Can you believe it’s November already? WOW. I feel like a wobble toy going in so many directions!
Thank you for being a loyal newsletter subscriber of LETTERS from Linda.
The November giveaway is a Kindle Fire. If you receive my newsletter, then you know what to do. (And don’t forget about the Christmas Bells comment, too.)
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I do so hope you’ll give Love Around the Table a try. Please remember that 100% of the royalties goes to help a child.
Happy Reading!
Linda Joyce
My favorite Thanksgiving is always the upcoming one. Such anticipation, seeing family and friends. We gather together all weekend at 3 family events and cook, eat, and visit until we’re full of food and company. We head out Friday morning for some Black Friday shopping, then head back home for pie and turkey and naps.
Cherie,
I love that your favorite one is always the one coming up. That’s lovely.
Smiles,
LJ
i’ve never celebrated thanksgiving as I live in the uk
Avril,
Do you have anything similar to Thanksgiving in the UK? I’m half Japanese, and the Japanese don’t have Thanksgiving either, but they have other celebrations that are sort of like it.
Smiles,
LJ
Thanksgiving is very special. Always look forward to my Mommy’s dressing. Being surround by family. Nothing better.
Lisa,
Tell me, what kind of dressing does she make? I love Oyster dressing. My husband prefers an apple & pecan stuffing. Once we even used peaches instead of apples.
Smiles,
LJ
I am looking forward to reading Love Around The Table. I one-clicked it. Thank you for the chance to be on your newsletter list. I would love to win a new kindle.
Karen,
Thank you for buying Love Around the Table. I hope you’ll love the book.
Tell me about your favorite Thanksgiving. Do you love Turkey? Pie?
Smiles,
LJ
My favorite Thanksgivings are made up of several from my childhood–for years the entire extended family went to my great-uncle’s farm for the holiday, and there is a collage of fun, good food and just the sense of being a part of a loving family that I am so sorry that many people do not have. As I have become older and my immediate family is no longer as large, and so many of that extended family are gone, we still have a family get-together, but it is no longer as boisterous as before, although just as thankful for the blessings we do have.
clynsg,
You made me smile…yes, a little less boisterous can be good.
All my best,
LJ
I love Thanksgiving because it is all about family and good food! I remember as a child I got to help my mother in the kitchen make her delicious stuffing and of course pumpkin pies. I remember sitting around the table, stuffed and happy, with my grandparents. My grandmother always repeated this little poem, a tradition I continue every year:
“The saddest words of tongue or pen are
I’ve eaten too much, AGAIN!”
All the happy Thanksgivings-going home-having my parents to my house-going to my newly married daughter’s house-are wonderful memories. Even the year my daughter got called away to an emergency at work as she took her first bite of dinner ends with the happy memory of her returning home, feeding her and sitting and being with her so she could have a happy thanksgiving as well. These memories are important because we can not predict the future and never know when the people we love will be around us again.
Barbara,
What happy memories you shared. Thank you!
And you’re so right. We never know how life can change minute to minute.
Smiles,
LJ
Oh Linda, I did forget!!! Yes I own and have read Christmas Bells!! Another book that makes me smile!
Barbara,
HUGS!
LJ
My family is also not a turkey household, we love ham with a maple syrup glaze. But pumpkin is one of my all time favorite fall
deserts anyway you prepare it. Wishing you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving with lots of love and new memories to share.
Linda, I am so sorry that I forgot to post that I have not had the pleasure of reading your ebook “Christmas Bells”. It sounds wonderful!
Nancy,
Ham with maple syrup glaze… sounds wonderful! I do cook turkey twice a year. At Thanksgiving and again in July. Just for my husband, who loves turkey. 🙂
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
My favorite Thanksgiving was the last one I had with my mother before she died….this would’ve been 2010 and we went to a community table Thanksgiving in Aiken, SC….the first one like this either of us had attended. Now whenever Thanksgiving arrives, I will always reflect back on that time we spent so pleasantly together.
Janet,
It’s very interesting how memories trigger emotions, but also have a way of instantly taking us back to a moment in time. Aromas can do that, too. Like roast turkey.
Smiles,
LJ
At one of my mother’s last Thanksgivings, my future son-in-law was there without my daughter. She was in college. He was trying very hard to impress and so opened a bottle of wine for me. It was bubbly and it exploded all over everyone nearby including one of my other daughters, my mother and my sister. She laughed about it and it was one of the few times she laughed. I have not read Christmas Bells. Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and memories of family members now gone always return on the holidays.
Debra,
I give the guy lots of points for trying! And he made your mother laugh!
Must be a good guy to have in the family.
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
My most memorable Thanksgiving is when my Grandparents came that year. We had such a great time and made a lot of memories. The reason that it is most memorable is because this was the last Thanksgiving we had with my Grandfather. He passed away. I will always treasure the memories I had with him.
Elizabeth,
Thank you for sharing. Your grandfather must have been a terrific man.
