My aunt had me on my cell to find out where I was because she was already slicing the turkey. There was a lot of traffic on the highway that made the journey longer. Her city always is most especially traffic-ridden that you want to slit your wrists just to avoid it...I had literally just parked my car in the driveway and found my progress through the front door impeded. Why my uncle chose that particular moment to fix the front door and have his youngest son Gary help him unhinge it was a mystery. I thought, Great, my uncle (and Gary) get to be grumpy coming to the feast my aunt just laid out. I tried to quell my temper, but didn't have time to really think about it because my cousin Ida and her three kids pulled up. What the...? I didn't know they were coming. They were asked to enter at the back of the house while my uncle lost his marbles in the front.
My cousin looked surprised and embarrassed to have arrived at that particular moment. They were there for my goddaughter's twin to use the computer to set up an online account at school for grade viewing, etc. since their computer was being taken for repair. My aunt asked if they had eaten and they hadn't. Before I knew what was happening extra plates were being set at the table. My goddaughter Cristina and her twin Crystal were fighting their way around the table to give me hugs. My uncle and Gary were cleaning up and sitting at the table. Fish and other Filipino food were being heated up for my aunt, Ida and me while everyone else stuck to the American feast. I looked at my aunt when I was able to catch her eye and asked her what the hell was happening. She just shook her head. I was expecting a nice quiet dinner not bedlam.
Once we all relaxed, it was better. Rice and gravy is food from the gods. I felt rushed again later from my uncle's next marble losing event while helping Crystal on the Internet. My uncle is in his mid 60s and not always patient with the computer even with the jazzed up Dell he has now. Jeezus, I just wanted him to let me drive the mouse so we could get through a blue screen he inadvertently received and was stuck in. From there, it was a gazillion weird pop-ups, uninstalling a program, etc. Finally, he conceded after getting through everything and rebooting the computer. Sigh.
My cousin asked me to take her and the kids home instead of my aunt driving them. Somehow I think my aunt and my cousin cooked the whole thing up of being there, etc. They knew I would drive them home. Before we left, my cousin Ida and I were like vultures acting on carrion. We wrapped some leftovers to take home which is expected in a Filipino household.
Um...Yes, I brought one-cup Chinese takeout containers as seen below. (You can buy sleeves of different sizes at the big Asian store in downtown Tampa.) I also brought the plastic container holding the gravy below. Ooh -- my aunt had lumpia, Filipino eggrolls, to take home, too. Yes, I am a crack baby, but my aunt never has the proper size containers. I am being helpful. What a good niece I am!
This is my Thanksgiving loot displayed at my own table to show you.
At 7:30pm, I was on the road recounting the events to Angie in LA. I was disappointed at not being able to talk to my cousin Gary more. Mind you, he lives 15 minutes away from me, but we never get together. All in all, I ended up spending Thanksgiving Eve with my family no matter how surreal and chaotic. I am very thankful.
Tomorrow, I get to watch Tawny lose her marbles with her family. Teehee...
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