Thanksgiving In-Flux

Because my mother is a creature who is far more interested in possibility than actuality, I still have no idea what my family is doing for Thanksgiving. For the longest time she was going to be in Canada for the holiday visiting some friend of hers. Then my father died and she decided that she didn't want to be away from my sisters and me at such a family-focused time of the year. We felt the same way. But she decided to go anyway. Then she changed her itinerary so she's not leaving until the following morning.

So, now that she will be stateside, we are back to the guessing game of whose home will she thrust us upon so that her holiday can be just how she imagines it. My mother is a people person. She likes a lot activity and flurry--a good amount of chaos. She has no patience for contemplation and quiet, intimate gatherings. To her, this spells b-o-r-i-n-g.

My one sister really feels connected to my mother's side of the family--but that tradition of being with them, as we've always known it, has changed since my uncle died a couple of years ago. My aunt now goes to her son's house to celebrate with his immediate family. It's more awkward. We're not even sure if this is something to which we are invited...

Having a spacious apartment makes me a great candidate for hostess, and I would love to do it. It makes the most sense for me to be the one to make arrangements and buy groceries, go crazy with preparation stress, all of it--but trying to pin my mother down is like trying to grasp oil.

So this is my way of saying I'll keep you posted. You'll know something when I do.