On 10/30/2018 1:01 AM, Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> On Mon 29 Oct 2018 04:29:29p, jmcquown told us...
>
>> On 10/27/2018 10:08 PM, Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>>> On Sat 27 Oct 2018 07:00:29p, Dave Smith told us...
>>>
>>>> On 2018-10-27 8:38 PM, Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>>>>> I usually bake pumpkin, sweet potato, and pecan. Sometimes
>>>>> mince.
>>>>>
>>>>> What pies are the most popular or common in your house?
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Pumpkin pie is a must for Thanksgiving. Apple pie is the
>>>> alternate for those who aren't fans of pumpkin.
>>>>
>>>> Pie was not a feature of Christmas dinners in my family. There
>>>> was always a Christmas pudding, shortbread and a variety of
>>>> cookies. The featured pastry was mince meat tarts. The usual
>>>> New Years day dessert was mince meat pie.
>>>
>>> We always had a variety of pies for Thanksgiving, as well as a
>>> couple of special cakes.
>>>
>>> There were a lot of different pies for Christmas, and at least
>>> 5-6 special cakes, including a really good fruitcake that had
>>> been fed copious spirits beginning before Halloween. There were
>>> a lot of extended family members and desserts were laid out on a
>>> groaning board for after the meal.
>>>
>> You obviously grew up much differently than even my parents did.
>> You're talking about an era (and wealth) my family wasn't a party
>> to. <shrug>
>>
>> Jill
>
> You're right on both counts, but you knew something of my family
> background. :-) Up until the year before she died my mother still
> entertained this way on holidays. Although my grandparents were gone
> my mother was the oldest sibling. We were a very large and close-
> knit family, and they all travelled to the family home for
> Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. I had a maiden aunt who
> still lived in the family home and maintained it. When she died the
> home and acreage were disbursed amongst the remaining family. I
> really miss those days.
>
> I am the oldest of my generation, but I've already lost three 1st
> cousins. I've also lost all but one uncle of my mother's generation.
>
I have two living aunts, one is Dad's older sister (she's 99). Alas,
she suffers from dementia and is in a nursing home. We used to talk on
the phone frequently but she doesn't remember who I am now.

The other aunt is by marriage; she was married to my mom's older
brother. I've only lost one cousin. I hadn't seen him since I was
about nine years old so I didn't really know him.

My family is flung far and wide and I'm sure you know, not very
close-knit. Since Dad was a career Marine we were rarely living
anywhere near extended family at any given time.

I still talk with my aunt-in-law (!) on the phone every couple of
months. She's 96 but still has all her faculties. She has a large
family herself and, by all accounts, used to entertain quite lavishly.

Jill