Thank You Arlo

It used to be so simple. Pilgrim hats and Indian head dresses. We'll bring the turkey; you bring the corn. We used to act out that original potluck at school and put the same characters in wax on our dinner table. America was our cornucopia.
But by high school I found out that a lot of things were left out of my history books. Early on I never thought much about the impact of people who said things like "Whoops, we thought we were in India." Times have changed immeasurably since I was a kid, but we never did burn those candles that still decorate our family's table.


Well, maybe once.

Now, when I think of Thanksgiving, I feel sad and bad on many levels and try to get over that and feel happy and thankful which I am.
I am thankful that Magruder's has such good liquor prices, and I am thankful for the wine I picked up there for Thursday's dinner which is going to make me and a lucky member or two of my family happy.
I am thankful I don't have to make the turkey.
I am happy to make my own cranberry relish which no one else in my family will eat, but that's okay- more for me. There I 'm happy again.

But let's move on.

After Thanksgiving I am usually so exhausted I cannot move even though all I did was drive a few miles and eat too much. It's all I can do to make it to a couch and lie there in lizard like lethargy. It must be all the mental hoopla which comes from consorting with too many family members in one room at one time taking up all the available air. If, however, I did want to get out (which is never out of the question) the place to go on Thursday night would be the Sunset Grille where the Thrillbillys play- even on Thanksgiving.

By Friday I usually have my get up and go back, and there is a lot going on to help dance off that dinner.

The Grandsons are playing at the Barns at Wolf Trap- a most excellent band in a most excellent venue. I love the Barns because it's one of the few places the park service will let you drink. In fact they sell it to you. Did I mention the place is beautiful? And Derek Huston, our favorite McLean-New Orleans son will be flying in to add his "cool cat" horn to the mix.

Hands down this would be the show to go to if there wasn't another excellent band in yet another favorite venue. The Nighthawks are playing the State Theater, a renovated-for-rock movie house, which features everything you need at a rock show- bars for the thirsty, tables for the hungry, a dance floor for the antsy, and a balcony overlooking the hoi polloi for the spectator who needs a break from the action.

With all that going on, it would be irresponsible of me not to say I am happy and thankful to live in D.C. where once upon a time you could always count on hearing "Alice's Restaurant" on our dearly beloved gone away radio station WHFS, and that used to make me very happy, but that's another story.