Ellen's Thanksgiving Crawl

Lou and I have lived in SA for almost a year and a half.  Last Thursday was the second Thanksgiving we've spent here and I have to say that, for me, Thanksgiving has been the most difficult holiday to be abroad.

Thanksgiving is the last Thursday in November, and with the Coffee Crawl falling on a Thursday each week I started back in October to think of which PE coffee shop would fit the bill for the holiday.  It was then that I decided to have the Thanksgiving Crawl at my house and, in the spirit of the holiday, would be breaking the No-Food-On-The-Crawl rule big time.  Seeing that the Crawl is in the morning I certainly wasn't going to do the whole turkey thing, though Lou and I had a nice turkey dinner (minus the fresh cranberry sauce) when he got home from work.  I did, however, spend all day Wednesday baking pies, 3 apple, 2 pumpkin, 2 pecan, and 1 mincemeat for the Crawl.  Fran and Keith stopped by to drop off their coffee maker that I was borrowing, and found me up to my elbows in flour and the kitchen quite a mess!

The plan for Thursday morning was to have everyone sit outside at the picnic tables but it rained Wednesday night (so much for the drought!) and everything was soaked in the morning.  Oh well, I hoped there would be enough room inside for everyone.  June and Leanne came a little early with their coffee makers to help me get set up.  I couldn't have asked for two better baristas!

Meet the Baristas
Leanne and June



Meet the Owner
Lou (second from right)



Three Masterton's coffees (Blend 81, Out of Africa, and Cameo on Black Velvet), an assortment of teas/cookies/chocolates, and the eight pies awaited as the Crawlers arrived.  The Thanksgiving Crawlers included Beth Vieira, Sandy Venter, Fran and Keith de Beer, Stella and Beryl Dawson, Gail Darne, Gail Taverner, Jenny Aubin, Nomusa Nkomo, Les Baldwin, Ellen Kock, Margaret Zoetmulder, Colleen LeRoux, Dierdre and Clary Hurter, Fr. Dominic Griego, June Nash, Leanne Waller, and my husband, Lou.




This Week's Crawlers
Ellen, Gail T., Sandy, Jenny, Nomusa, Beth, Gail D., Fran, June, Leanne, Stella, Beryl, Margaret, Colleen



More Crawlers
Fr. Dominic, Deirdre, Clary, Keith, Les

Let the celebration begin!  Friends, food, conversation, laughter... and some awesome coffee.... truly a Thanksgiving to remember!  All I can say about the hours spent Thursday morning with my SA friends is that I am blessed.  I have been made to feel welcome and at home by all who joined me on Thanksgiving morning.  Many, many, many thanks to all of you for making my holiday away from my NY home very special.

More thank you's
~ to Fran, June, and Leanne for letting me borrow your coffee makers
~ to my sister, Elaine in Erie, PA and my bff, Jackie in Tucson, AZ for the Thanksgiving napkins you sent--
   very festive!
~ to Splendour Fine Imported Foods on Buffelsfontein Rd for having Crisco on your shelves-- I can't make
   pies without it!
~ to all who sent Thanksgiving wishes our way

A quick anecdote:
     Back in 1994 when our family was moving to Illinois from New York, our kids were sad because they said they would miss their NY friends.  I told them, "You're lucky because now you will have NY friends AND Illinois friends."  The two years we spent in Illinois flew by and when we move back to New York the kids were sad because they said they would miss their Illinois friends.   .... Just sayin'....

One last note- Keith's useless Thanksgiving fact - A turkey could drown if it looks up into to sky when it's raining.  I'm pretty sure that's not how our Tom bit it!

Until next week,                                                     

Ellen