Those spending Thanksgiving alone, check in here!

[Fire Walk With Me]

I've seen at least two other "solo artists" regarding tomorrow, some working, and this will make it a touch less alone. Check in, good folks!

:hug:

[From The Ashes]

1. You know it...

:hi::hug:

[Fire Walk With Me]

26. Oops.

[Tafiti]

2. Here.

Home is too far (and too expensive). I don't really have the time since I have a lot of studying to do, so it all works out. Besides, I'm going home for Christmas vacation in 3 1/2 weeks.

[alarimer]

3. I am.

I just decided I didn't want to take the time to drive to my relatives' in Austin because I want to get some work done. Now I can watch the parade if I want to!

[gmoney]

4. Grumble...

Evidently I'm now an orphan...

Don't think I should impose on anyone local. If I want to drive 4 hours, I have an invite in Detroit. :\

[badgerpup]

5. Eh...won't be the first time...or the second...or the third...or the.....

Maybe one day I'll get to attend a "Hallmark Moments Thanksgiving" with all the trimmings and relatives and whatnot...and not be so uncomfortable I end up gravitating to the kitchen and washing dishes out of sheer funk.

But until then, there's worse things than being by yerself on a particular Thursday...:shrug:

[Digit]

6. Just me, my parrot and kitty

I stopped by Boston Market and have some goodies to share with birdie.
The kitty has her own preferences, and I have her favorites on hand.
They are my family and I adore them both.

My first order of business will be to sleep in.....

Whatever your circumstances, I wish you all well.

:hi:

[Archae]

7. Technically, I won't be alone.

I'll be with my two cats. :-)

Otherwise, I prefer it, eat what *I* make, watch the Packers squash the Lions, and sleep.

[Inchworm]

8. Checking in

I'm actually happy about it. I can't remember ever having the luxury of cooking only what I want for thanksgiving. This year I get to do just that.

:hug:

[flvegan]

9. Howdy!

[Breeze54]

10. My son forgot where he lived and didn't come home

last night but he says he'll be home before noon time. Most of my family is at
one of my sisters' houses and my brother is at his house with his wife's family.
I'll be here alone, cooking a bird and hopefully my youngest son will be home by
10 AM. My two oldest sons are in another state and having dinner with their Dad's
side of the family. I miss them all a lot but I made some calls and sent e-mails
and even if I am alone all day, I have great food and 3 movies to watch! :D

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU ALL!!

[Breeze54]

13. Yeah, the kid came home finally and the bird is done!

Time to eat! :hi:

[qwertyMike]

22. Boys always come home to Momma

Even when they are 50!
You are blessed

[RFKHumphreyObama]

11. Well actually I'll probably be alone but I don't celebrate Thanksgiving

It's never been a part of my country's traditions and celebrations so it doesn't mean that much to me

[bikebloke]

12. Aye, but no worries

I can go pedalling with most roads and trails clear before the cold front roars through this afternoon.

And I just finished my latest creative video project (after much gnaw on a techie problem), so I can start mulling over the next one.

[bamademo]

14. Alone by choice...

Already had 2 Thanksgivings this week. I had an early one with my parents and brother and we had one at work. It's a windy, cold, cloudy day in Huntsville, Alabama and I'm warm and cozy with my 2 kittehs. I'm enjoying the time away from work and I'm looking forward to going to Costco early tomorrow to consume.

[many a good man]

15. No turkey for this turkey

My FIL is having surgery tomorrow morning so everyone deserted me this morning to go be with him. (With my blessings, of course). And today happens to be my birthday so it's a double whammy.

[Fire Walk With Me]

16. Happy Birthday, and I hope that your father is okay.

[Tab]

17. Not totally alone but close

My wife and I split this holiday up - I needed to be with my family (it'd be the first time in 15 years we were all together, and my brother had a bad accident this year that he's still recovering from), and she has been with me the last few years and it was her mother's birthday, so we decided to go separately.

Unfortunately it was incredibly foggy and sleet and freezing rain and it's a 3 hour drive and I was exhausted for some reason anyway - I didn't trust myself to get all the way up there, and certainly not back tonight as well. It was me and my son in the car. We turned around. He still wants to have a Thanksgiving, so we found a store that was open. There's no way to defrost a turkey in time to cook it, but there was a whole duck, so I'm going to roast duck and he wants mashed potatoes and we bought a DVD and we're just going to camp out.

[In_The_Wind]

18. I'm roasting a six pound Duck for one.

My 12 year old Golden Retriever will love the leftovers.



:hi:

[Suich]

19. Checking in.

I'm about to put a corned beef in the oven and I don't have to share it!

Happy Thanksgiving!

:hi:

[Madrone]

20. Alone, and not happy about it for once.

Rant ahead:

Today SUCKS. Almost one year ago I took in an 18 year old fresh out of rehab. I didn't even know her - but I knew her story. She's bright, beautiful, special, and deserved, for the first time in her LIFE someone who truly cared about her and not what they could take from her. Her mother is still married to the man that was convicted of molesting her when she was 13. Her whole family turned against her - treated her like she was less than garbage. She had to live under these conditions every day - in pure torture. Her only possible escape was drugs, and that's when she began using.

My heart broke for her - so I took her in. Took her in and she had nothing. I've made sure she had nice things, I've sacrificed my plans and my life to give her a chance to make hers better. THe money I've spent, the time I've invested .... you can't begin to imagine.

My main expectation was that she take this time, while she's not working and her needs are completely provided for (up to and including me paying her court fines every month)to get her life in order, and to work on her GED. She's been here since last December. She's not even come close to accomplishing any of this.

