Today is Thanksgiving.

This morning I dragged my ass out of bed, shrugging off the sleeping tablet that I needed to fall asleep and shaking off my Sims-influenced dreams, and get ready for work in the dark of the autumn world. Angus is away in Germany on a business trip (I have missed him and hope to shag his brains out later), and so the house is silent, echoing only my footsteps. I get ready, dressed in a simple pair of jeans and a Gap long-sleeve T, and I take the train into the city.

No one here seems to know it's Thanksgiving.

Then again, why would they?

I had a conference call with some vendors in the U.S. last night. We had a number of outstanding issues so I told them we'd reconvene on Thursday. We were all exhausted, this project is difficult and getting to the nerve endings under our skin. I was looking forward to a hot bath, some Mexican breakfast burritos, and some sleep.

"We can't do the call tomorrow, Helen." one of the guys on the call said.

"We have got to resolve this issue." I urge strongly, desperate to make progress on this project.

"But tomorrow is a holiday. It's Thanksgiving over here in the states." he pleads. "But we can do a dial-in call if it's important to you."

With a shock, I realize I had forgotten that temporarily. "Oh, man. No, I'm very sorry. You're right. This can wait until Monday. I'm very sorry, I can't believe I'd forgotten."

"You knew it's Thanksgiving over here?" comes a surprised voice.

"Oh yes." I say, shifting the gears of the car and gliding home from the train station. "I'm celebrating mine on Friday with some friends."

"You're American?" asks the guy incredulously.

And just like that, I wonder if I have lost my way. The guy I was talking to isn't even American, he's a Scotsman that moved over there for work. He's more at home there than I am, perhaps. It's as though I have lost my American-ism. They're going to rip up my passport. It's only a matter of time before I cave and insert "u" into my words, replace the s with z.

Nah. I'm lying about that one. I'll never change my spelling.

I want to tell him that I know about Thanksgiving. I know it's a day to spend with family and friends. I know about the lunchtime football games. The morning Macy's Day parade while eating cinnamon rolls. The smell of roasting turkey wafting around the stairs of the house. The laughter and clink of the good china being set on the table. The feeling that you're so full you can't eat another bite, even as you butter up another flaky biscuit.

Since moving, I got myself a copy of Home For the Holidays. I watch that movie every Thanksgiving, cuddled on the couch, and eating comfort food, wishing I could be as low-key as Holly Hunter. I have only had one Thanksgiving on the Thursday it should be on since moving (and it was a great one) so my Thursday Thanksgiving evenings are often spent being homesick.

That's right. Thanksgiving makes me homesick. It has every year so far, I can't imagine this year will be different.

Today I am spending my day with two co-workers going through 12 contractual documents line by line. My inbox is backed up so badly that I need climbing rope to get in and out of it. Our house needs some final touches before people come tomorrow. And Saturday we go to Sweden.

There are four more days until my girls are home.

A few years ago I started a tradition based on a friend of mine. She was American in Sweden too, and she came to my Thanksgiving dinner. She stood up during dinner and said that every year her family went around the table and named things they were thankful for. It was cheesy, emotional, and perfect.

I've done it every year since.

I'm not sure what I will say tomorrow, but I do know that the yearly check of what we're thankful for needs to happen. Here are some of mine:

I am thankful I got a new job.

I am thankful I have my Angus.

I am thankful I get my girls on Monday.

I am thankful I have a great man who is able to trim my minge.

I am thankful I found a place to call home.

I am thankful I learnt about Lush.

I am thankful I have been able to touch happy, and know the shape and feel of it on the ridges of my fingertips.

I am thankful I am nearly done with this contractual meeting.

I am thankful I have been blogging. I think it has saved and helped me.

Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy the Macy's Day parade for me.

-H.

Posted by: Everydaystranger at 11:55 AM | Comments (20) | Add Comment
Post contains 823 words, total size 4 kb.

