do you mean that we are the ONLY family that has someone (ME) that can't stand oyster stuffing?
cathy is a fantastic cook. i used to do it for a living. the only time that cathy and i have seen each other in last 2 decades was the few times i have been able to come out for thanksgiving.
wow, what a group we would have!
we squeezed 2 tables in a place that was meant to fit only one. and even though i was 35 years old, i was still relegated to sitting at the kid's table. you know the one.. the folding card table that has 1 bent leg so everytime you take a bite or cut the your meat, the whole thing shakes? that's where they made me sit and IIRC, cathy sat there too because she WANTED to. this made it very hard for me to play prima-donna. lol
anyway, i was this educated "Professional" chef so i got stuck with much of the cooking duties. while i cooked, the only 2 people in the kitchen with me was aunt carolyn (cathy's mom) who followed us around and cleaned our mess, and cathy, who did all the cooking with me because even on her worst day, she could cook my "professional" *ss under the table.
having the 'chef' attitude like only little cousins could have, i REFUSED to cook the oyster stuffing because i think that anything in the water was not meant to go near a turkey in god's eyes. ESPECIALLY an oyster. therefore, cathy took care of oyster stuffing.
they say it is yummy. i would not know as i never tried it.
so, the oyster stuffing joke is really no more than an inside joke. however, for me it is memories.
because we were mostly alone in the kitchen, cathy and i talked deeply and apart from the monstrous family group that would descend on san diego. during these trips it was hard to get many personal conversations on the table. however, while the oyster stuffing was being cooked, it was just me and cathy for a short period.
remember cathy? we had some great talks and you may not know it, but you helped me in so many ways. you helped me understand unconditional love and acceptance. you talked to me during some dark periods and used your life's experience to help me understand my life's experiences at the time.
i'll never be able to re-pay you for this. but go ahead and get a plate of that fowl (pun intended) stuffing ready for me. when we meet again, i will willingly have my first bite of cathy r's famous oyster stuffing.
oye
i'm frightened and very, very scared.
(just use lots of garlic please)
love ya cath.. will be calling you soon!
