Day 10: Thanksgiving at the TH

What a beautiful day it was! There were so many moments that filled my heart with joy; I can't choose just one, so you'll have to work through the day with me.

It started shortly after 6 a.m. when I stumbled downstairs to get pumpkin and pecan pies in the oven and cut and boil the sweet potatoes. Operating on about four hours of sleep, I was a bit apprehensive at the thought of being around knives; but then I went to open the windows to let in the day, and this is what I was greeted with:

 

"Pyramus and Thisbe" welcoming the day



View to the east




 



Good morning, Van Dorens!



I managed a good start on the day and then went to BA's and Allan's & Angela's church to accompany Allan and Angela as they did the special music together in a service for the first time in two years. What a privilege to be in the church the day that they sang!



Wonderful words for this day of thanksgiving ...

 Then it was back to the TH to continue with preparations. Thanks to Norma and Deborah, the vegetables were peeled and only needed my cutting them and cooking them.



Beautifully handlettered place cards, one for each guest



The dining room was almost set, and then my dear BA unexpectedly came in and put the finishing touches on the tables and wrote the menu board for me:




Oops: Missed the turnips - my favourite!



The first guests arrived at 5 o'clock, and the evening was underway. All in all, about 40 people had turkey dinner at Nilgiris; and then we had a good number of guests for dessert after that.

Angela, Curt, Jocelyn and I - with liberal doses of help from BA and Deborah - breathed a collective sigh of relief at the end of the evening. But it was so satisfying for all of us to see how happy people were, how, as several put it, "it was like eating with your family in your own home ... without having to do the dishes!"

Thank you, Nilgiris, for yet another magical evening.

Thank You, God, for everything.