1 Another everyday stranger wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving. Take care Michael

Posted by: Michael at November 25, 2004 12:44 PM (2YQQw)

2 ... happy Thanksgiving, Helen... I know what you mean about feeling distant... I shared 10 Thanksgivings overseas with family and friends... my advice?.. lay the turkey aside... and settle in with some fresh lobster... nothing says Holidays overseas like taking a different twist on Turkey... all the best to you and yours, Helen

Posted by: Eric at November 25, 2004 01:27 PM (YlwMq)

3 Shirly you mean replace your z's with s's? One of the downsides of my job is that I have found my self dropping the U from colour more and more ... I'm not sure if I don't prefer the American version ... but my s's aren't going anywhere. Rambling aside, happy thanksgiving H.

Posted by: Rob at November 25, 2004 01:41 PM (hhqTZ)

4 happy thanksgiving helen. i'm thankful for your wonderful writing. xoxoxo

Posted by: kat at November 25, 2004 01:45 PM (FhSIP)

5 Happy Turkey Day, Helen! Off to watch the parade with the kinder. By the way, the really fun thing to do is to go watch them inflate the balloons the night before around the Museum of Natural History. We used to do that when we lived on the Upper West Side. We have the same "giving thanks" tradition in my family.

Posted by: RP at November 25, 2004 01:48 PM (X3Lfs)

6 Happy Thanksgiving, Helen.

Posted by: pam at November 25, 2004 04:14 PM (l6NIn)

7 Happy Thanksgiving from the States!! I am so thankful for the ability to read your wonderful writing on your blog.

Posted by: Azalea at November 25, 2004 06:40 PM (hRxUm)

8 Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family Helen.

Posted by: Tine at November 25, 2004 07:12 PM (CkLU7)

9 Helen! My son and I were watching the Macy's parade this morning... and for some reason I did think of you and your blog and wondered what you were doing today over in England. So there you go. Have a great day... and please post pictures of your girls as soon as you get them!

Posted by: Snidget at November 25, 2004 08:56 PM (YXbHP)

10 Happy Thanksgiving.

Posted by: Jessica at November 25, 2004 10:36 PM (oMTa9)

11 Helen, we got plenty of leftovers. Come on down for some. And yes, I love the movie too.

Posted by: CarolC at November 25, 2004 11:46 PM (EpzrK)

12 Happy Thanksgiving, Helen....and thanks.

Posted by: Lily at November 26, 2004 03:54 AM (JNjfv)

13 Happy Thanksgiving Helen! Take care!

Posted by: MrBob at November 26, 2004 12:18 PM (J3yfo)

14 I look forward to visiting your site everyday. Its great. Please keep it up and take care. Priya

Posted by: Dear Helen at November 26, 2004 03:48 PM (sjR3j)

15 Oops... I put in'Dear Helen' in place of my name.

Posted by: Priya at November 26, 2004 03:50 PM (yHOuc)

16 What Rob said - s's w/z's... You've already slipped dearie... As for Rob - embrace the American 'color'. It's so-much prettier than colour. Euhhh. Of course, if Al Gore hadn't invented the internet, some Brit might have and we'd be using 'colour' in our stylesheets...

Posted by: Clancy at November 26, 2004 06:23 PM (JxYJc)

17 I love that movie! And whenever I'm with my relatives, I appreciate Claire Danes' advice about floating like the tropical fish.

Posted by: kalisah at November 26, 2004 10:56 PM (rU32B)

18 am thankful I have been able to touch happy, and know the shape and feel of it on the ridges of my fingertips*....I love that description of happiness and im thankful for your wonderful writing.

Posted by: butterflies at November 27, 2004 06:52 PM (sUcgQ)

19 Oh, I usually watch Home for the Holidays with my friends every year. This year, since I wasn't with them, I didn't. It didn't seem quite right.

Posted by: the girl at November 27, 2004 08:15 PM (Cmagg)

20 It doesn't surprise me that he didn't know. You do have an accent. And it ain't Texan. No worries on the spelling. I've got that one covered for you. You do my septic zeds, I'll do the Ses. xxx (need new addy, need new addy, need new addy)

Posted by: Ms. Pants at November 29, 2004 04:10 PM (gQLJ1)

Hide Comments | Add Comment