Thanksgiving in Erwin, Tn

imported
#1

Every year it seems that Thanksgiving gets less and less attention. There used to Halloween…(pause)… Thanksgiving… (pause)…then Christmas.

This year there were Christmas carols playing in stores before the leftover Halloween candy went on sale! We try to make it a little more important at our house.

This year has been both wonderful and trying at times. But I have so much to be thankful for. My terrific, beautiful, healthy daughters, a home that is alive with the spirit and laughter of great people, awesome friends and the magic of this big warm trail family.
I am also thankful for all of the Trail Magic. Trail Magic is more than just a cold soda on a hot day in May or room made in a crowed shelter on a cold rainy night. Trail Magic happens off the trail as well. For me, Trail Magic is the hiker that starts the coffee because I hit the snooze button (five times!) or the group hiking together that cooks a great breakfast when I have the “Erwin Flu”. It is the young man that spent college summers as a plumber’s helper that comes to my house the same day we develop a huge water leak in our 100 year old pipes or the kid that is a whiz with old engines, when the van has over 200,000 miles! Trail Magic is the hikers that take time from their hike or their busy lives to support, call, email, write letters and send their prayers when they hear there is some problem in my life. It is the hiker that in appreciation, gives me one of his many Thruhiker certificates and 2,000 miler rocker arms so I can be an Honorary 2000 Miler! It is the smiles and the hugs and the many heartfelt “Thank You” through out the year! Trail Magic to me is all of this and much more than I could ever express. Thank You!!

Our Thanksgiving Celebration here at Miss Janet’s House this year will be on Thanksgiving Day. We will be cooking the evening before and all morning on Thanksgiving. There will be all the usual holiday fare and maybe a few surprises. Dinner will be 2:00ish and anyone that wants to join us is invited. I would love to have a houseful!! Just let me know so we know how many birds to roast! If you have a culinary masterpiece you want to contribute we will add it to the menu.

For several years I have tried to include as many of the Southbound Thruhikers as we can. If you know any SOBO’s on the trail this year that are expected to be anywhere near Erwin, Tennessee, please let them know they are invited to Thanksgiving dinner with my family and friends. If they need a ride from somewhere on the trail, we will pick them up and take them back. It is easy to get the word out about events during the Northbound season but a lot harder to let the SOBO’s know, so your help will be appreciated.

HAPPY THANKGIVING!!!
From Miss Janet and the girls!
(423)743-1932
themissjanet@earthlink.net

Miss Janet

#2

Forgive me everyone, but when is thanksgiving??
I’m not to up on American holidays.

Ross

Ross - London,England

#3

To put it simply, Thanksgiving is the day we American Yanks celebrate the Pilgrims first succesful harvest in the New World, after having left the tortuous tyranny of 17th century British monarchy. It is celebrated on the 4th Thursday in November. A large dinner spread of oft American faire, including turkey (or ham), yams, stuffing, etc., is prepared. Family and/or friends are invited to dinner, everybody pretends to be cordial, eats too much, watches a big sporting event on TV, etc. If you are working afternoon or swing shifts, your company often puts out a pseudo-dinner of turkey-like substance, yam-like substance, stuffing-like substance, etc., that several employees are forced to call off the next day of work do to food poisoning. It also allows the big corporate stores time to have their illegal immigrant employees work all night to put up all the Christmas displays so capitalize on the biggest shopping day of the year, Thanksgiving Day +1, the Friday after Thanksgiving Day. :smiley:

airferret :wink:

airferret

#4

Miss Janet, I wish I could be there. Your place is one of the many I specifically plan to visit on my hike next year. It has been many years, 1994 I think, since I have been somewhere for Thanksgiving Dinner, especially a welcome/warm/hospitable place.

look forward ot meeting you next year.

airferret

airferret

#5

I apologise for my ignorance. Like most people in England, my familys roots are’nt here. My roots are Irish, Welsh and Jamaican (strange combination i know). I have unknown relatives in the U.S somewhere when some of my family left during the potatoe famine. Some stayed in Ireland and fought for the British during the 1st world war. When they returned home the republicans tried to kill them for fighting for the British, so they had to come here…hence…me.

A small part of my family history for you there.
Ross A.T 2004
P.S Can you guess what we celebrate over here on 5th November??

Ross - London,England

#6

Miss Janet

If there was anywhere in the world that I could be for thanksgiving by my choice this year or any year it would be with your family and the hikers. Actually blood relatives I guess win out this year; with the death of my grandmother happening recently and other things. I will be thinking of you and yours and all the hikers I met at your home and on the trail on this holiday of happiness and rejoicing. Maybe one year I’ll get down there to fight for a drumstick. Hopefully see you sometime in the spring.

Big Boy

Big Boy

#7

Hey Yo,

       Mrs. Janet, I must gleefully inform you that you were wrong. Yup Wrong! Yo-Yo never ever took that offer for slackpacking, all the way to Ktahdin, carried his pack all the way up to the top. I think you owe him a breakfast when he comes to Erwin again...........LOVE YO-YO!

ps How come woman have smaller feet than men? Love Janet and thanks so much for the wonderful couple of days I had at you all incusive resot!

Yo-YO

#8

Dear Miss Janet,

What a wonderful generous offer of hospitality you have given to the AT trail community. I am glad that I met you at The Gathering in New Hampshire. Next year when I hike the AT I will schedule a stop at your hospitality house.

Alas, I will not be among the throng that gathers with you this Thanksgiving Day, but be assured that you will be in my Thanksgiving Prayers, as well as all of those who gather at your table. For you to provide a home away from home for so many who walk up and down this great country of ours is a blessing. Surely God will bless you for your gift of hospitality.

Skylander Jack (from NYC) – See you in 2004!

Skylander

#9

Miss Janet,
Your topic has touched me. BTW,I am still on the trail! I’m in Vernon,N.J. currently. And have to Delaware Water Gap to finish. I’m frozen and a bit sad thinking I may be spending Thanksgiving alone. But possibly I may finish and somehow get to Erwin for a feast?! Will let you know in the coming week what happens.

Detour