Thursday, November 24, 2022

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! Or "Día de los turquía", as I like to call it. When I was a child, my siblings and I would dress as pilgrims and go door to door, getting scoops of mashed potatoes in our bags. That tradition seems to have died out, but I still like to wear a hat with a buckle on it sometimes. 

Our friend Sue B. has generously provided two wonderful Thanksgiving-themed photos from yesteryear (they are not "Lou and Sue" pix, however), it's always fun to see how people celebrated in the past. Let's start with this one, Pop is carving the turkey, and for some reason he is doing it in his basement workshop. "I think a 5/8 socket would come in handy right about now, and I hope the kids didn't move my pipe clamp". You know how kids are, they love to play with pipe clamps. Right after this picture was taken, Dad basted the bird with a squirt from that oil can. 3-in-1 has a sweet, nutty flavor that goes well with everything.

Maybe there was an additional oven down in the basement, freeing up the kitchen oven for the potatoes, pies, and other delicious goodies? My sister used to have a spare oven out in her garage for the same purpose.


Next is another photo from Sue, this time a scan of a photo print. The family has gathered for turkey and mashed potatoes, and several soft drinks, including Pepsi, 7-Up, and Sunkist orange soda. The bowl in the foreground might hold slices of canned cranberry sauce? The smiling young lady is about to stab the turkey with a fork, the only way to be sure it is really dead. They seem to own an original De Chirico painting, which is pretty sweet. I wish we could see what was on the nearby TV.


Next is a scan from yours truly. "But Major P! There's no turkey, no centerpiece made of Indian corn and autumn leaves, just a pretty lady!". Well, you'd be right about that, Timmy. But this slide was labeled, "Sandra, 1953, Thanksgiving", and that's good enough for me. You look great, Sandra!


 MANY THANKS to Sue for sharing her fun pix with us, and I'd like to wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving.

I'm hangin' with my family today (and probably for the next day or two)! I'll talk  to all of you soon!

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I’m thankful for all of you—and for all the smiles you add to my day.

Hey, ILL fans....I swear that picture, hanging on the wall in the 2nd scan, shows up in a few ILL episodes—in different places in you-know-who’s apartment. Does anyone else recognize it?

Major, I hope you’re enjoying your time with your family.

Anyone else care to sit down and enjoy some pumpkin pie with me, later today? I’ll put on a pot of coffee...see you later.

Sue

Nanook said...

Major-
I wonder if "Dad" was reading the wrong cookbooks when it came to carving a turkey - I'm not certain the bird needed 'supercharging' with a pair of Ray-O-Vac 'D' Cells, or having a choice of 'skin massaging' using either sandpaper or steel wool-! (Remind me to politely decline an invite to that household).

Let's just say that TV (w/cable box) is tuned to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade...

It's too bad Sandra isn't sharing more of that dreadful lampshade on the side table.

Thanks, Major - and Happy Thanksgiving to all. (Watch out for the sandpaper and steel wool, though...)

Nanook said...

AND...
Thank you Sue-!

Anonymous said...

Nanook, LOL! That dreadful lampshade is nicely matched-up with a flippy-dippy doily.

Sue

JB said...

Major, in our family we dressed up as turkeys, and people tossed cranberries and stuffing at us (with occasional walnuts and raisins).

In #1, that turkey looks...... GHASTLY!! Like a rotting zombie with its skin falling off. (Sorry, hope I didn't ruin anybody's Thanksgiving.) That 3-in-1 oil will also impart a nice buttery brown color to the flayed bird. It surely needs something!
Is that a pressure cooker to the right of the blue plastic bowl? All that's missing is bubbling flasks of colored liquid and a Jacob's Ladder sending its crackling sparks upward. "It's alive! IT'S ALIVE!"

In #2, now THIS turkey looks picture perfect! Rich orangey brown. It looks like everybody has a different type of drinking glass. As for what's playing on the TV, it looks like it might be the Macy's Parade. Also, it's in COLOR, I think. That must be a cable box on top of the TV. [Edit: Nanook beat me... again!]
I would guesstimate this photo to be from 1972, give or take.
Not sure those are mashed potatoes in that red-orange bowl, Major. The small lumps are reminiscent of pineapple rice pudding; just a guess. And I'm sure you're right about the bowl of sliced jellied cranberry sauce. It has 'that look'.

