At Home for the Holidays
I’ve managed to enjoy a nice Turkey Dinner with folks since returning home.
Thanksgiving was spent with my wife’s family which included the generous offerings of a home cooked meal at her Aunt and Uncle’s home. Turkey with all the trimmings including some Lebanese Fatoush salad along with Pumpkin Pie and a special Italian custard pudding with bits of shaved chocolate rounded out the full menu of dinner items. I can estimate that almost a third of the years working aboard ship, I have missed either a Thanksgiving or Christmas Day meal and have had to suffer the consequences by calling in after the day was through and listening to all the family’s testimonials describing how good things were, back at home.
The chances were good, however, that some sort of shipboard meal was cooked up in holiday fashion. I’m not knocking the quality of supper which the steward department could muster up, but nothing can compare to the warmth, generosity, and feeling of contentment, one gets by being with those who love them.
It surely takes a conscience like no other, to accept shipboard life even when holidays such as Thanksgiving or Christmas approach. Some ships that I’ve worked on, have had elaborate Christmas trees adorning a passageway near the Galley or Lounge. And on other ships, not any symbol that a holiday had passed was evident with the absence of any decorations. Depending on the work schedule, if and when the ship may be loading or unloading cargo may supper be held early in the afternoon of the holiday event or a day earlier and chances that most of the crew not gather to simply enjoy the company of each other are likely due to timing conflicts.
If an event such as a Holiday happens to fall on the rotation which allows a mariner to be home, this is an added bonus. Otherwise, the day merely continues as any other day with the exception that added ‘bonus’ pay or ‘holiday’ pay makes for a larger check during the next pay period. This may, in fact, be the gift we are entitled.
Now, I have assembled the seven-foot artificial Douglas Fur and awaiting the assistance of the wife to set the ornaments in place. I’ll let you know how it goes in the next blog.
Have a great day!
2 Responses to “At Home for the Holidays”
Discussion Area - Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.
The tree is adorned, and yet it is”plain” remember less is more. Thank god mom did not do the decorating this year! Ha-ha!!
xo
The Rabiandfamily in Philly.
Happy new year to you and Michelle
and have a great time in snowy Michigan.