I had the best Thanksgiving.
It didn’t start out so well. I’d woken up too early, after
about 5 hours of broken day-sleep, to Lala wondering if I wanted chicken. Lying
in bed, earplugs still halfway in and eyemask shoved up on my forehead (yes, sexy), I said, “NOW?”
So I got up, looking forward to my non-Thanksgiving. I was
going to do my writing while Lala worked on her music and cooked chicken, and then I’d go to work, and maybe have a turkey pot-pie while
there.
Then Lala said, “Hey, is it okay that my brother and
sister-in-law are coming over for dinner?” *
“NOW?”
“Well, yeah. I told them 2:30.”
I looked at the clock. Two o’clock. No writing, I supposed,
as I started sweeping and cleaning the bathroom and polishing the dining room
table.
Of course it was okay that they were coming, but I was grumbly.
I was a grump. A big, huge grump. I took a grumpy shower. I
followed Lala around the kitchen, scowling every time she dripped, growling every
time she wanted me to move so she could get something out of a drawer. I’m
surprised she kept cooking for me, actually.
Then Richard and Won-Ju arrived, and I’d put on lipstick and
had a little more coffee, and then this miracle occurred: Lala put a full dinner
on the table, out of things that we’d mostly already had in our kitchen. We had
chicken that she cooked on the grill because we live in California and we can
do that, you know, which had been marinated in olive oil and lemon and basil
and garlic, and we had kale greens and leftover green beans with roasted pine nuts and
potatoes with butter and a Korean pasta dish that Won-Ju brought, and IT WAS ALL SO GOOD.
It was so good, suddenly, to be sitting there, with them,
eating and hanging out on a day I’d planned to be very hum-buggish. This
was my first year being married to Lala, my first Thanksgiving with her family.
While I felt incredibly cheesy, I actually got a little verklempt for feeling
so damn thankful.
I drove to work, thrilled with the way the afternoon had
hijacked me. Nothing had happened the way I’d planned it, and it had been
perfect.
Lala did the dishes, too. I just went to work. I suppose I
can’t count on that happening next year? Hmmm.
(Lala is famous, did you know that?)
*Edited to add: In the spirit of full disclosure, Lala said, "You have the right to veto this, before I ask. Would you mind if my brother and sister-in-law came over and I made us all dinner? I know you just woke up, and you can totally say no." But that doesn’t read as funny! And it doesn’t convey the spirit of grumpiness that was black in my soul when she said it! But I should add it, just to be fair to her. Y’know?
Nice! I’ve been there with the grump because things aren’t going my way. I’m happy for you that the afternoon was a pleasant change in your plans.
Aw Sweets, you are such a doll. As is your Lala. Congrats on your first Thanksgiving as wife and wife. Just one little mile marker of many to come.
Last time I was in SF (pre Cakers, I was out there every other year for a time running…)I stayed in North Beach at Le Boheme. I recall pastries and pizza and cute little coffee cafes where it was mostly too chilly to sit outside, in June. Cakers at this moment is wearing my The Saloon t-shirt (oldest bar in the world or something. Is it still there?). Great music and dancing that night. I shared and smoked cigs with a college educated homeless dude outside the bar. Quite an eye-opener for my stereotyped image.
And way cool article on Lala. I love the pictures too. You forgot to tell us to click on the pictures. I figured it out.
Smooches to you.
Thanks for the link to Lala’s article. Well, I guess it isn’t just Lala’s, but you get the point.
I used to get those blues all the time, for no obvious reason. Therapy helped and getting old really took care of it. I don’t suppose that’s a great option though.
And I’m thankful that you have such a great family. And for knowing you even if it’s only cyberwise.
Yay for getting ungrumpafied!
And yay for spouses that do dishes, let alone cook the food too 🙂
I’m glad your Thursday turned out so well, and thank’s for the article. Yay, Famous!
I started out a bit grumpy too. Glad both our Thanksgivings turned out to be wonderful. Miss you!
Wait, the Whoreshoes played in North Beach last night? Where I, y’know, LIVE?? Dagnabbit, I missed it!!
(good article tho).
are you the type to stress over things a bit and Lala found out early it is better to spring things like company on you quick like so you don’t have a chance to go into heavy stress mode?? 😉
It sounds like a perfect day (well, other than your initial grumpiness and cleaning spree) and your BIL and SIL are too cute in the picture.
AND cool article – 🙂
We had a laid-back Thanksgiving, too, and I loved it. This was the first year that we didn’t have to drag the kids around town to see different relatives and such.
Great pics of the Whoreshoes in that article. I’m a sucker for that rockabilly-chick look. If I could work it convincingly, I would! The article made them sound like gals I would love to hang out with.
Sheesh, girl. I’m surprised she doesn’t beat you more often.
Because, you know, like I’ve never ever been grumpy, myself.
Shut up.
And as for the Whoreshoes, I’m an even bigger fan, now. I must save for a pickin’ and drinkin’ holiday down in the southern provinces there.
That is so cool. You have 4 days left and a little over 1792 words to write each day. Can you do it? I know I can’t by now I would have forgotten what and who I was writing about. Good Luck!!
Sounds like my Thanksgiving. It’s my favorite holiday because of the food. Living in France makes me miss it all so much. I wasn’t in the mood to make a meal this year, though. At 4:30 pm, I talked to my Mom on the phone and heard the menu at their house. That motivated me, and I ended up making a Thanksgiving chicken (hey, we do what we can), stuffing, mashed potatoes, pecan pie and a funky fruit salad thing my family always does. Turned out really well, and everything was on the table by 7:30 pm. I was so much happier after that meal and have been enjoying a slice of pie each day since.
Sounds perfect. I just got home after a busy weekend of selling yarn, and my man is putting Shepherds pie in the over. Perfect. Me tired, hungry and grumpy. Thanks. Have fun on you thanks and you giving. chow
Whoreshoes Tour 2007 : COME TO ATHENS GA WE WILL LOVE YOU.
and happy non-grumpy Thanksgiving!
We grilled our turkey in NH, too- those suckers get hot even when it’s cold out! Glad that your Thanksgiving ended up to be so good. Happy first married Thanksgiving!
Amanda
I’m glad you had such a great Thanksgiving. I understand the day-sleep. I worked 2 years on third shift. The eyemask is indeed essential…but my husband DID think it was sexy, despite the ragged sweats and horrible hair. Go figure. And all that time I thought it was done-up hair and fancy clothes that did the trick!
This sounds so wonderful, so cozy and low-key, a really perfect way to spend the holiday. Glad you got over your Ms. Grumpypants feelings 🙂
Lala’s not just SFGate famous– she’s SPIN MAGAZINE famous. I was reading the December issue on the way back from thanksgiving and almost choked on my airplane pretzels. Very impressive!
Happy thanksgiving a little late—
Wow! Congrats to Lala (sounds like a great wife you have there! Dinner AND dishes!? Priceless!) and the Whoreshoes!
Glad to hear you had a happy Thanksgiving – family has a way of breaking through the grumps (ok, and also of causing them, but good thing you were already grumpy, huh?)
YUM! did Won-Ju make…..
Jahp-Cheh? the clear noodles with veggies and meat with some sesame oil and all that yummy Korean goodness?! :o)
and those pictures are so great! and of course, LALA IS FAMOUS!