In #3, you can tell that Sandra splayed her dress out 'just so', to give it that Ladies' Home Journal centerfold look. That's an interesting-looking lamp shade on the right. It curves inward at the bottom. [Edit: Again, Nanook noticed it first.]
Also, the electrical outlet has three receptacles instead of the usual two. The bottom one might be 220 watt.

Sue has come through once again with some weird/nostalgic/funny photos; thanks! And thank you too, Major. Gobble, gobble everybody.

JB said...

^ I meant 220 volt.

Melissa said...

#1 - Dad carves the turkey in the same place he carves wood. Mom and the kids were just grateful it wouldn't fit on the lathe.

#2 - I think they used a little of that Sunkist orange soda to baste the turkey. I cant tell if the kid in the bottom left corner is eagerly anticipating a drumstick or having some sort of mental breakdown.

#3 - Hey, if we can't be thankful for pretty ladies in fancy dresses, what CAN we be thankful for? I can practically hear the fabric of the skirt rustling.

Thanks to Sue for the holiday pix!

K. Martinez said...

Happy Thanksgiving to all! Thanks for the fun pics, Sue.

Gojira said...

Happy Thanksgiving! Great pic as always!

Mark

Nanook said...

@ JB-
Good eye on that 'triple receptacle'. That's a "Triplex" made by the Sierra Electric & Manufacturing Co. After several buyouts thru the years, they were finally a part of Pass & Seymour (P&S) - now a part of Legrand (a French industrial group). Although their 'triplex' and 'biplex' line of receptacles appear to be identical in size to Decora®-style devices, they are actually narrower, requiring a wall plate specifically designed to fit them.

That's the end of the Thanksgiving day edition of 'Know Your Wiring Devices'.

Chuck said...

Glad to see we aren’t the only family that uses limited space creatively. Carving the turkey was always “Dad’s job” in my family, so this dad’s retreat into his own domain to get the job done makes perfect sense to me. This is how Tim Taylor would do it.

I’d put the second photo around 1980-82 based on the hairstyles, clothing, and the soda brands. Sunkist soda wasn’t developed until 1978 or marketed nationally until 1979, so it can’t be any earlier than that. Note the once-ubiquitous ashtray atop the TV.

Sandra is wearing an anklet. She’s probably under house arrest. I think it’s my brain filling in where there isn’t enough detail, but the edge of the lamp below that, um, unique lampshade looks like the head and caruncle of a turkey.

JB, 220, 221 - whatever it takes.

Melissa, “…lathe…” My iPad and I are thankful that I had just swallowed the last bite of breakfast before I read that.

I am also thankful for the opportunity to check in with this Mötley Crüe every day. I sincerely hope that, whatever this past year has brought you, to be thankful for the many blessings that we receive, even when we don’t notice them or take them for granted at the time. I consider you all to be a blessing to me.

Andrew said...

Even though I haven't commented much lately, I am forever thankful for the smiles, laughs, and facts everyone here has brought into my life. I hope everyone has a great day full of family and turkey basted with oil and/or Sunkist!

JG said...

Happy Thanksgiving All.

These little chats around the Market House stove with all of you are a bright spot for which I’m very grateful. As Chuck says, each of you is a blessing to me. Best wishes to all and I hope you have a good holiday surrounded by friends, family and all your favorite foods etc. personally, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, not too cold, lower expectations, and all my kids come home. Mrs G works too hard however.

Major and Sue, thanks for the collection of pics. Any random group of photos can go together if you try hard enough. I love Dad in the workshop, he will reaching for the router or belt sander next. Somehow reminds me of how my Mom stuffed the turkey the night before and left it in the broiler pan covered on the screen porch at outdoor temps. It’s a wonder none of us got ptomaine.

Those big bottles of soda featured in some of our holidays too, is that a beer can near Dad’s hand?

Any picture of Sandra will brighten your day, and her fancy dress too. Loving the carpet pattern and remembering one of my Mom’s friends had a lampshade like that, and no, you do not want to see more of it, although I would admire the scimitar leg table on which it sits. Not only is there a 220V outlet there, something is plugged into it! Space heater maybe? Or a scroll saw for carving the turkey?

