Thanksgiving 2009

This morning, 6:30 am, I began cooking for the gathering at our house today. Yesterday I was in the kitchen from 5:30 to 10:30 pre-baking for the Super-bowl of dinners. I decided that I prefer Thanksgiving over all the other holidays even though I was tired of standing on that hard floor dodging every family member that came to check out the progress and beg for taste. Thanksgiving is a gathering of family and friends that expect no gifts or entertainment. A time when the simple act of saying grace with your loved ones over a carefully prepared meal is the most satisfying thing of the day for me.

Everyone has a favorite item to eat or prepare. I requested everyone bring 2 items this year to keep me out of the kitchen the whole time. Huh, that didn't work. Dennis (my brother) brought way more than anyone. He stayed up and cooked the turkey, new potatoes, creamed corn, glazed carrots and butter beans. Mom made the cranberry salad, sweet tea and pecan pie. Robin and Chynae (other brother, Mike's girlfriend and daughter) brought 2 coconut cream pies and broccoli cauliflower salad. I made a Pecan Toffee pie, Carrot cake, Sweet Potato casserole, Creamed Kale, homemade green bean casserole in a portabella mushroom sauce, (no cans!) Red and Green Cabbbage salad, 4 pans of dressing, gravy. James baked 2 fudge pies and the Ham. Papa simply taste tested every chance he got. Jessie, Chris, Haley, Arriana and Mogran came and brought a chess pie and a bag of rolls. Jennifer, Johnny, Jaylyn, Karsyn brought 3 packs of rolls and 3 boxes of boil in bag brussel sprouts uncooked. Dennis fixed them at the last minute. Bruce (my cousin) drove up from Huntsville to join us thankfully. We fixed plates for the children, said grace and fixed plates for us. After we all sit down, Amber, Barry, Blake and Tyler came in and brought 2 bowls of Mac-n-cheese, 2 platters of deviled eggs and peanut butter cookies. Thats 2 entree meats, 14 side dishes, rolls, cookies, 7 pies, 1 cake for 22 people. Too many calories, too many people in a small house, too cold to play outside, but too good food preps. Amen

Kathy Mays Ollenberger

Too much has happened over the last 3 years since my last post. I best friend Kathy surrendered to her Cancer after a long hard battle. Her positive attitude and life loving spirit kept her battling for 3 years. When she did decide to give up, she checked into Nashville's-Centennial Hospital with pneumonia, asked her daughter call all her close friends to visit on Saturday night for what would be the last night of her life. There must have been 60 people in the room that night. The nurse kept the doors shut so other would not be disturbed and let her enjoy everyone one last time. She was absoultely full of life, joking and telling old stories. She even said, dang, I wish I had my camera. At the time, it was a heart wrenching statement to hear, in hindsight, I think how incredible it would be to have images from her point of view. She made it throught the night and shut her body down around 10:00am on Sunday morning. Her heart beat was so faint but she was still in the room. The wonderful nurse told me she could still hear me, so I kissed her forehead, told her I love her and she was gone within two minutes.

The first two years, I cried at my loss, sometimes I could find a smile. Now I am able think of her without so many tears. I have had about 8 visits in dreams from her. I say visits because I know she was there, it was not my subconcious mind in restful thought. One very vivid meeting went like this. I was at lunch one day with 3 other friends when they decided to leave the table an sit at another. I looked at them strangely then heard Kathy on my right. (In life, she and I worked together and ate lunch nearly everyday) I asked what she was doing there. My heart felt light that she was back. She said "I miss Janes voice".( Jane was a long time family friend of Kathy's that has the most soothing peaceful voice.) She picked up her cell phone to call and I said, You can't call her on that one, it will freak her out to see your name come up on her phone, we'll call her on mine. I dialed Janes number and Kathy listened to Janes voice as she said Hello?...Hello? then Kathy used a sharp object like the end of a screw or nail and on a wire bird cage, and picked out the tune Happy Birthday to you. then it was all over, she was gone. The next day I remembered every detail but I had no idea what it meant. I decided to call Kathys brother Mike to tell him the dream. Mike said, you have to call Jane, her birthday is in 2 days and Kathy never forgot Janes birthday, or anyone's for that matter. When I called Jane to tell her about the visit, I could hear the great sadness lift to an overwhelming relief and she told me, The last thing Kathy said to her was, I'll find a way to get back, I'll never miss your birthday... I had no idea. Kathy and I were spiritual sisters and she knew if anyone would be receptive to her messages, it would be me.