Thanksgiving Day and Dinner, Hay Family

I am blessed to be included in this Thanksgiving Day and Dinner, my brother, Ron, and sister - in - law, Adell, created in their Hay Bay home. They’ve been living here now a single year.
Canada’s thanksgiving has been a national holiday since 1879.  In 1957 a proclamation stated that Thanksgiving was to be “A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest for which Canada has been blessed.”  Thank you Almighty God.  Thank you Canada.  Apparently the first celebration of thanksgiving in Canada was in 1579 by Martin Frobisher when searching for the Northwest Passage.
My nephew Allan was here. We’d gone for hair cuts in honour of the occasion.  But mostly because both of us seem so busy that we rarely have time for things like haircuts.  He’s a psychologist and I’m a psychiatrist.  We have a lot to talk about.
Velma and Melvin are Adell’s closest relatives here, both retired, one a former librarian and the other formerly with child protection services.  I like them a lot.  Educated intelligent ladies with lots of wisdom and that challenging Christian pleasant politeness and good manners. They remind me a lot of my beloved deceased Aunt Sally, my favourite Baptist Bible.
My nephew Graeme arrived with Elysse. Graeme is a chemical engineer now working in a nuclear energy plant.  He’s also a photographer, moving maker and astronomer. Thanks to his telescope I’d get to see a close up view of Andromeda.  Pretty exciting stuff for an old guy who grew up on Space flights, Star Trek, Dr. Who and NASA.  Ellysse is a teacher.  My sister in law Adell taught but retired a Principal.  Allan was marking psychology papers this weekend. There was considerable talk of school related topics.
My nephew Andrew arrived with his wife Tanya.  Andrew is now working on his masters and Tanya is doing advanced computer studies.  It only seems yesterday that I was at their wedding wearing a Hunting Hay Tartan Kilt.
Gilbert and Eva had a marvellously exciting little dog bark fest and jump up and down a lot time as each visitor arrived.
Ron played guitar some. The young people played a couple of card games.  Adell and the ladies ‘worked’ in the kitchen on an off.  Melvin and Velma and I had some good books on the go.  We discussed politics.  We had a lot of negative things to say collectively about the Niqab and face coverings in Canada.  No one liked the Troudeau pot smoking platform but some liked the Liberal Party. The NDP and Conservative pros and cons were laid out.  One of my nephews wasn’t too keen on Canadian military spending.  Quebec corruption was a topic. Aboriginal chiefs million and welfare fraud upset people.  Everyone in the family is hard working. Everyone is going to vote. Mostly people were voting in self defence.
Adell’s Thanksgiving dinner was magnificent. Velma’s grace was a great prayer of thanksgiving. With Ron well I was fairly ecstatic.  We had a close call earlier this year and every visit I find him healthier and well. It’s a miracle really. I’m so thankful tor the time we have together as a family. His children are so amazing. His wife is a joy.  He started learning guitar a short while ago.  Now with each visit he’s progresses light years.  That’s my brother. If he puts his mind to something he succeeds.  He had Allan and I digging dirt for him. Now that’s another miracle.  Both Allan and I are desk jockeys but there we were slinging dirt in the wheel barrel.
I love the turkey.  We had Elizabeth and Phil’s BC Cranberries too.  We’d been to the Bath Market and I got pickled beets which always remind me of my Mother who always made these. I didn’t particularly like them as a kid but because of her and my fond memories of her I’ve grown to love them today.