DUers spending Thanksgiving alone. Check In.

[maveric]

My kids went with the ex and I'm scheduled to work the night shift at the hospital. Its quiet and relaxing but a bit sad because it envokes memories of past holidays when all was peachy and I was truly happy.
Oh Well...

Happy Thanksgiving to all here on DU!

[HawkerHurricane]

1. How can I be alone?

When there are 40 other people aboard the ship with me?

[Hell Hath No Fury]

21. Or when you have access...

to DU! :hi:

I couldn't make it out of town for the holiday so I'm here with my three gatos, some munchies, and a back to back showing of "Harry Potter" one and two.

It's been a wonderfully quiet day in the City and I've enjoyed the time alone. When I felt the need for a bit of non-verbal company I logged on and cruised the threads.

It's been a good day all in all.

[NaMeaHou]

2. Super happy thanksgiving to you also!

I'm alone for awhile, but in a few hours expect some noise and a few arguments.

I like my alone time. Spending time with others is very draining.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

3. I'm not alone but I wanted to post

and tell you I'm sorry for the tinge of loneliness this holiday leaves you with. YOu seem likr a nice enough guy..may the rest of your holidays be filled with family and love.

[joeybee12]

4. Thanks--cheer up, though, Thanksgiving is over-rated

Never cared for it.

My roommate is out of town, I'd just been back visitng the folks last week, so it's a quiet day--just got up from a nap.

Just think--you weren't forced--like those poor soldiers at the aiprort in Baghdad--to see that smirking chimp face up close while eating turkey!

[no one in particular]

5. I wish I could.

If it wasn't for having two small kids, I'd spend every holiday alone. My life goal is to be alone. Sounds weird, I know, but family and friends are a hassle I can do without.

[Don_G]

6. I've Got Company

A fifth of Wild Turkey, twelve beers and a fat, hairy cat.

[no one in particular]

7. That's my idea of a perfect Thanksgiving!

Only ten more years...

[shanti]

24. five years left here

it was just me and my 13 yr old this year, and i made the whole dinner. what sucks is that nobody called to wish me a happy turkey day. that would include 3 more sons, mother, sister, best friend. since it's always me that calls, i figured i'd wait and see who would do it this time - nada.:-(

at least i have my last son to comfort me, but not for too much longer. he said i made a "bomb" thanksgiving, lol.

i know i should quit feeling sorry for myself.

[NightTrain]

26. Sorry you're feeling so down

Here's a big ol' hug for ya! :hug:

[joeybee12]

8. Well, I've got four cats (only one is fat), a 2-liter of Diet Coke and a

freshly baked batch of brownies.

[Harrumph]

9. I'm all alone today....

by choice. I live in a small Mexican town with quite a large american population, but prefer to be alone. I have a 8 pound turkey breast in my oven and getting ready to start the dressing and extras. I love doing the cooking on my schedule and eating when I want. A couple of my mexican friends will probably stop by later this evening and I will invite them to share a piece of pie with me. I'm listening to a Babs CD and reading what's happening on DU and that makes my day. Have a happy thanksgiving!

[southerngirlwriter]

10. Alone by circumstances....

....the extended family usually goes to my Aunt's house, but this year she is having chemotherapy for breast cancer that's spread and metastatized (sp?). The only other person in the extended family with the cooking skills to host is my mom, who declined because they're moving in a couple of days.

So we all agreed to do our own thing. I was invited to several friends' houses, but I deeply enjoy my alone time. Being with other people drains me.

Last year, I spent Christmas alone putting together Legos. It was the happiest holiday I ever had. Seriously! People called a few times, feeling sorry for me. It was GREAT. :-D

[Dudley_DUright]

11. Happy Thanksgiving to you

I am also having a quiet Thanksgiving on my own. My wife is off visiting her sister. Our turkey day will be next week when she gets back.

[Piperay]

12. I won't be alone all day

going to see my father later but I know how those past holiday memories are. I keep thinking of when we had a large extended family and had big get togethers but most are dead or I am on the outs with the remainder, now it's just my father, brother, my boyfriend and myself. :-(

[Rowdyboy]

13. Back from my brothers house where I spent a few hours

with his wife's family (2 hours each way in the rain for a meal). My partners with his elderly mom, dogs with the sitter, and I'm about to unwind...

[NJCher]

14. restorative

Had a glorious day with my kitty!

I had two Thanksgiving dinners prior to today, though, with both sides of the family. We do it that way to avoid the jampacked airlines.

My husband fixed me a Thanksgiving dinner that only required for me to put it in the oven: spiral ham with honey glaze, pecan/orange stuffing, mixed vegetables, onion confit, a nice pinot grigio. He's with grandchildren today.

After that wonderful meal, I took a nap, checked DU and read a few end-of-term research papers. Now that it's dark, I see I am the only person home back here in the mountain; not one other single soul is home. No lights on anywhere, complete darkness. Tonight I'm building a couple Web pages for a freelance client.

I love my family but I wouldn't trade this day for anything! It's nice to see from this thread that I'm not the only person who needs some down time alone.




Cher

p.s. Welcome to DU, Southerngirlwriter. I'm going to PM you about those Legos.

