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Chapter 3

Getting Ready for Thanksgiving

The holiday is upon us and I love it my children and my grandchildren will come to my new condo. I have a week to get the menu together. I will get chillings and pre-cook them so I put them on and put some onions, green peppers and white potatoes the potatoes is to kill the smell the chillings have while they cook but first  I have to clean them and that can take up to an hour. Then I will freeze them. Next, I will get the duck and a bag to cook it in with some green peppers and onions. My children love my sweet potatoes pies and I make them from scratch the way my mother use to make the pies and I will make four of them.  I will make one lemon cake I love lemon everything.  Now the side dishes I will have a salad I enjoy a good salad. I will do it the way I did when the children were at home I will have everything and all they have to do is get what they want in their salad to not waste. Then I will make my famous spaghetti.  I like to put ground beef in my spaghetti so I like to boil the ground beef to get the grease out and then put the ingredients in the meat then I mix the spaghetti in and let it slow cook. I go to the store to get my greens I like mustard and turnip greens cooked together. So I go to the store and get them and pick them and rinse them about four times to make sure they are clean. First I put my meat on I love meat. So I put on some neck bones and ham hocks first and let it cook for about an hour with some seasoning once the water is good and hot boiling hot I slowly put the greens in the water and let them cook for almost two hours then I let them cool down and I freeze them. Now all I have to do is cook the duck the night before Thanksgiving then I am done. Now I have to see what the children will bring to the table.  Now I have to fix the dining room up it's pretty big. My table seat fifteen people and I have the china from when my home. Since I don't eat in there since it just me and the dogs I eat in the kitchen where there is a table set that seats four people. So I set the dining table up so it would be ready dam I if I should say so myself I got it looking good in there I got down. 

Getting Ready for Family

Ok now what am I going to wear ok I know I got this black and white outfit with some black small heals and some cross-shaped earrings and one pearl earring because I have three holes in my ears. So now the food is read I have it on the stove warming up and I took out all of the basics needed for the food like the hot sauce, onions, and salad dressings.  The cornbread and muffins were in the oven cooking the house is ready all they got to do is get here. 

Door Bell Ring

Otto and the children are here first good I was able to rent a wheelchair ramp so that Otto will be able to get in and the condo was so spacious that Otto had no problem moving around. I l children the dogs out so that they can meet the family. Otto was like wow you have dogs you never would let us get one when we were all at home. Because I know I would be the one cleaning up after the animal even though you children wanted it. And that was not my responsibility. They are so cute mother I like the change you are making for yourself. So now all you need to do is to find a man friend to keep time with. I am not looking for a man right now I am just trying to get my life on track in some kind of a way. Ok, mother, whatever works for you. Where is Mary? She and the girls are outside bringing in the stuff we got for the dinner. What did you bring? I got a cheese and fruit plater. That sounds good thanks I like that. Hi, Mary, how are you doing? You look great. Thank you, Mother Rou. I like your outfit and I like yours as well.  Thanks.  (A Yell)Someone open the door this stuff is heavy help us mother come and open the door hurry up, please. Granny where do you want us to sit the food? In the kitchen on one of the counters. Where is the kitchen? Right through blue doors they swing so be careful.  The girls look very nice. So come and give Granny a hug and a kiss I miss you two. We miss you to Granny. Wow, Granny you have two dogs they are so little and pretty. What kind of dogs are they? They are toy poodles. What are their names? Bambam is the boy and Shannon is a girl. I like them Granny. Can I pick them up? Yes just be careful they only now me so be gentle.  Come over here Heidi and Otta and let Granny get a good look at you girls. Heidi what have you done to your hair I got dreadlocks well it looks very interesting I like it.  And you have a hole in both of your nostrils you look so different growing up I guess. Granny I will be fifteen very soon I know right from wrong and I am doing great in school I am an A student I never miss school I have a perfect attendance. I tutor children in math and I volunteer at a food pantry after school sometimes. And I go to church on Sundays. I don't do drugs or smoke cigarettes.  So now Granny what do you think of me?  You are doing good girl keep up the good work because you will be grown one day and it is best that you continue to do good in school because your grades and attendance will follow you to college.  Do you plan to go to college?  Yes, Granny. What are you going for? I am not sure yet.  Hi, my little Otta how it things going for you these days? Well Granny I am going to be a professional soccer player I play a very important position. What is that? I am the midfielder. And what do a midfielder do?  I play a disciplined defensive role, breaking up attacks. Do you ever get hurt?  Yes. One time I broke my arm.  How are you doing in school well Granny I can't be on the team if I don't maintain a  certain GPA it is a 4.0 I am an A student and you have to have a good attendance and I do. I don't like missing school because the teachers don't go over what you missed you have to find out on your own. I am so happy that you girls are doing good in your life. Hey, Mother is are my sisters? (Door Bell) Mary, can you please get the door the for me? Yes. Hey  it's Zoe and the girls. Hey girl how are you doing? When did you make it back in the states? I got here this morning and went to the house and took a nap while the girls put their things up. Where are the girls at? They are getting the stuff out of the car. What did you bring I got two cases of water and two cases of soda a mixture and I got you a case of Pepsi. Thank you, baby, I love you come and give me a hug and kiss. Ok. Where is Otto at? He is around here somewhere maybe in the backyard. I like your house. Can I look around? Since when have you started to ask to do something. Mother. Where are my granddaughters at? They are in the room playing with their cousins. Tell them to come and give me a kiss and a hug. I haven't seen them in some years. (Zoe calling the girls) Valley and Napa come in here and tell your Grandmother hi. Hey, babies so tell me what have you ladies been up to? How did you like China? Are you girls glad to be back in the states? So Valley you go first. Ok, Granny. Well, Granny I am going to get me a summer job working in the school.  What will you be doing in the school? I will be working with the first graders in reading and writing. That sounds good. What are you going to do with your money? I am going to save it for some years until I am able to buy me a car.  So I am going to work ever summer. Mother won't let me work during school because she wants me to focus only on school which is fine with me. What are you going to do Napa I don't know we will be transferring back here into the public school and I love reading so I will get in the book club. So how did yall like school in China? Well, each class averages about 30 to 35 students. And students attend classes five or six days a week from early morning to evenings. Man, that was rough I am glad we are back here in the states regular school hours more holidays out from school cool. And on Saturdays, many schools hold required morning classes in science and math and we had to attend.  Where is Silver? She called and will be here soon she stopped at the store to pick up some stuff to bring here. (Otto) Did she say what she is bringing? No. (Door Bell) Someone get the door because I am taking my bread out of the oven. (Zoe yelling) It's Silver them. Hey, everyone, I'm here let's party. Where the music? Mother where are you I got a big pan of mac and cheese hot and ready to be served. Bring it into the dining room I am placing the food on the table now so that we can all sit down.  Hollister come and sat the duck on the table with a big knife and fork. Ok, Mother Rou. In fact everyone grab a dish to go on the table so that we can get ready to sit down to eat. Hey Silver baby how is it going for you and your family these days? Well, I love my job and I just got a raise the only thing I don't like is when I start to get to know a person that is terminally ill die on me I guess my heart is too soft. Hey Granny how are you doing? Fine Jezell. How are you? I'm good. So did my mother tell you about me? Yes, she did. So what do you have to say about it? Nothing I love you no matter what you want to do you will always be my grandbaby.  Alina made Mother make me move out of the bedroom she said she don't want to share a room with a boy.  And Hanna is saying nothing I don't think it matters to her.  And Corinna asked me why I want to do this to the family? What did you say to her? I said nothing. I don't know what to say to her. Ok everyone let's eat.