I can't believe how quickly the time has passed! Since Mamma and Papa's arrival, I've been so busy!
Thanksgiving dinner was perfect. I decided to put everyone to working on it. Papa brined and smoked a turkey breast, I stuck a spiral-cut Honeybaked ham in the oven and glazed it, Lakisha made her beans, Mamma made real mashed potatoes and gravy, we made the steamed broccoli and cauliflower with cheese and turkey sausage stuffing and DA and Lakisha's Mamma directed traffic and fussed at us.
I am so very glad I have a stove with five burners! Mamma said I was very smart to buy it. I love my stove!
Gwen and DAB (Dear Aunty's Boyfriend) arrived in time for dinner, and so there were eight of us. I can seat up to 12 people at the table in my lair, so we weren't in each other's elbows.
After dinner we had cherry pie, pumpkin bread, coffee and a very nice port wine. Oh we ate so much!
But what I thought the most, when we were all laughing and chatting over dinner was this: All these people, so different, yet so kind and jovial. I'll try to explain.
Mamma looks and dresses like a 1960s hippy. DA is prim and formal in her lavender pants suit. LM (Lakisha's Mamma) wears big bright dresses. Gwen is part Cherokee Indian and looks like she just stepped out of a teepee with her beautiful black hair and lovely turquoise jewelry. Papa is quiet and thoughtful and is just comfortable, I think, in his jeans and flannel shirt. DAB always wears a bow tie, and he's also formal. Lakisha wore jeans and a red sweater. She and her Mamma are African-Americans and they love to laugh and they're very loud, which is fun! Then there's me.
And when I thought about me, Mamma was right. I've grown up a lot since my arrival to this country. Of course, I still have a long way to go. I was weaing a paisly skirt with a white turtleneck shirt, and I sat there looking at all these wonderful people thinking of all this. I am so very happy still, as I remember this.
The accents were funny also! DAB is from New Jersey, Lakisha and LM are very southern, Gwen has no accent, DA and Mamma speak English with a trace of the Romanian accent, Papa's English is horrible except for the curse words, and I have a bad Romanian accent too.
After dinner, the puzzle mat came out, and we all worked on it, still talking about everything. DA, Mamma, LM, Lakisha and I had a bit too much wine and DA started telling bad jokes. Papa fled to my computer to look up funny things, and I put Marc Gunn's CDs, "Irish Drinking Songs For Cat Lovers," and "Whiskers In The Jar" into my music system. Those songs are very funny!
Lakisha stayed the night with me, for Mamma, Lakisha and I were going shopping on Black Friday just to see what this was all about. Lakisha's uncle has moved in with them and so he helps take care of LM. DAB, Gwen, and LM left, and Papa went upstairs to watch TV. DA went to her bed shortly after. Mamma, Lakisha and I rolled up the puzzle and played Monopoly with the help of more wine and we all finally went to bed after I became bankrupt. I learned this: Do not make important financial decisions while drinking wine.
Black Friday was insane! I was cursing the traffic in three languages, Mamma was bug-eyed at all the mess, and Lakisha was learning new ways to express herself from me. We made it to Walmart and the Asheville Mall and we bought some things, but we decided we'd finish the shopping maybe next week or just go online and buy gifts. Lakisha has very little money so for her Christmas present, Mamma put $300 on an American Express Bluebird card for Lakisha, and I matched Mamma with another $300. Lakisha cried. We felt so sorry for her. But now she and her Mamma will have a very nice Christmas!
Mamma and Papa like Lakisha so very much! In such a short time, she is my sister that I never had until now. We are so very close now. I call her Mamma "Mom" and she calls my parents "Mom" and "Dad." She calls her Mamma just "Mamma," as I do.
So, you see of how busy I am! And LM has allowed Lakisha to stay with us until Sunday afternoon! Mamma calls us "her girls," now. I had to take Lakisha back home to get herself more clothes last night and the traffic wasn't very bad.
It's very quiet here today. Mamma, Lakisha and I are in my lair. Lakisha is playing with my cats and Mamma is writing post cards for family and friends at the dining table. Papa and DA are in the study/library on the first floor discussing things of books. And I am here, thinking of you all, and being so thankful for everything.