[mlawson]

15. EVERYthing in town is closed today!!!!

WTF??? The city is packed with visitors and tourists, who are now wandering the dark streets downtown, wondering, WTF is wrong with this place?? Not ONE bar open, no place for them to eat (even the hotel restaurants and bars are closed!). Even the burger barns!! If these visitors, who are looking for places to SPEND MONEY, say 'fuck this!!' tomorrow morning and leave, I certainly do not blame them!!

Last year *some* places were open here; but this economicaly irrational behaviour is spreading like an illness.

[Nikia]

16. Yes, my volunteering plans fell through

I couldn't get through to anyone who said that I could come in and help. I talked to my mother-in-law who said that I should have come over. (It's three hours away and they are mean to me though.) I should have spent it with one of my coworkers. Oh, well. I got a chicken sandwich from the gas station. My husband gets back tomarrow evening. He said that he would cook for me if I wanted some kind of Thanksgiving celebration.

[quinnox]

17. I am spending most of the day by myself

I was invited to go out with a couple, but I declined. In a couple hours, I will be going out with a friend to get a bite. We will probably go to a local chicken place, it is very greasy. And very good!

[WWW]

18. but you aren't alone...

There are others out here who did the dinner and now are alone with their computer...Happy Thanksgiving! I wish this could be more profound...but every man is an island..blah, blah,..even those of us who are connected to DU!

[AnnabelLee]

19. My husband is in Texas

& I'm home alone in WI with my cats & dogs. I could have gone to my mother's house or to my in-laws, but I much prefer to spend the day (all holidays, really) by myself. I also find being around people to be very draining; having chronic depression, I've found that anything that throws off my daily routine can lead to unpleasant consequences, so I'm very happy to stay home & putter around the house, checking in on DU now & then.

[KCDem]

20. a toast to you lucky ones!

:beer:

Seriously, there's something to be said for not having to prepare an impressive dinner for others, and to clean up afterwards. Solitude is underrated.

Happy Tday to everyone out there.

[BuelahWitch]

22. I made my first turkey today

Just for me. Wow, never again, what a mess! LOL Kitty liked getting bites though...

[RainDog]

23. hugs to you

I'm by myself today, by choice.

My two sons are with their dad and his live-in secretary.

I'm not sad or lonely, however, and this day has been really nice for me because I've had the chance to piddle around at house stuff and done all sorts of things I've procrastinated on for too long, and even cleaned out underneath my sink cabinet..just on the spur of the moment and then really got into the whole thing...weird.

anyway, as I posted yesterday, I'm also watching some movies and I've read stuff online off and on.

As far as the memories...it's strange how things change, and how our ability to perceive them changes, too.

I have some happy memories of times when I was younger, and with my husband, too, but I also know that there were things that weren't all great then.

having time away from them blunts the aggravation and leaves the good memories, I think. And that's a good thing, because we should be able to be thankful for the people who have been so meaningful to us in our lives.

yet we and others change and things happen which we cannot anticipate, both good and bad.

I guess what I'm trying to say in all of this is that it's good to come to a point of recognition that you can be happy whatever your circumstances may be by recognizing the many ways you are blessed.

...not that I always do that, but I'm always a better person when I do. :)

[NightTrain]

25. Thanks to college radio and DU, I felt a lot less alone this year!

This afternoon, I did a fill-in at my college radio station. And after I posted a notice that I was on the air today, several DUers logged on to the webcast and kept me company via the Lounge. You can read the thread here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=462077

Thanks to DU, I felt a lot less alone than I have on the previous several Thanksgivings. What can I say but, "Thank you!" :yourock:

[supernova]

27. Back from my sister's and great aunt's

houses.

I spent yesterday last night at my sister's. We cooked and ate our thanksgiving meal there. Watched movies too. She was so sweet to tape the movie From Hell for me.

Today we had another Thanksgiving lunch and then went over to our cousin's house to visit and pick up our great aunt. I love all of them. It was great seeing them.

We brought my aunt back to her house. My aunt, sweet as she is, wanted me to stay (as my sister is tonight) But toward the 10 o'clock hour I was a bit anxious to get home. I wanted my music, my wine, none of which I can do around others. Though, I could have had wine at my cousin's house.

I just felt the need to be back here at my house...alone.

[murielm99]

28. My first husband died on November 10, 1975...

I was 27 at the time. He had cancer.

It was not a great Thanksgiving, or Christmas, that year. Sure, I went to my parents, and to my in-laws for the holiday stuff, but I was really alone when I returned home.

Today, I just finished a great Thanksgiving meal, with my second husband, of twenty-five years. My three kids helped prepare things. They are now 24, 22 and 19.

Things change. I do remember my alone times, and I remember how I learned to savor and appreciate them, too. Sometimes being alone can be wonderful, even after a tragedy.

Enjoy your times alone when you have them. Get out of the house, if you need to, by volunteering or just driving somewhere.

Happy Thanksgiving, all.

[zelda7743]

29. Allllll byyyyy myyyyyselllllffffffff.....don't wanna be....allllll byyyy

myyyyyyyselllllfffff.

That's what I get for living thousands of miles from any family. :)