Thanksgiving Past and Present

This morning I was thinking about a few of my PAST Thanksgiving Day.

I do not know what year it was, I just know it was in the 1970's probably 74 or 75. My parents lived in Tuscola, and I was living in an apartment in Decatur, 40 miles away. I had planned on going home for Thanksgiving Day, but when I woke up that morning there was 8 plus inches of snow on the ground. I knew my small car would not make it. But, my older brother, John lived in Finlay and he said he would make the effort to come get me even tho it was out of his way.
Back then they allowed cars to use chains to get around in ice and snow.

He picked me up and we went the 40 miles east. The roads were bad. When we walked in at home just as Mother was getting things out of the oven for dinner. She said, " I didn't expect you guys to make it." My answer was, "Mom, the roads are bad, we are here to eat and run."
And that is exactly what we did. We didn't even stay to help clean up the mess.

Then comes to mind the one that I experienced after Bud and I got married. His family always went to Peoria to Marie and Bob's for Thanksgiving. Now that they are gone, Bud says Thanksgiving is just not the same as it was where they all got together with Pat and Donna and his folks and family.

Then in 1979 we were living in the Southern part of Illinois and we wanted to move from an apartment into a house. So, we were working on moving that week end..... But, we didn't have any food in the house. We could not find anybody who had a turkey breast that I might cook for our meal.. SOOOOOOOOO we did second best We had "White Castles" for Thanksgiving dinner.

Yes, you read it right "WHITE CASTLES" ...... and we were thankful that we had something to eat.

Now for current.......
I am in Canistota, South Dakota. The restaurant here is closed for the day. But, before I left home I already had an invite from my friend Katie here to join her and Ivan and their family at the church fellowship hall for a Thanksgiving Meal.

So even tho the weather outside is frigid. I walked the 6 blocks to the church and enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving meal.
Katie and I are friends on facebook. So it was really neat to get to meet Katie.

THANKS KATIE, for a wonderful dinner. I know you put a lot of time and effort into feeding a lot of people. I believe you said there were about 62 of us total and over 1/2 of us were from out of town and you had never seen us before.

One familiar face was Joni on the left. She so kindly came to Sioux Falls last Sunday and picked me up at the airport. And will take me back to the air port on early Saturday morning.The other lady I believe they said Dr. Lon's mother.

I wish I had my camera ready when Dr. Tom's wife spilled a container of clean silverware on the floor. So we ended up having to rinse and dry them too.

I am thankful for Katie and Ivan that they provided such a great Thanksgiving meal for us. And invited us to be part of their Thanksgiving festies this year.

Before I left the church and walked back to the Hotel to my room I heard Katie say she thinks she will do it again next year.

Canistota, South Dakota

This small town is about 40 miles west of Sioux Falls, South Dakota....
Yes, out in the middle of nowhere.

They have lots of motels.... one grocery/gas store, post office and a tavern.
This is their local grocery store.

The Ortman Hotel . Yes it is old, but some of the room they have remodeled and they are very comfortable. See the Cafe sign, and the window right above it? Well go up one more window and go left one window... it has a air conditioner in the window.. Yes that is my room. Room 314 which is my room for the week.

This is the same hotel that my younger sister was at when she learned to walk.....many moons ago.

(Sorry Martha---But it was a long, long time ago).

The hotel is attached to the clinic. Therefore, I do not have to go outside unless I choose to.

Baxas Bar and Grill is right across the street. They too have good food. When Bud was with me the last time we ate a lot of our meals there. Including our Thanksgiving dinner one year.

Most of the people here this week are Amish people. I would say they are from Indiana, Wisconsin and possibly Iowa. Just from looking at how they dress. Yes, it seems as tho every community has their own style of prayer veiling. And their hats are different.

Haven't really spoken to very many of them. They are not the most friendly group this time around.

And for once I do not see anybody that has been here before when I was here. That is surprising.

The gal who owns the Hotel said this is their first slow week, that they had been full in the past weeks.

From what she told me the other day when she called me to confirm that I actually wanted a room for the Friday night also I will be all alone up here on Friday night as they don't have any confirmed guests besides myself for that night as most people leave after their Friday treatment. Since my plane doesn't fly out till Saturday, I really do not want to sleep on the street, so yes it will be like a ghost town when all the out of towners leave. But that is okay.

This is quiet day number 2. I went downstairs this afternoon late and had dinner. Tonight the special was fish, shrimp, and some chicken, mashed or baked potatoes, gravy (2 different kinds) and corn along with the salad bar. Then I got a piece of pie for later... I believe I read that

tomorrow night's buffet will have turIkey on it since they are closed on Thanksgiving day.

I didn't sleep as much today as I did yesterday in the day time, so I am hoping that I shall be able to sleep all night tonight.

Sunday- travels-thoughts

Psalms 19:1 The heavens declare the Glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

No this is not snow, it is clouds taken out of the airplane window. Way up above the clouds where the sun was shining. It sure wasn't shining below the clouds. Minnesota-South Dakota got freezing rain, and the roads were very slippery.

These clouds were so Beautiful!

Before I got on the plane in Chicago I send a text to my Sunday School Class teacher Sarah that I was praying for a safe flight. When I landed in Sioux Falls I sent her another text--just as the Sunday School Class should have been over that I was thankful for a safe journey.

And this is what I got in a text message:

we love u and miss u! have a good week!

Now I knew it was from Sarahs phone so she isn't in the photo.

Talk about making me tear up---yep I had tears in my eyes because I missed Sunday School today.

Love ya Girls!


This is my home for the next 5 days. Thankful I brought my own sheet to cover the chair... The chair makes me itch, and today my skin is so dry. Last night there was way too much bleach and starch in the sheets in my motel room, and I broke out with a rash on my legs.

Surprising to me, since I stayed in this room a number of years ago, They took the old radiator our and put in electric strip heat, Added a mini refrigeator and a phone system.

A fun filled Saturday.

A fun filled day at the Brockman household.... Kenley thought it was funny when she stole my water bottle and took it back to mommy.

Playing with the ball.

Snack time.

Grandma put one in my tea cup.

Thanks for another fun filled day together! Love you.

Will the product be damaged?

Here is a heat exchanger that was delivered to our office.

Julie came up front and borrowed my camera to take photos. It doesn't appear the heat exchanger is damaged, but she wanted photos in case of concealed damage.

Looks like they left it setting outside in a big rain storm.

Still waiting for my Miracle.