Scorekeeper

Around the Taylor living room fire, we counted up the points for the day. Without a doubt Thorpe got the most. She made the turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, salad dressing, and sweet potatoes. She swept the kitchen, served mulled cider, and employed Hiromi—when the grad student came out of her room for air. Thorpe also directed the clean up. (But technically all Thorpe’s points belong to me because she is my servant. I like to let her feel like she’s earned a little here and there for herself. But if she ever tries to cash in her points, she’ll discover the truth.)

Grandma Taylor and Teri’s scores closely followed Thorpe’s. They provided the green bean casserole, ham, pickles, rolls, bubbly drinks, breakfast bacon, tea, salad, olives, and pumpkin pie. Grandma Taylor also gets points for directing the after dinner Yoga exercises and for sticking around until 7ish when we ate at 4:30. Phil got a point because he’s my husband, and Papi got a point for leading us in a round of thankful prayer.

The rest of the scores aren’t worth mentioning, except perhaps the two funny points Jacob got for making clean up a comical experience for all who were involved. I only know from hearsay. I was practicing Spanish with Mama Grace and Papi while the kitchen work was taking place.

Thus sits the final scores for Thanksgiving 2010 at the Taylor’s when the patriarch and matriarch were eating Cheereos in a Denver hospital. My Mom’s points probably add up to twice Thorpe’s, considering all that she’s organized in the last week and a half. But we don’t have an actual point-count on that yet. My guess is it’ll be somewhere in the high fifties, what with flights, hotels, paperwork, phone calls, and hospitals.

I hear that Finn Fincher got half a point for being an exceptionally good baby while his parents assisted my mom, but who’s counting half-points? And of course it would be useless to count my Dad’s points because crashing an ATV put him too far in the negative to make up over a period of 12 days.

Now I’d like to add up the Fincher points, but if I ask my Mom, she’ll assign all her points to the Finchers, and if I ask the Finchers, they’ll assign all their points to my Mom. Then it’s nothing but work, work, work all the time.

I tell you… no regard for the scorekeeper.

Comments

You get a point for writing it all down so clearly.
Lots of points for your blog!
Grandma Seelye said…
Oh my goodness! I just found this today!You surely are one of the best writers in the family!
Jonalyn Fincher said…
ha ha ha! The Finchers are officially willing to accept all points given to them. They will even scarf up the .5 points given to their half-pint.

I linked you on my new blog on friendship: http://www.letmebeme.org.

=)
Dale Fincher said…
Yeah, scorekeepers get no respect! LOL

I'd like to give Fred 22 points for standing within two weeks of his accident (that may not dig him out of his negative points, but still worth a mention)... oh, and his first solid food (and meat!) was a piece of turkey on Thanksgiving... that's worth a few points too. (Thanks to Whole Foods for making turkey available to us wanderers.)

In case your readers want to read about Thanksgiving at the hospital in Denver with Fred and Mina, I've got a write-up here:

http://firstyeardad.wordpress.com/2010/11/25/thanksgiving-meal/

May your advent be rich, Abby and Phil!