With love,
~Cat
Thanksgiving dinner was perfect. I decided to put everyone to working on it. Papa brined and smoked a turkey breast, I stuck a spiral-cut Honeybaked ham in the oven and glazed it, Lakisha made her beans, Mamma made real mashed potatoes and gravy, we made the steamed broccoli and cauliflower with cheese and turkey sausage stuffing and DA and Lakisha's Mamma directed traffic and fussed at us.
I am so very glad I have a stove with five burners! Mamma said I was very smart to buy it. I love my stove!
Gwen and DAB (Dear Aunty's Boyfriend) arrived in time for dinner, and so there were eight of us. I can seat up to 12 people at the table in my lair, so we weren't in each other's elbows.
After dinner we had cherry pie, pumpkin bread, coffee and a very nice port wine. Oh we ate so much!
But what I thought the most, when we were all laughing and chatting over dinner was this: All these people, so different, yet so kind and jovial. I'll try to explain.
Mamma looks and dresses like a 1960s hippy. DA is prim and formal in her lavender pants suit. LM (Lakisha's Mamma) wears big bright dresses. Gwen is part Cherokee Indian and looks like she just stepped out of a teepee with her beautiful black hair and lovely turquoise jewelry. Papa is quiet and thoughtful and is just comfortable, I think, in his jeans and flannel shirt. DAB always wears a bow tie, and he's also formal. Lakisha wore jeans and a red sweater. She and her Mamma are African-Americans and they love to laugh and they're very loud, which is fun! Then there's me.
And when I thought about me, Mamma was right. I've grown up a lot since my arrival to this country. Of course, I still have a long way to go. I was weaing a paisly skirt with a white turtleneck shirt, and I sat there looking at all these wonderful people thinking of all this. I am so very happy still, as I remember this.
The accents were funny also! DAB is from New Jersey, Lakisha and LM are very southern, Gwen has no accent, DA and Mamma speak English with a trace of the Romanian accent, Papa's English is horrible except for the curse words, and I have a bad Romanian accent too.
After dinner, the puzzle mat came out, and we all worked on it, still talking about everything. DA, Mamma, LM, Lakisha and I had a bit too much wine and DA started telling bad jokes. Papa fled to my computer to look up funny things, and I put Marc Gunn's CDs, "Irish Drinking Songs For Cat Lovers," and "Whiskers In The Jar" into my music system. Those songs are very funny!
Lakisha stayed the night with me, for Mamma, Lakisha and I were going shopping on Black Friday just to see what this was all about. Lakisha's uncle has moved in with them and so he helps take care of LM. DAB, Gwen, and LM left, and Papa went upstairs to watch TV. DA went to her bed shortly after. Mamma, Lakisha and I rolled up the puzzle and played Monopoly with the help of more wine and we all finally went to bed after I became bankrupt. I learned this: Do not make important financial decisions while drinking wine.
Black Friday was insane! I was cursing the traffic in three languages, Mamma was bug-eyed at all the mess, and Lakisha was learning new ways to express herself from me. We made it to Walmart and the Asheville Mall and we bought some things, but we decided we'd finish the shopping maybe next week or just go online and buy gifts. Lakisha has very little money so for her Christmas present, Mamma put $300 on an American Express Bluebird card for Lakisha, and I matched Mamma with another $300. Lakisha cried. We felt so sorry for her. But now she and her Mamma will have a very nice Christmas!
Mamma and Papa like Lakisha so very much! In such a short time, she is my sister that I never had until now. We are so very close now. I call her Mamma "Mom" and she calls my parents "Mom" and "Dad." She calls her Mamma just "Mamma," as I do.
So, you see of how busy I am! And LM has allowed Lakisha to stay with us until Sunday afternoon! Mamma calls us "her girls," now. I had to take Lakisha back home to get herself more clothes last night and the traffic wasn't very bad.
It's very quiet here today. Mamma, Lakisha and I are in my lair. Lakisha is playing with my cats and Mamma is writing post cards for family and friends at the dining table. Papa and DA are in the study/library on the first floor discussing things of books. And I am here, thinking of you all, and being so thankful for everything.
With love,
~Cat
