung art that had been queuing up! Due to office move and a "new" piece- more later in the dining room - this activitiy was a nonnegioable. The room looks bigger!
Having everyone home- I recognize this is special and it isn't as easy as it was when we started our life on Newark-Granville Road!! Even our five with Clare working in DC, they do grow up!
All the traditions- the Turkey Trot, the over under on times, smack talk, the Mattiomoes providing the perfect morning retreat and lovingly welcoming my whole family, the Thanksgiving Farmer's Market, my time to run errands and pick up my fresh turkey....
Leftovers- oh yeah- more on that too!

There is more, but the day calls. I wanted to get an update out here, move the thoughts from my head to the screen, thank you for reading and sharing this very special life on Newark-Granville Road!

Sunday: And now the pictures that tell the story, not in chronological order...maybe later! It was a really special Stoner holiday gathering and I miss each of them already! It wasn't perfect but it was real, we're family and we are who we are and I love it that way in this life on Newark-Granville Road.