Thanksgiving at my daughter Marisa’s house was a little different this year. As the grandchildren grow older, they develop other commitments. Jolie lives in Connecticut where she’d have to quarantine if she flew out of state. As it turned out, she was in quarantine anyway because of her husband’s co-worker. Kaitlyn got stuck working the holiday shift as desk clerk at a motel. Kat and her family decided to celebrate at home.

The rest of us gathered with careful social distancing. There were no hugs from the grandchildren, but the dog gave me an enthusiastic welcome. With food served buffet style, we took turns as family groups to fill our plates to avoid getting too close. Everyone had assigned seats. I sat at the middle of a long table with my daughter at one end and my son-in-law at the other. My son-in-law’s parents were seated at a small table to one side. The grandchildren were at tables at the other end of the room.

We used disposable plates, cups and utensils. Besides being safer, it made cleanup a lot quicker. Doors were open to allow for air flow.

Marisa set up a Zoom meeting with the missing grandchildren. About halfway through the meal, we passed around the laptop so we could all visit face-to-face. There’s nothing quite like hearing a three-year-old’s infectious giggle to lighten the mood. She was wielding her fork as she enjoyed dessert with chocolate cake crumbs on her cheek. Later in the video meet, she managed to lock her one-year-old brother into the metal dog crate along with the good-natured family dog.

Jolie showed us the beautifully decorated chocolate cake with salted caramel icing she made for her extended family in Connecticut. She works in a bakery making thousands of cupcakes each day. Kaitlyn was on lunch break at the motel where business was very slow. But that job works well as she has plenty of time to study.

Marisa even prepared the bathroom with a touchless soap dispenser and paper hand towels. The soap dispenser shot out a handful of foam when you held your hands beneath the spout. I noticed it still had a drip so tried to wipe it off. Not a good idea, as I got another handful of foamy soap.

After the meal, the younger generation dispersed for other activities while the adults caught up on news. Although my daughter took some photos with her cellphone, we missed out on an updated family photo. There were too many family members absent. Mid-afternoon I headed back to Alva with a container of leftovers. With the coronavirus still impacting daily life, we’re keeping Christmas plans flexible.