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W

hat did your 2020 Thanksgiving look like?

I am writing this on the eve of this 2020 Thanksgiving Day. Like most of the U.S., I had to make changes for Thanksgiving.

I have become spoiled for many years in that I have not had to prepare the Thanksgiving meal.

My Mom always cooked a huge Thanksgiving and my brothers, sister, their families and mine went to my parents’ house until Daddy died in 1986.

I married into Eric’s family and we went to his mom’s house until her health became bad.

Since then, I cooked the Thanksgiving meals until my oldest daughter, Kim, said she wanted us to come to Louisville for Thanksgiving one year.

She may wish she hadn’t since we have been going to her house every year since.

Shanda and I take a dish or two to help out. I am always in charge of the dressing balls, dumplings and usually scalloped oysters.

Shanda makes great casseroles so those are her dishes to bring.

Kim makes the very best cranberry salad.

This year, Kim did not make it to Winchester and we did not go to Louisville because of COVID-19.

Eric called her to get her recipe for cranberry salad. We were already saying before the holiday how much we were going to miss being with them and her cranberry salad.

I have attempted making it by her recipe and am hoping it turns out the same.

Every time I make dressing I am reminded of my mom making dressing. I think I make mine the same as she did. I always loved her giving me a spoon full when she finished making them. I make the dressing solely by the memory of how her dressing tasted.

I may have her dressing copied but can never make dumplings quite as tasty as hers. In fact, no one can make them taste that good to me.

Instead of thinking about all we will miss this Thanksgiving, I realize we should be thankful for all the good that has happened.

My husband, Eric, was in a really bad wreck that involved three cars. Our car was totaled, but thank God no one was injured. Though the wreck was bad, he is here to spend Thanksgiving with me.

My granddaughter, Olivia, got the coronavirus and she did not get horribly sick with it. Eric and I, her mom, dad and sister all tested negative and we never got sick. That was thanks in part to Olivia being afraid of getting COVID and staying away from us because we were old when we were in Louisville.

Only after we were home did she get sick.

Then Eric fell down our bottom two steps to the den and had a trip to the ER but he only had a very painful sprain, with a black and blue swollen foot. We were thankful for no broken bones.

It seems our troubles have been minimum in comparison to others woes.

We will be glad when school gets back in session so the bus drivers and others can draw larger checks.

It seems no matter what business or line of work one has most people are feeling the effects of this pandemic.

I am reminded of all who have not gotten to be with loved ones for almost a year now. I know I am not alone in praying for our world and this virus.

I am thankful for those who step up to make sure others are fed.

It seems my prayer list has never been so long and I admitted to a friend I fell asleep while praying one night.

We are living in hard times right now.

As I tell my grandchildren, though, our ancestors had it harder. At least we have the technology to stay connected to one another. They had nothing but grit and guts.

We are their descendants and we can make it too.

Though I feel sorry for our young people, I also feel so much more for the very elderly who have no one to talk to or know they are loved. We have to check on those people more often.

I still worry how much longer we will be in this pandemic but I do thank God there may be a vaccine for all soon. We should all pray for the end of this world-altering disease.

Sue Staton is a Clark County native. She is a wife, mother and grandmother.