Dave’s Most Memorable Thanksgivings – The Three Legged Dog and the Javalina

My family and I were sitting around talking the other night, planning Thanksgiving dinner, when we began to reminisce about Thanksgivings past. There are some good stories.

Back in 1984, my parents and I flew to Dallas to meet members of my family who live in New Mexico. It was kind of a halfway point, but the real point was that we had end zone tickets to a Cowboys/New England Patriots game. On Thanksgiving!! How seriously cool is that?!?

We had Thanksgiving dinner at some restaurant then drove to Texas Stadium--this was long before Cowboys Stadium. I remember my New Mexico relatives freaking out over my dinner selection. I didn't order turkey. I ordered ham. Well, you would have thought I ORDERED a hit on the Pope. I told them that I have turkey every year and love it, but I didn't trust ordering it out. So I got ham. And it was really okay that I got ham.

Anyway, when we got to the stadium we walked like 3 miles from where we parked. The seats were great, but it was really cold. Yeah, I know it was late November, but I figured we'd get a little break in Dallas. No dice.

The game was a blast, nonetheless. The Cowboys demolished the Patriots.

As a bonus to a really great trip, on the flight back to Nashville, we sat right behind the Oak Ridge Boys. They were in the back of first class; we were in the front of coach.

Awesome Thanksgiving vacation.

In 1995, the last Thanksgiving my parents hosted at the old house, my aunt and uncle visited from New Mexico. I wonder if they realize how often they pop up in funny holiday stories. Anyway, they did not come alone.

They brought their pets--a small, yet adult, pig called a javalina and a three-legged Yorkshire terrier. The dog had been born with only three legs and, being an animal, had fully adapted to its predicament.

So there they were running around the backyard. I have no idea what the look on my face was, but my dad cracked up when he saw me see the pig for the first time. By the way, the pig and the dog got along great.

But, wait! There's more.

Mom and Dad had an apartment attached to the back of their house where my grandfather lived until he died. So that kitchen and the main kitchen were in full use. But do you know where the turkey was prepared?

Yep, you guessed it--in an electric roasting pan on the washing machine. Where else?

Hilarious.

The turkey was a bit dry that year. Maybe we should have added a little fabric softener.

It was right there.

Finally--and this is the one that gets the biggest laughs around the table--back in 2003, we had to move Thanksgiving dinner into another room. My parents' apartment wasn't huge and the dining room and kitchen weren't separated.

So it became kind of a big problem when the sink backed up. And it was nasty! And it was Thanksgiving. And we needed that sink. So they called their landlady who called plumbers who, on Turkey Day, came over and fixed the issue.

They were great guys, not at all seeming like they were seriously put out doing this on a holiday. But, then again, they were likely making serious bank. Meanwhile, we're having Thanksgiving dinner--six of us--on two card tables in the living room.

You have to laugh. We certainly did. We still do.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!