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Show Monday, November 24, 1986 The Daily Universe Page 3 Giving thanks is great, but we're doing it on the wrong day 1621 By JANENE WOLSEY BAADSGAARD Janene Baadsgaard is the author of a book for LDS women, a regular columnist for The Deseret New and a BY U student. Now dont get me wrong. I think Thanksgiving is a terrific holiday, I love the turkey and the gratefulness and all that cranberry sauce as much as the next guy. Its just that somebody Thanksgivings as a child, grandmother, and friend By MIRLA GREENWOOD THAYNE Mirla Thayne is a LDS author who now resides in Provo. She has written articles and poetry, and many people will know her for uniting the words to the song I Wonder When He Comes Again." When I was first asked to write about the Thanksgiving that I remember best, I was hesitant. As an Octegenarian, my memories are many, but some have faded into oblivion. A few moments of concetration, however, turned on the little tape recorder in my and I was again a little child peering through the d window hoping that grandma and grandpa would soon appear. Grandpas shiny ebony sleigh drawn by two sleek horses would carve the first d design on the country road. Grandpa would be wearing his big fur coat that covered him from foot to throat. Grandma would be cuddled up in the blanket so close to him that I was never sure she was there. When I opened the creaking door for them, grandpa would pick me up in his great arms, and through frost fringed mustache and in his jolly English brogue would say, Ows my girl? He would dance around the room with me in his arms while we sang Over the River and Through the Woods, and the aromas of roasting turkey, glazed sweet potatoes and pumpkin pies would blend into one sweet, spicy aura. I would sit by grandpa at the table and listen, intently, to the story of the first Thanksgiving. The prayer was longer than usual, so much to be thankful for. Our country, love, home and family. Mans choicest blessings, and a little girls happiness and security. Now, the little tape recorder skipped many happy years and I was a grandmother preparing Thanksgiving dinner for my own children and their siblings. Surely, this was a more joyous memory. Methods of cooking were much different now. The smoky, black coal stove had given way to the shiny electric range. Central heating kept every room toasty with only a push of a button, snow plows made travel much safer, and automobiles pushed the horse and buggy out of sight and nearly out of mind. The joys of family life were just as treasured. The Thanksgiving menu and its serving were much the same, but served with a few added frills. The age-ol- d story of the Pilgrims was unchanged and the prayers of gratitude just as sincere. Buffy, our pet Poodle, had decided to have her babies on Thanksgiving day. I left my cooking often to check on her, to get her safely settled into the box in the little north bedroom. The signs of imminent delivery increased as the hours lengthened. Knowing the curiosity of the children, I concocted a sign to put on the bedroom door. . QUIET, MATERNITY WARD. DO NOT EN- TER WITHOUT ASKING GRANDMA. Kay was the first guest to enter the house. Wheres Buff, Grandma? was his first question. I did not answer at once. Grandma, what do those words say on the door Cont. on page 14. of Davids room . . . put Thanksgiving on the wrong day. Yes, I know that during the Civil War, Sarah Josepha Hale convinced Abraham Lincoln to proclaim the last Thursday of November, 1863 as a day of prayerful thanksgiving. Yes, 1 know that Sara Josepha Hale wrote Mary Had a Little Lamb and that people who write nursery rhymes cant be all bad. Yes, I know that Abraham Lincoln is one of the most honored men in American history. Its just that I think they made a little mistake when they stuck Thanksgiving so far toward the end of the calendar year. Now before you tell me that no honorable citizen of the United States would find fault with Thanksgiving Day and Abraham Lincoln all in one breath, let me explain. feast in Ever since Governor Bradford declared a three-da- y because of a good harvest in New England, most of us like to think of Thanksgiving as a sort of harvest festival. But in Canada and the United States where this holiday is celebrated, harvest time does not come in the end of Novemeber. By the end of November, all that good harvest stuff is black, dead and buried under a foot of snow. If we had any sense, wed follow the lead of our neighbors to the north. Before 1957, Thanksgiving in Canada was celebrated on the last Monday in October. But after that, the Canadian government proclaimed the second Monday in October Thanksgiving day. Y ou know people from Canada raise some pretty good things (my parents were born and raised there). But here in the States, we stick to the last Thursday like it is some sort of tradition or something. Actually, the fourth Thursday in November is only our most recent tradition. One of the first Thanksgiving observances in America was entirely religious and didnt include any goodies at all. A group of 39 very tired English settlers arrived here so happy to be alive that the groups charter required the day of arrival be observed yearly as a day of thanksgiving to God. Cont. on page 14. . Provo. Thanksgiving Reflections Universe illustration by Rachel Adams v feel better. Donna Bailey and Evelyn Cameron walked home with me. Maybe you'd better go to bed and cover up and well bring you some hot bread and milk. Prue and Molly had said it would be better if the other