A Voice for the Houseless: Thanksgiving In A Tent
Raelee Childers, houseless and with a substance abuse problem, is writing a sometimes column for us. She says she hopes to open the hearts and minds of those that are so quick to judge a book by its cover. Comments will be monitored for civility towards the author as well as other commenters.
Disagreements are fine. Personal attacks are not.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone, hope everyone is having a good day today. Me I’m trying to get into the Holiday stuff but my heart’s just not really into it for some personal reasons that involves matters of a broken heart.
Holidays really suck if you have to do it alone but like I said I’m trying to make the most of it. First off, I’m doing my very first real Thanksgiving dinner in a tent. Yes, even with an actual turkey. And if it wasn’t for my Colman Camp Stove Oven I wouldn’t be able to pull this whole thing off. But I’m hella nervous and a little bit excited about it.
So far I’ve made Strawberry Fluff, Deviled Eggs, Pasta Salad and at the moment I’m working on Pumpkin Pies and Homemade Whipped Cream. I still got to make Candied Yams, Green Bean Casserole, Mashed Potatoes with Cream Cheese. I’m saving the Rolls, Turkey, and gravy for the end. Oh and I almost forgot the Stuffing, too.
Well for my first ever Thanksgiving Dinner the food turned out better than I thought it would. But Im a little disappointed that so far only 2 people showed up to eat. So now I feel as though I did it all for absolutely nothing,, but that’s nothing new for me.
Why, is it that you can do everything you can for someone only to realize that it was all for nothing. Like nothing you do is ever truly good enough. Doesn’t matter that you’ve always been there no matter what has happened between them. Or how it doesn’t matter what you say or do to try and show them how much you really care, they still don’t see it.
I know Thanksgiving is a time to be Thankful for something in your life but what if three is nothing to be Thankful for……?
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Wow Raelee, kudos to you for trying such an amazing meal with a Coleman camp stove oven. I’ve used one of those and so far, have only managed cornbread. Best wishes to you.
just cut the cooking time down in half
Raelee, you have probably heard that it is the thought that counts. It is true. Even though you think that your fabulous dinner was not appreciated, the people around you now realize that you are a kind and generous person. Don’t be too disappointed, the good feelings that you have generated will serve you well.
This. Also Raelee can take pride in the fact that she managed to cook all that on a freaking camp stove. That’s amazing. And I mean really amazing, that menu is would be a huge undertaking for a regular kitchen. Best wishes to Raelee.
Why do tweakers always play the victim? Normal folks take responsibility for their actions.
Because we normals are empathetic, loving, compassionate people ripe for the plucking.
Humboldt. Home of the bleeding heart but not giving heart
More like bled out by years of enablement…
Non-tweakers are normal? I know a lot of “normal folk” who DON’T take responsibility for their actions. Precisely why my step-dad has done more for me than my father and I’ve done the same for my stepdaughter: two “normals” not taking responsibility.
Stay strong buddy random acts of kindness will bring you good Karma
Don’t let your joy depend on others, they are caught up in their own issues.
You can be thankful you had the means and the ability to pull off such an amazing feat, and that you have such a loving, caring heart, and that’s worth more than gold.
I didn’t taste your meal, but I can taste your generosity.
Ew.
But man you show the most important thing in The world love and I ask God to bless you and show you mercy and grace I will keep you in my prayers if we would all take part in doing things like this and showing loveThe world would be a better place take care God bless
Raelee, a lot of people can’t pull that together in a full kitchen. Nothing to be thankful for? Ask yourself, or rather, ask the two who showed up to your dinner if they are thankful. What would they have done? Where would they have gone? If it wasn’t for you, would they have fallen asleep to the thunder rumbling in their stomachs? Sometimes, what you have to be thankful for is that you made someone else’s day. Sometimes when I didn’t want to celebrate my birthday, my Gra’ma would say, “yes, it’s your day, but, others would like to celebrate you being a part of their lives.”
Tell yourself, if you have to, it’s that turkey’s triptafen that’s bringing you down (double meaning). Have some more Strawberry Fluff and Yams. One day at a time. That’s how the “normals” (to quote an idiot comment) do it.
Get off the dope Raelee. No one is twisting your arm to use drugs. There are plenty of jobs. Take advantage of the rehabilitation programs available to you or have you already tried that option…
Good on Kym for giving this individual an opportunity to write a sometimes column.
The meaning of life is serve serve others. I remember crying to a elder about how I had a great morning, but by afternoon I felt attacked by bad thoughts. He laughed and stated, and I’ll paraphrase and embellish it a little. He basically said, So you had a great breakfast in the morning, but a terrible lunch. Imagine if you had a great breakfast for 3 meals a day , you’d hate breakfast, he went on a stated, so know you had a rotten lunch, so at least some one is enjoying your breakfast.
You probably feel low, because you completed a culinary feat that few could complete, I cooked a turkey leg, potatoes, mixed veggies, Burnt the bottom of the pan because I only have one hot plate, meal was nasty, and I smoothed it with Ole taco shells and sour cream and to say the least it was gross, luckily I had no one to laugh or ridicule me. But I was thankful all my neighbors were having a great time, although not one thought of my wing nut arce.
Luckily I couldn’t stand the culinary mishap so I wrapped it up, and guess what, it actually tasted way better yesterday.
Anyway remember people would be super stocked to have a visitor, never mind two, and oven over a hot plate, and a tent over a house that torments me because my whole town knows I’m the village idiot.
I’ve come to the tentative conclusion that what’s needed to control wanton homeslessness is sufficient 24/7 monitored ingress/egress containments for vehicular and tent dwellers. Then comes “navigation” as funds arise, conservatorships and and housing as funds are procured. We are long past tolerance for squatting; if you can’t do it stealth, don’t do it. The new mantra will be containment once it becomes politically acceptable. I don’t believe Americans will allow permanent slums. I don’t want Jeff Bezos, or Elon Musk, et al. philanthrophy. Tax the rich and redistribute wealth!
Yes. Loneliness at the holidays is not limited to the houseless. Thank you for your honesty and sharing. I own my home. But struggle with holidays. A lonely time for single or elderly persons like myself.
Raelee it sounds like you are a great cook! I like cooking too. I would have eaten with you if I was there 🙂