The One With Thanksgiving

I've asked a lot of Canadians what it is they're celebrating with their Thanksgiving. I've yet to receive a definitive answer. I've had some garbled ones about it being a uniting of the First Nations people with the European settlers, which is ironic, because they're not united.

It's been so wonderful and novel to have people wish me a "Happy Thanksgiving!" I want to have a British Thanksgiving!

My invite for Thanksgiving came courtesy of the supremely wonderful Julia who invited me to her celebrate with her family. And it was such a joyous occasion!

After church, Julia's dad took me, Julia and Mel on a hunt for leaves as table decorations, specifically red maple leaves. We must have looked crazy to passers by as three young adults ran into huge piles of leaves, picking them up and cradling them in our arms. I even licked a maple tree, just to see if it tasted like maple syrup. It didn't. I licked a tree for nothing.

But at least now I know that maple trees don't actually taste of maple! 

We managed to collect what seemed like hundreds of bright, crispy leaves and Julia's mom was seriously impressed with how many we returned with.



Canadian houses are impressive. They're so big with actual proper basements, like the one Julia and Jolene live at in Jen and Dale's house. When we arrived, we were greeted by a thousand wonderful, warming smells wafting from the kitchen. Myself, Julia and Mel set about decorating the table, set for 20, in the basement. Leaves and tea lights and intricately folded napkins, a cleverly arranged horn of plenty and just enough chairs the seat all the anticipated guests!

Coming from a super-small family, I've always dreamed of having an old-school, massive family kind of celebration, and Thanksgiving didn't disappoint. There were loads of us: me, Julia, Jolene, Mel, Mark, Murial, Jen, Dale, Contessa, Kayla, Katie, Michelle, Catherine, Doja, Rosie, Dan, Ryan and a couple of others (whose names I've appallingly forgotten - sorry!) We just had so much fun! We laughed a lot and ate a lot:

Two turkeys.

Three colours of jello.

Mash potato.

Sweet potato.

Mash swede.

Four kinds of veg.

Cranberry sauce.

Gravy.

Green bean pie.

Stuffing.

So much wine.

Pumpkin pie.

Peach pie.

Apple pie.

Peacan pie.

Joy to the absolute max! And food babies to the absolute max too!





But we didn't let the enormous amount of delicious food send us into a stupour and we played some pretty intense games. Jen was our team captain, and she takes competetiveness to a whole new level! We may not have won. In fact, we lost my quite a lot and had to do a forfeit. Cut to me, Jen, Julia, Mel, Dan and Michelle on the front lawn singing 'O Canada!' Or miming if you're British...Somewhere there's video proof of this punishment!

The games continued for hours; I totally embarrassed myself in a word describing game by describing 'mood swings' as 'when you're on your period and your emotions are all over the place.' Well, I panic under pressure! I also played a card game/strategy game which I sucked at. Then I tested out my new-found bravery by watching Batman Begins. Although, I did cower behind a cussion whenever that scarecrow thing appeared. Despite having eaten a huge amount, no mortal can resist turkey leftover sandwiches. And I am 100% bona fide mortal. I turkey sandwiches!

It was a long day, a wonderful day. I'm so suprememly blessed by the friends I've made here in Canada and they are what I am thankful for.





Monday, the day off, involved the Exeter Posse back in Zak's. We may have eaten a deep fried mars bar for breakfast...It was so good! Then we met a Mountie. I know I like my men hirsute, but that Mountie may have taken it a bit too far!

And for some self-indulgence: both my research prospectus and paper proposal came back with 100%. Ba-boom.