Into the oven

Well, the pie is baking. The turkey follows around 11. The cranberry sauce simmering. It feels strange starting this big dinner alone in the kitchen. Kind of peaceful actually, but sad. No kids downstairs watching television, or a wet dog underfoot, or tired parents looking for morning coffee after a long drive over the mountains. Next year.

I watched the national news while I was baking. Certainly a Thanksgiving of stark contrasts, the pictures like a Twilight Zone show of parallel reality. The airports and highways jammed with travelers ignoring the CDC guidelines, the holiday being too important to give up during a national pandemic crisis.  

But many other people are spending the holiday alone, or staying home and having a quiet day with immediate family. It's hard to know what to make of it, or feel a little resentful.

The worst sight of all? Those long lines of cars, waiting for hours at food banks. We should hang our heads for shame in the richest country on earth.

The U.S. led the world in financial growth this year, thanks to tax cuts and a booming stock market. But the wealth gap between rich and poor is more unequal than in any other country. 

 

Enough hand-wringing.  Pie is out of the oven and smells delicious. 

Dear friends and family, together or apart, you are always in our hearts. Better times are surely ahead. 

What are you thankful for today?  Top on my list: 2020 is almost over.