Happy Thanksgiving

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussions' started by Kizmet, Nov 26, 2014.

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  1. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    I hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday. There's some inclement weather in my neighborhood (and many others) so please drive carefully and please don't drink and drive.:nono:
     
  2. airtorn

    airtorn Moderator

    It is 62 and sunny in my neighborhood and will be in the 70s by Saturday...perfect for a day on the bike.

    Happy Thanksgiving!
     
  3. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    It's snowing out, which is bad news for East Coast travellers, but very picturesque for my family and me. :cool:
     
  4. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    Every few years, celebrate this day, in part, with a reading of Art Buchwald's famous Thanksgiving column, thus:

    One of our most important holidays is Thanksgiving Day, known in France as le Jour de Merci Donnant.

    Le Jour de Merci Donnant was first started by a group of Pilgrims (Pélerins) who fled from l'Angleterre before the McCarran Act to found a colony in the New World (le Nouveau Monde) where they could shoot Indians (les Peaux-Rouges) and eat turkey (dinde) to their hearts' content.

    They landed at a place called Plymouth (now a famous voiture Américaine) in a wooden sailing ship called the Mayflower (or Fleur de Mai) in 1620. But while the Pélerins were killing the dindes, the Peaux-Rouges were killing the Pélerins, and there were several hard winters ahead for both of them. The only way the Peaux-Rouges helped the Pélerins was when they taught them to grow corn (mais). The reason they did this was because they liked corn with their Pélerins.

    In 1623, after another harsh year, the Pélerins' crops were so good that they decided to have a celebration and give thanks because more mais was raised by the Pélerins than Pélerins were killed by Peaux-Rouges.

    Every year on le Jour de Merci Donnant, parents tell their children an amusing story about the first celebration.

    It concerns a brave capitaine named Miles Standish (known in France as Kilomètres Deboutish) and a young, shy lieutenant named Jean Alden. Both of them were in love with a flower of Plymouth called Priscilla Mullens (no translation). The vieux capitaine said to the jeune lieutenant:

    "Go to the damsel Priscilla (allez tres vite chez Priscilla), the loveliest maiden of Plymouth (la plus jolie demoiselle de Plymouth). Say that a blunt old captain, a man not of words but of action (un vieux Fanfan la Tulipe), offers his hand and his heart, the hand and heart of a soldier. Not in these words, you know, but this, in short, is my meaning.

    "I am a maker of war (je suis un fabricant de la guerre) and not a maker of phrases. You, bred as a scholar (vous, qui êtes pain comme un étudiant), can say it in elegant language, such as you read in your books of the pleadings and wooings of lovers, such as you think best adapted to win the heart of the maiden."

    Although Jean was fit to be tied (convenable à être emballi), friendship prevailed over love and he went to his duty. But instead of using elegant language, he blurted out his mission. Priscilla was muted with amazement and sorrow (rendue muette par l'étonnement et las tristesse).

    At length she exclaimed, interrupting the ominous silence: "If the great captain of Plymouth is so very eager to wed me, why does he not come himself and take the trouble to woo me?" (Où est-il, le vieux Kilomètres? Pourquoi ne vient-il pas aupres de moi pour tenter sa chance?)

    Jean said that Kilomètres Deboutish was very busy and didn't have time for those things. He staggered on, telling what a wonderful husband Kilomètres would make. Finally Priscilla arched her eyebrows and said in a tremulous voice, "Why don't you speak for yourself, Jean?" (Chacun a son gout.)

    And so, on the fourth Thursday in November, American families sit down at a large table brimming with tasty dishes, and for the only time during the year eat better than the French do.

    No one can deny that le Jour de Merci Donnant is a grande fête and no matter how well fed American families are, they never forget to give thanks to Kilomètres Deboutish, who made this great day possible.
     
  5. RAM PhD

    RAM PhD Member

    We have so very much for which to be thankful. I can't state with any degree of certainty, however, in all probability, most DegreeInfo participants are no doubt blessed with the basic necessities of life. Let us be thankful for our provision.
     
  6. Koolcypher

    Koolcypher Member

    Happy Thanksgiving to all in the good ol' US of A from sunny Managua, Nicaragua. It was 90 degrees here today :aargh4:
     
  7. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    It's snowing out now in my neighborhood.
     
  8. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    One aspect of Thanksgiving that I don't like is the overdose of football. All weekend. On and on andonandonandon. The high school games on Thursday morning. College games non-stop Friday and Saturday. A deluge of football. You'd think it would be enough to watch the Pats beat the Packers on Sunday!:yeah::party::yup:
     
  9. airtorn

    airtorn Moderator

    I am OK with the Thursday games since I kind of like the post turkey nap while Dallas plays. Friday games, meh, I don't pay any attention to them.

    Really though, the only game I am really looking forward to this weekend is the Broncos-Chiefs game in a couple of hours.
     
  10. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Like most weekends, I watched zero sports this weekend.
     

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