Smiles,
LJ
My favorite Thanksgiving was 1982, my first as a young married couple and also just a few days after our first son was born. It was the first whole Thanksgiving dinner I made by myself and it was just for us and my parents. I was so weak from an unexplained fever for a week after giving birth, so a lot of it was prepared sitting down. But I was determined to do it all. It turned out fine and I remember being thankful sitting at the dinner table with the 4 people I loved most in the world. I didn’t know at the time that I would only have my dad one more year before he would pass away. So looking back, that Thanksgiving has taken on very special meaning for me over the years. Today there are many more added to my table that I love most in the world, but both parents being gone makes it bittersweet in many ways.
Ellie,
Thank you for sharing your sweet and tender story. I truly understand the bittersweet of the holiday.
Smiles,
LJ
My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving!! I love the turkey and all it’s fixings and cooking it all. I have to agree with you on the pumpkin pie though. Give me apple pie or chocolate creme and I’m a happy camper!
Jane,
Apple pie is my most favorite pie! And I love apple cobbler. Dutch Apple Pie. Apple pie with sharp cheddar cheese melted on it.
Smiles,
LJ
Hello!
My favorite thing about Thanksgiving is the family getting together and eating and having fun. The book Christmas Bells sounds good.
Debra,
What’s your favorite dish at Thanksgiving? Mine is very mundane. I love mashed potatoes!
Smile,
LJ
The stuffing 🙂
Every Thanksgiving is my favorite ! My father’s side of the family is huge.. we are now at 103 with Aunts, Uncles and cousins that all start with my Grandma. All of us are pretty spread out from coast to coast, but this is the one time of the year that everyone comes home to spend time with the family before the Christmas rush starts.
And I have not read your book yet, but I’ll put it on my TBR to read after I have my Christmas tree up, fireplace crackling and a glass of wine in my hand
Casey,
103! That’s a Party! How wonderful that your family comes together to keep the bond of family going. Thank you for sharing.
Smiles,
LJ
My most memorable Thanksgiving, I was about 11 and it was the first time my aunt and uncle had seen each other in over 20 years. My maw maw had 10 kids and they were the oldest. It was a surprise for both of them because we didn’t tell them the other was coming into town. That’s the only time I can remember her ever hosting dinner at her house. Between her kids and the grandkids, it was standing room only! It’s the only holiday we all got together, most of us live in Indiana, but a few are out of state. And it was a lot cheaper to travel then!
Angie,
What a wonderful memory!
Smiles,
LJ
My favorite thing about thanksgiving is spending time with friends and family because they are special
The book Christmas bells sounds good.
Lisa,
Hope you and your family will have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Smiles,
LJ
We actually don’t celebrate Thanksgiving here in Australia, but that does not mean we are not thankful. I have much to be thankful for.
Mary,
Do you have a holiday that is similar to Thanksgiving? In Canada, they have Thanksgiving, but it’s early October–which makes way more sense to me. Since I am half-Japanese, there are many Japanese holidays that bear no resemblance to anything American. I love discovering things about other countries.
Smiles,
LJ
My favorite Thanksgiving was when I was able to make a huge dinner, cooking all night and day and having family and friends over. Then cleanup after they leave, boiling the carcass and making Turkey soup and falling into bed and saying NEVER AGAIN as I felt like my back was broken. The next year, same thing all over again, hahahahaha.
Susan,
I love the traditions of holidays. And I love that you make soup!
Smiles,
LJ
Thanksgiving is the only time when my family gets to see each other. Everyone of us are all over the States that it is hard for us to be in the same city, let alone, be in the same house. One of the best thing about the family getting together is my Mom makes this wonderful Chinese White Fungus soup for Thanksgiving. This is the first thing that is gone from the table
Kai,
It’s wonderful that Thanksgiving is THE holiday for your family. Food and gratitude are elements that bind families together.
And you’ll have to share the recipe for your mom’s soup. 🙂
Smiles,
LJ
My favorite Thanksgiving was when I was 19. It was the first year I was fully responsible for the entire dinner, and my whole family and several friends were coming. I was almost clueless when it came to cooking but it seemed simple enough. Needless to say there were many cooking disasters that day, including the turkey actually catching on fire, flames and all, due to someone accidentally bumping the dial on the stove to broil. But what makes this my favorite Thanksgiving was all the wonderful support I had. As people showed up they pitched in to save the food and even the turkey ended up edible. No one gave me a hard time and everyone enjoyed themselves. It made me realize what good people I had around me and how fortunate I was to have them.
Lacy,
That Thanksgiving makes the perfect kind of story.
Smiles,
LJ
My favorite Thanksgiving was the year 2005..the last year my grandparents were able to come. The following year my grandmother passed away, and grandpa always seemed to be in the hospital for every holiday until he passed 2 years later. We actually had the whole family there..every dish I made turned out perfect and the day was just awesome! No arguing, the pets were behaved, everyone pitched in for clean up..was just all around extremely memorable to me..and I actually took pictures so I have that as well!! Thanks for the chance!
Kim,
What a lovely memory!
