Across our great country, the traditional Thanksgiving looked a bit different this year. We were all ready for a celebration, but also keenly aware of the dangers of huge gatherings during the COVID environment. For our Golden family, it was the first White Thanksgiving. Matt cranked up the Green Egg (ceramic smoker) at the edge of the snow, pre-dawn. It was to be his first smoked turkey. Ika made sweet potatoes with marshmallows and cream cheese pumpkin pie, and I tried my hand at dressing with green bean casserole. It’s been years since we’ve cooked for this holiday, and in many ways it was a rewarding endeavor. This was the silver lining. Years past have been huge gatherings of our extended family at a dance hall called Courvilles just outside of Beaumont. Dad’s wife, Carol, always set up an extravagant meal by Rich Courville (local legend) while our blended family caught up with everyone’s latest news. The young ones brought their bikes, scooters, skates, and electric riding toys to share on the dance floor, which gave the adults time to visit. Our Carol passed this summer, and Courvilles will be a happy but distant memory for us as the years go by.

My home at Diamond Beach was also a gathering place for those who would venture to Galveston. The Wine And Dine overlooking the gulf offered an excellent venue for the crowd, when I was up for sharing the cooking duties with my sisters. Other times, we would gather in the condo for a small but cozy meal. The weather, as I remember, was quite a bit warmer than Golden that time of year. It was so nice to take a warm beach walk to search for shells and breath the fresh salt sea air, while the enormous meal settled on our hips:) All of these memories are special, because we shared them with those we loved most. That is the true blessing of the Thanksgiving Holiday.