First of all, I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving day now is not quite the same as I remember it - small kid time.  We used to go to church service in the morning.  Then when we got home, my mom would have about half a loaf for bread toasted and my job was to smash the toast for the stuffing.  I'd use this heavy round poi-pounder looking thing and mash up the toast real good.  It was my little Thanksgiving tradition.

Then I'd jump on my bike and ride around the neighborhood, smelling all the people's turkeys being cooked.  Some folks celebrated Thanksgiving during lunch and the aroma of their cooked turkeys would flow onto the deserted streets as I rode my bike around.

As I got older and into surfing, I'd hit the beach with my friends and surf all day, purposely starving ourselves.  When I'd get home, I'd take a nice hot shower and get ready for some serious grinds.  Then eat 'til you sleep!

As I got a little bit older (like 18), after dinner we'd meet at one of our friends house and knock down some beers and talk story.  I wasn't into shopping back then so I didn't have to go home early for the Friday sales.  Did they even have Black Friday sales back then?

I remember driving around town on Thanksgiving day and seeing the empty streets with most businesses closed for the holiday.  The cars that were on the road were people headed to family gatherings while first making a stop at the local bakery for pumpkin and custard pies.

Nowadays as our parents get older, instead of having Thanksgiving at someone's house, we meet at Tree Tops or some other restaurant for a nice Thanksgiving Day meal.  No need shop, no need cook, no need clean up afterward.

You know, I still haven't the slightest clue how to carve a turkey.

But the thing I remember most was riding my bike around on Thanksgiving day and seeing the streets so deserted.

What do you remember about Thanksgiving day - small kid time?  Did you have any traditions that you practiced on Thanksgiving day?  Do you still carry those traditions on today?  Maybe like waking up early (or late for Ocean Lover) to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade?  Or watching Detroit and/or Dallas play their traditional Turkey day games?  How are you going to spend your Thanksgiving holiday?

But most important of all, take a moment to reflect about all the things you have to be thankful for.  Your health, your family, your job, your friends, the roof over your head and the food you're able to provide for your family.

I know I'm thankful to The Honolulu Advertiser for giving me a job and especially for allowing me to blog for them.  And to you, all my MidLife Crisis readers and posters for making MidLife Crisis a special place where we can gather and recall the good old days.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Rod (Largo)