Cheers all!

Sue, I’ll check back later in the day, we have two pumpkin pies this year, one with coconut milk for the non-dairy group.

JG

Melissa said...

One of my favorite stories about Jim Henson from his kids is that he used to talk in Link Hogthrob's voice while carving the Thanksgiving turkey.

Bu said...

The turkey is in, the potatoes are done. I did a potato dish based on potato "crisps" I had when I was in school...Roast Beef and Mustard. The English have a variety of wacky flavored chips. So my potatoes will taste of beef and Colemans mustard as there is no beef today....ya gotta have beef in every meal. These families also look like they enjoy beef. I can't judge "tools and turkey" too much...I also have a kitchen area in my garage next to tools. Also a "Flair" stove and oven (s)...as I couldn't resist a piece of Bewitched. There are several tools sitting atop the Flair which on days like these is used in abundance. I am thankful today that there are only 2 humans in my house, including me. Silence is golden. Family "fork in turkey" is having a grand time...except for one of the extras from the Soprano's. He looks more interested in Sunkist and Pepsi. The Shiltz looks like a glass...not a Shiltz...but I do like typing Shlitz and saying it. Just like Shotz from Laverne and Shirley. Was Shotz supposed to be Shiltz? I think they shot that at the Bud factory in Van Nuys...will have to look that up. The picture on the wall is in the spirit of the I Love Lucy painting...that painting sold at auction from the estate of Elois Jennsen (Lucille's costume designer)....the artist was Maurice Utrillo and the piece: "Restaurant au Mont Cenis" (1922) I wanted this painting. I'll settle for a repro. I can also hear the fabric of Sandra . That is an early sectional sofa she is sitting on. Sectionals became a thing around this time..as well as that lamp with those crazy shades. I don't get that particular style, but I am certain there is someone that collects them. The desk lamp however is awesome. Happy Thanksgiving to all. Thanks Sue for the photos. I am considering next year brining my turkey in Sunkist...why not?

Anonymous said...

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Thanks Sue & Major for the fun pictures today.

Thanks to all for the comments, laughs & camaraderie.

Melissa- I liked the "lathe" comment as well...;)

-DW

Anonymous said...

And a Happy Thanksgiving! Sue...I'd take you up on that coffee, but I'll be with the horses after the early dinner. every day is special to them so I'll give them a little alfalfa to brighten their day after they are done sunning themselves on this warm day.

One more thing though...that family photo. It looks like everyone is using styrofoam plates! What a way to easily clean up!

KS

Sunday Night said...

That photo #1. A classic. Dad: "Let's do this down in the workshop and keep things clean up here in the kitchen" Uncle Joe: "In the workshop?" Dad: "Sure, I do it down there every year!"
Happy Thanksgiving all!

JB said...

Melissa, I'm picturing the turkey skewered onto the lathe. As soon as it comes up to speed, there would be turkey bits flying off in all directions. Even so, the turkey would look nice carved as a bed post.
And yes, the orangey-brown color of the turkey looks like it might be painted on. Maybe they mixed the Sunkist orange pop (not soda!) with Welch's grape jelly and smeared it on.

Nanook, I eagerly await every Thanksgiving to read the latest edition of "Know Your Wiring Devices".

Chuck, yes but, Tim Taylor would use a Black+Decker 7-1/4 inch Circular Saw (with laser guide) MORE POWER!
Hey, it DOES look like a turkey head! Or "The Giant Claw".
And I'm sure the sentiment is mutual, all around.

Andrew, we're having a roasted whole chicken. But yes, I'll be using both, oil and Sunkist (I mean, is there any other way?)

JG, I also was wondering what was plugged into that 220 outlet. I mean, this is (apparently) the living room. What could it be? Electric radiator? I guess there are some industrial-strength space heaters that require 220V.

Bu, I brined the chicken this year, but not in Sunkist.

Nanook said...

Sorry, no 220 volts; just good, old-fashioned American-style 120 volts, terminating in that Triplex receptacle. That bottom plug is merely largish/round.

"Lou and Sue" said...

Coffee's on, now...
Come on over!