In return, I get very little (almost none) help around the house. I get very little consideration. Boys and "friends" that she can't count on are always the priority. Then she got a new boyfriend (really good guy, I'm at least happy she's got HIM) and my needs, my feelings, and her responsibilities become even LESS of a priority. Her fucked up family is more of a priority. Somehow I've turned into the bad guy.

She came to me a couple of months ago- nervous and upset about Thanksgiving. She can't go to her family because the child molester will be there, and he takes priority over her. She doesn't want to go to her boyfriend's because she feels uncomfortable and out of place being around all of his family. I told her don't worry - while I had originally planned to go to Austin over the holiday that I didn't think I was going to go - and I'd be there for her. We'd do it together, and we'd make it very special. She was very happy about that. So I told her we needed to think about what we were going to do, plan a menu, etc.

So Thanksgiving draws nearer. I tell her we need to plan a menu. She's never here to discuss it. I tell her I want to figure it out and go shopping together - she's got better things to do. Mostly hanging out with her screwed up family and her boyfriend. I want to clean the house and get things ready, she never shows up or lifts a finger. Last week she was gone THursday night, Friday night and Saturday night. Came home Monday. Took off Monday night (after not doing anything the help around the house ALL DAY while I was at work) to go with her NA "friends" to Seattle. Came home at 1 am. Gone Tuesday night to her family's. Hello? It's TUESDAY - I could use some help planning this "special" dinner we're supposed to do together. Where are you? I'm resentful as hell but decide to go get the special things for the dinner for HER (I'm vegetarian, but planned on having cornish game hens for HER) since she still hasn't shown up. Not back on Wed. when I get out of work. I'm OVER it and not feeling very happy about the holiday at this point - decide I'd better drive the 45 minutes to get stuff *I* can eat for Thanksgiving instead of only having things for her - thereby adding to my resentment. Left a letter explaining my feelings on her bed, figuring I'd give her enough time to read it and think about it before I got back, and maybe we'd be able to reach and understanding. I get back at 8:45 and there's still no sign of her. The more I think about it, the more hurt I am, and the more angry I become. She shows up - slightly after nine. With attitude. I've got one hell of an attitude of my OWN.

She goes in her room and starts reading the letter I left her. She doesn't even read it all the way through - gets to the part where I mention her complete and lack of responsibility in taking care of HER dog (who I also took in a month ago, after her mother threatened to take him to the pound as part of HER mind games) and instead leaving him 100% my problem. Instead of getting the point that yes, she hasn't been doing enough and sometimes you have to NOT do everything you'd RATHER be doing in order to take care of your business she cops a HUGE attitude and calls her (fabulous :eyes:) mother to come get the dog. She got the "FINE, I'll take him to my mom's then you bitch!" attitude (without using words) when what I WANTED was for her to see that yeah, I was right and she needs to help lighten my burden - by being a member of the household, by occasionally not doing whatever-the-fuck she FEELS like doing and ignoring everything else.

Her attitude was TOO MUCH for me at that point, and we got into it. I've never done it before, but I yelled, I screamed, I ranted and raved. And she turned into the instant victim. SHE was the FURIOUS one. SHE'S the abused one. SHE'S being treated inappropriately. She called her mother, packed up as much as she could carry, and she left.

So I'm here, I'm hurt, and I'm angry. With 4 fucking cornish hens I won't eat, the fixings for a banana cream pie I was going to help her make because it's her boyfriend's favorite, and a bunch of other shit I don't know what to do with. And although I'd rather not admit it, I'm resentful as HELL that she's off enjoying herself with people that "care" about her and that she cares so much about - and I'm left here alone to stew. I spent a bunch of money I don't have to try to make this nice for HER - without any input on her part.

I can't take it any more, and I HATE Thanksgiving this year. I hate feeling like a whiner, I hate feeling so angry, and I hate feeling so unappreciated. Happy FUCKING Thanksgiving.

/end rant

[Fire Walk With Me]

21. Let go of it and be loved.

:hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:

[silverlib]

23. I empathize...

Thanksgiving is a crock when life gets this way - hell, life is a crock when good deeds turn around and slap you up the side of the head. The only consolation is that perhaps someday she'll look back and realize what you have contributed to her life. But, for now, i support your justifiable anger - wish it would make you feel better, but I doubt it and that's OK too.

[pink-o]

24. Me me! But by total accident.

...I work for the airlines, so this is too busy a time of year for any of us to get holidays. But it's okay, I only worked till noon, plenty of time to get ready for a nice dinner. But the two guys I normally spend Thanksgiving with (they're life partners) somehow got the idea that I had other plans. One of them left a message on my machine that basically said So sorry we won't see you on Thursday, but we'll raise a glass and toast to your wonderful friendship, and give thanks for how much we love you. I was listening to it in total confusion, not comprehending why they thought I wouldn't be available. But since they didn't invite me, and I didn't feel comfortable calling and correcting them--which would pretty well be like inviting myself--I decided on Barley Soup and a long bike ride with some stored-up stuff on the DVR to see me thru the eve.

It's almost scary, but I'm never bored with my own company. There's always plenty to keep me occupied!

[FloridaJudy]

25. Me

I usually spend it with my son. He and his room mates throw a great pot luck every year, but all of us are down with some sort of respiratory crud this week. We had a nice long chart by phone today though - interrupted by multiple sneezes and searches for Kleenex.

Tomorrow I'm going to a friend's house if I'm feeling better, so I'll still get my stuffing and cranberry sauce fix.

[Fire Walk With Me]

27. Here's hoping that everyone is okay and had a good evening!