LJ
I don’t have a memory of Thanksgiving. I had a medical problem and lost all my memories from childhood. All the Thanksgiving I’ve had since I turned 18, I have had to work first and second shifts. My Thanks are that I’m still alive after all I have gone through between my parents and an ex-husband. Sorry, I don’t have anything nice to post.
My Favorite Thanksgiving was in 2010. We had just lost my eldest aunt that August and my other favorite aunt, “Auntie” was in hospice. I personally arranged to pick her up and bring her to the Family Thanksgiving Gathering. It almost didn’t happen because we had to have assistance to get her in a wheelchair then to/from the car. She was slightly medicated but for the most part, she was her normal funny, loving self. Both of my Grandparents were there as well. The food seemed to taste better. My Red Velvet Cake came out perfect, which was a big deal because my Aunt that had passed taught me how to make it. It was the last time we had a big Thanksgiving and the last one I got to spend with my Auntie. She passed the following summer. Those memories are priceless and precious to me! I’d probably give up the Red Velvet recipe to relive that day.. LOL!
Also.. I have NOT read Christmas Bells yet but hopefully will soon. I am kinda behind in my ebooks.
Mine have all become melded together in my memory. It’s the food, which was always the same (but very good) that is the most memorable.
I make a mini pecan pies in my mini muffin pan, they are called pecan tassies, you can google the recipe, super easy to make and just the perfect 2 bite mini dessert
Donna,
Sounds yummy! My husband is the baker at our house. He has the patience to measure all those ingredients. He makes a sweet potato pecan pie. Do you know that when we visit his clients in San Antonio, they require he bring pie with him? He gets BBQ takeout for about 40 people and takes 4-6 pies. We go to TX in our RV, and he spends the entire day before his visit making pies.
LJ
My favourite thanksgiving was the first one I remember with my grandparents when I was about 10. She taught me how to peel and cook the yams and make her yam and Marshmallow Meringue pie. Then told everyone I was her best helper and she was thankful to hand her recipes and cookbooks to someone she thought would use and treasure them . And she was right. Im in my 40s now and have all her cookbooks and my granddaughter is loving being my helper so Im very thankful to share with her 🙂
Debbie,
What a lovely memory and that you’re the keeper of the cookbooks.
My first job was at Thanksgiving. I think I was about…4, almost 5. I stood in the doorway between the kitchen and dining room to act as the toll taker. Anyone taking food to the table had to pay 25cents to pass. 🙂
Smiles,
LJ
My most favorite Thanksgiving would be 2007. That was the last year I had Thanksgiving with my mother. She died 2 years later, a week before Thanksgiving.
Oops, forgot to tell you, I read Christmas Bells and loved it. It gave me goosebumps all over. Left my review,as well.
Terry,
Thank you! Thank you! I’m thinking about another story for next year. Maybe set in Savannah again.
Always so nice to hear from you. <3
Smiles,
Lj
My memorable Thnksgiving was when my Grandmother was still alive and all of the family was together.
I have yet to read Christmas Bells since I don’t have an eReader
Joy
If you’re into paperbacks, the book is $7.99. And you can get the Kindle App for any phone or computer. I have it on my iPad, iphone, and laptop.
Good luck, you could be the winner….
Smiles,
Linda
Most memorable were always the ones when my grandparents were alive… lots of love and laughs… nothing tasting as good as my grandmother’s pumpkin pie! 🙂 Once our cat helped herself to the turkey before it was cut… my grandma had a fit! The memory still brings a smile to my face!
Have not read Christmas Bells yet, but definitely getting into the holiday mood! 🙂
My favorite Thanksgiving was when my son and his friend were on leave from the Marines and showed up unexpectedly. I was so happy until I found out they needed to be back in Florida for school in 2 days with no ride. My Mom and daughter drove straight through the night to get them back to the base with about 15 minutes to spare. Darn kids!!! Loved him being here though.
Lori,
Ahhh, the carefree days of the young. I don’t mind that Youth is Wasted on the Young, as long as we can all remain Young At Heart.
Smiles,
LJ
I would say one of the most memorable Thanksgiving was after I married my husband and we went to both sides of our families and ate 2 meals in one day.
Jennifer,
That’s a LOT of giving Thanks. 🙂
LJ
Jennifer,
Thanks a WHOLE lot of Giving Thanks. 🙂
LJ
One of mine is the first time I ate Thanksgiving at my wife’s families house. They ate foods differently.
John,
Differently, like with chopsticks instead of a knife and fork or ?
Smiles,
Linda
I think my most memorable Thanksgiving was the one in 2012. We lost Dad at the end of January so it was the first one without him and Mom had been diagnosed with blood cancer in October so we were very thankful to have her with us. Unfortunately we lost her in July the next year and before Thanksgiving of 2013, my youngest brother was diagnosed with bone cancer and was barely hanging on–he lived another almost 2 years (lost him at the end of September 2015). This Thanksgiving should be the best of recent times as my other brother married his partner on November 4th and we all plan to be at his house.
My favorite is Behind the Mask—so cheery and colorful. The one I like least is Katrina—so stark, I know it was a horrible time but you did ask