Thanksgiving

Alphabetical list of what we are grateful for in 2013: animals, bread, cash & cats, dreams & dance, electricity, fire, google, health, internet, jeans, kidney stone remover, latkes, mashed potatoes, nature & needles, online shopping, potatoes, queens, reading, safety & spelling, taxes, unicorn tears (we grateful for the emotional manifestations of imaginary animals?), vasectomy's, women who wear yoga pants, xerox machines, yogurt, and zippers.  As the list was read by each person taking a letter around the table, I was confused by the "U" and the "W."  I was wearing black yoga pants (and a red top and someone said I looked like Olive Oyl but I don't think so).  So I said, "What is with the yoga pants?  Is this about me?  I'm wearing yoga pants."  The snickers, giggles, and laughter of the group of nephews gave me the answer - it wasn't about me at all.  The fact that I asked was hilarious to the randy young men.  Despite this defeating moment a good time was had by all.  I was really impressed by the art contest.  People put a lot of work into their entries.  One turkey had a Mohawk and a face looking out of the cabin window, some turkeys were purple and blue, sunflowers were drawn in the field, one very colorful turkey had flames on it's wings and back, one turkey had actual feathers on it, one turkey told the story of the French revolution, two turkeys had axes in the scene and one of them displayed the farmer's head in shocking irony.  I was impressed with the effort everyone made and the creativity they used.  So I think the art contest was mostly a success.  But golly - we almost needed Judge Judy in the house at some moments.  Rules were being bandied about.  We almost had a riot. I was surprised how much competitive spirit we had about coloring pages.  The intensity of feelings about the art contest was way out of proportion even though the prize was fabulous.  We had a recount of the vote.  Voter fraud was suspected. Individual ballots were examined and questioned. Democracy in art contests is difficult. Lessons have been learned.  Next year I will have to be more explicit about the rules.  I am seriously considering the suggestion of ranked choice voting. An unintended result of the Thanksgiving art contest was an intense, unforgettable lesson in citizenship.