Happy Thanksgiving
Sometimes it’s a struggle to write this. Not because I don’t have anything to be thankful for, or because two days after the clocks were set back an hour this month, the calendar flipped back, too. How far back remains to be seen.
But mostly because Thanksgiving reminds me of my Mom, who’s been gone 12 years and would’ve turned 100 this year. Thanksgiving at my house was legendary because of the food, the pies, the cookies, and how many people were around the house. I took it for granted when I was a kid and now I miss it terribly.
And I miss being able to ask my Mom what it was like when things were like tough. I’ve felt this way for nearly five years. She grew up on a small farm in north-central Massachusetts in the 1930s, the second-oldest of seven children, practically running the house because my grandparents did what many immigrants did: worked as many “side hustles” as they could.
And yet I think I know what she would have said: “You just have to make it through the night,” referring to her favorite Kris Kristofferson song. She would hum it off-key (she was one of those rare people both knew she was tone-deaf and freely admitted it) while she sat up in her chair—usually knitting—or puttering in the kitchen.
So now you may better understand the third of my three annual reminders for this post:
🍗 Stay safe
🍗 Show some plate discipline
🍗 Call your mother
I have never posted on this site although I read it every morning. Your expertise and dedication are incredible. The daily effort you put into this subject and site make people happy. This short entry today topped all of your others. Please keep up the site and thank you for the years of information on Nats prospects. I know your Mom would be so proud of you.
My mom has been gone 50 years next month. I still remember clearly the Thanksgiving extravaganzas with her sisters, Dora and Mae, and their families. I regret never telling her just how much I appreciated her.
Luke I must admit your post was very close to heart .
I haven’t seen my mom since 2008 then she passed in 2014. As a work associate once said : “ where there is a will there are a lot of long lost relatives “ keeping the story short and a mention of the HIPPA law .. I never had closure with my mom who walked into a dream several nights ago for the first firm dream experience. In 16 years .
Nostalgia is good but sheddding skin is like dancing into the next lifeline .
There should be some free agent hitting coaches on the market for Nats to mull through for the farm affiliates reset .
Carbs sap the energy . Lay low on the pies this weekend . lol .
Here’s to you for keeping the lights on. I’m thankful for this site, for the Nationals fan community (support group?), and for baseball as an oasis from *gestures vaguely at the world*
This is our first Thanksgiving without my Mom, who passed in early June. So I hear you. I’m lucky that my siblings all live in the area and so holidays are still festive. I raise my glass to all y’all!
Happy Thanksgiving to all.