children didnt know about our food situation. Going back to school, we passed the Monroes Cont. on page 14. house. Five-year-o- ld The last feast at grandma's house By EDWARD H. BOYER ; ; Edward Boyer is a long-tim- e Springville resident. He has twelve children (eleven of whom are living), over 40 grandchildren and eight He and his wife, Vesta, served a mission in Charlotte, N.C., and recently re- turned from a temple mission at the Temple. He noiv works at the Provo Temple. My grandmother, Julia Ann Cran- dall, was a cripple. She rode in a wagon coming across the plains. When my grandfather, John Sell Boyer, was a young man, he visited Crandall family often. Julia Anns mother was critically ill. During his visits to the family, Sis- ter Crandall asked him to take care of Julia Ann. He told his future mother- that he would. So he carried in-la- w CompuTune 374-077- Diagnostic Install New Spark Plugs Install the following parts as necessary, AT NO EXTRA COST: Condencer PCV Valve Fuel Filter Distributor Cap Spark Plug Wires Air Filter Coil Wire Rotor These parts are replaced only if they prove to be defective. Adjust Dwell, Timing, Idle Speed and Idle Mixture (unless sealed) 6 month or 6,000 mile warranty on all parts and adjustments and 6 Cylinder V-- 6 and V-- 8 $49.95 $39.95 prices apply to most passenger cars and light trucks CompuTune Extra Service Coupon Free check and fill: tire radiator coolant, pressure, battery Qg- - IAI oeh iaoi radiator hoses, Expires 12-31-- 86 oil level chil-Swi- cel-th- Come join us for a 5 Tune-- Up Points Julia Ann to the Manti Temple, where they were married. Later, when we grandchildren were all young, all of the family would be invited to the John Sell Boyers home for Thanksgiving. This we all enjoyed. The year I remember most was when the family was too big to all eat together. Thus all of the younger dren were fed first. Then while the adults and older children were eating, we were permitted to play, This day we had the time of our lives. We played hide and seek in the pantry, in every room and closet in e the whole house, and even in the lar. None of us have ever forgotten that day. The next message we received was: It is just too much for Grandma. Next year, each family will have to have their own Thanksgiving. Stuck in Provo for Thanksgiving? The Engine Performance Experts 1272 North 300 West, Provo fan miles from Our house was twenty-on- e the ranch. In the summertime you could make it in an hour with a car, but in the winter you couldnt get through with a car and it took from 5 to 12 hours with a sleigh, depending on whether or not anyone had gone ahead of you. and we had about It was the winter of 1920-2five feet of snow from November to March. Nobody else ever gave this snow a thought, but we did because our monthly food supply depended on whether or not Papa could get through from the ranch with the groceries. Papa came over with a sleigh and would bring things like potatoes, flour, coal and oil. He generally came Saturday and stayed for church Sunday. and after But one Saturday he didnt come wed waited up until way into the night, Molly and Prue made us go to bed. He hadnt come by morning, so we went to church without him. By Wednesday we were out of sugar and by Friday we had used the last of the rice, but Papa but Saturday would surely be over this Saturday came and Papa didn't. The telephone lines were down and the mail wasnt running, so we couldnt find out what the trouble was with Papa. For our Sunday dinner we boiled our last pint of beans. We were out of salt, but we put pepper in them. By Wednesday, the beans were mostly soup and F riday morning we went to school with nothing but a cupful of warm water with a little pepper in it, swishing around in our middle regions. Mrs. Williston taught my room. She always read us a chapter from some book to start us off in the morning. On that Friday morning, the chapter was long, and that pepper tea started to itch and roll around like a volcano about to erupt. It was hard to hold up the two fingers that were supposed to excuse you without asking, but Mrs. Williston just frowned and shook her head. There was no use. Things were going from dark and all of a sudden, the volcano blue to black erupted, and my pepper tea breakfast was a puddle in the aisle. Mrs. Williston came down the aisle. "Perhaps we ought to have an early recess, she said to the class. After they had gone, she said, Eva, what did you have for breakfast? Couldnt she see? There was the puddle. Eva, she said, On cold mornings like this you must eat a good breakfast. Perhaps you had better go home for the rest of the day. Or come back at noon if you two-roo- snow-packe- check belts! By well-know- n frost-glaze- 4 food was our feast any ORA PATE STEWART LDS author of Ora Pate Stewart is a " many books and poems, including Tender Apples" and " The Singing Kings." She now lives in well-love- d DiagnosticTest On a cold day in winter, Offer valid when you purchase a Tune-u- p at the regular price.J THANKSGIVING DAY CELEBRATION! Relax by the fire with your friends Watch all the football games and parades on two big screen T.V.s Enjoy your turkey dinner from the Wilkinson Dining Center ($4.50) in the Memorial Lounge See Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby in "Holiday Inn Laugh with an Abbot and Costello Gassic Plenty of munchies all day long! Make it a fun, not a boring day by joining us in the ELWC Step-dow- n Lounge and Memorial Lounge 11 from am to 4 pm for a Happy Thanksgiving! 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