Thanksgiving in the TH

Sixty-one people in the TH for Thanksgiving dinner, plus a take-out dinner for two.

The Tea House Staff was extraordinary: Thank you Mike Thibault, for efficient vegetable prep and extraordinary turkey carving and serving; Brenda, for working two days straight and in particular for making the wonderful TH dressing; BA, for doing the board and getting the tables cleaned off in between seatings, plus serving soups, clearing plates and getting the keeping the dining room under control; Gabrielle, our unbelievable dishwasher who kept up with it all while still serving rolls and pouring refills of water and punch; Deb, who came out from Calgary in the early afternoon and stayed till almost 1 a.m., laying the table for the first seating, getting food prepared and served, and cleaning up when it was all over; Dad, for turnips like only Dad can make; and Norma, who came in the next day to wash stemware and china.

All the guests - okay, almost all! - seemed happy to be there and thankful for the food and the effort. I was too busy to take any pictures - except one.

Here is Gerald, who came at the invitation of the Teahouse Sweetheart, who happens to be his mother and is one of the people we love the most for her encouragement, prayers, support and, well, because she is a sweetheart. One of the things we are most grateful for is that she is recovered from the fall and that she is still up and about, sharing her indefatigable spirit and her deep-seated, quiet kindness with all those fortunate enough to come into contact with her.

At her table with her were her four favourite people: her daughter and her husband, and Gerald and his wife.

After they all ordered pecan pie Gerald, joking, said, "Might as well bring us the whole pie!"

So we did.

Thank you all of you who joined us for such a wonderful evening!

Here's the ultimate Thanksgiving song for people right in the middle of Alberta farm country ... except for in this version it's sung by the choir and congregation of St George's Windsor. I chose this version because it wasn't just a choir singing; the faces of the congregation are joyful as they pour out their song in praise to God. You and I could be singing with them!