No fruitful information On the edge of winter comes November, reintroducing early evenings, crisp air and bare trees but, before winter's hibernation arrives, the annual compensation of Thanksgiving brings families and friends together to celebrate life with food. Common on most tables, turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole and pumpkin pie fill our stomachs and warm our hearts. Every Thanksgiving brings recognition of a year of change, and this past Thanksgiving is no exception. As part of a family of eight children, I enjoy Thanksgiving with more than 30 members, and while many have come and gone, it seems to take a new face in their place with a wedding or the birth of a child, always perpetuating the vital circle that is my family. Last Thanksgiving, we lost one member to death but gained another through birth and yet another through marriage, reducing the space in the kitchen by one and adding another high chair to the downstairs table. Starting with the meticulous organization of the basement, preparation for the Thanksgiving extravaganza begins weeks in advance. Cobwebs, dusty floors, and the refrigerator must be cleaned, and miscellaneous items are exiled to the furnace room. The stairs get scrubbed, the bathroom usually gets repainted, and since feeding thirty people generates... middle of paper......sinction. Coming to a close after nearly two hours, tradition dictates that the youngest, most skilled of the family enthusiastically engage in the cleanup. The responsibility of clearing the tables of dirty plates, empty glasses and used napkins is taken seriously by each participant. Proper "grandma-approved" kitchen cleaning and proper dishwashing are guided from the oldest, rarely over 25, to the youngest, generally over ten. After all, playing cards in large groups is right with cooking; leftovers are properly stored and/or packaged, extra dishes are put back, trash is taken out, and all tables are cleaned and put away. Only then, when the beer is cold, the coffee is hot and hassle-free access to potential sandwich making is available along with easy-to-reach snacks, does the card showdown we call Tonk take place..