Dateline Dayton — The past two weeks have been busy for us, with our Australian visitor, who was a delight to chauffeur and entertain, granddaughter Julia’s basketball game, which her team won, attending granddaughter Ashley’s school play and a great Thanksgiving.

In previous essays I have written about Ashley and her theatrical talent. She really outdid herself in the play “All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten.” The play was outstanding. I highly recommend it, should you have the opportunity to attend a performance.

In this production, Ashley not only had one of the leading roles, she sang. Here is a girl who for years hardly said hello to you, standing on stage singing a solo. She did a great job, as did the cast and crew, members of the Madison High School Thespian Troupe No. 4592. The troupe and the school deserve a lot of credit for an outstanding performance. It’s sad that more students and parents do not attend because the kids and their teacher devote so many after-school hours to rehearsing.

On the back page of the program was listed “The Kindergarten Creed,” which I would like to list:

Share — Play Fair — Don’t Hit People — Don’t Take Things That Don’t Belong to You — If You Hurt Someone, Say You’re Sorry — Clean op Your Own Mess — Wash Your Hands Before You Eat — Hold Hands and Stick Together When You Cross the Street — Flush — Live a Balanced Life –—Be Aware of Wonder — Look.

Great advice, if only all of us could follow this creed.

Our Version of a Holiday

Since our son was here from Tampa a few weeks ago and we took the opportunity to go to Michigan to see our daughter and her family and had the rest of the family at our home on the Sunday during his visit, we considered these two events to be our family Thanksgivings. We know there are always scheduling problems on Thanksgiving. This seemed to be easier for everyone, and it was.

But that gave birth to one new problem:

What were we going to do for Thanksgiving?

I suggested McDonald’s. However, most will only be open until noon, if at all.

There was MCL Cafeteria, which I affectionately refer to as the Medicare Lounge.

Possibly dinner at the Dayton Convention Center, which is sponsored by our dermatologist. Pauline didn’t approve of any of my suggestions. I resorted to calling my sister.

We’ll Go…Here or There?

Susan and Willie were going to a restaurant a few miles from our home. I told them we might join them.

We were invited to our daughter Lisa’s home. She is Ashley’s mother. However, she told us she was hosting her husband’s family and didn’t know where she was going to put all of them.

Guess we could have driven the van and eaten in it. We felt it would be best if we didn’t add to that confusion.

Our plan was to go with my sister and her husband to the restaurant in New Carlisle. The four of us would celebrate Thanksgiving together. Last year we went to Gatlinburg and celebrated the holiday there together. , A great time. Maybe we will do that trip again next year!

On Monday evening my sister had visitors. My brother, Mark and his wife, Carol, were in from Georgia. They wanted to see if all of us could get together on Sunday for brunch. Mark asked about their plans for Thanksgiving. She told him the four of us were going to the Melody.

On Tuesday, Susan received a call from Mark’s daughter, Aneca, who invited the four of us to her house for Thanksgiving. My sister and I were a little hesitant. We needed to consult with our spouses. We agreed we would go. I would call Aneca just to make sure she really wanted to take on an additional four. When I spoke with her, she said she would really like for the four us to join them and not to bring anything. Sounded great to u.!

We had a wonderful time, with terrific food. In addition to Aneca, her husband Shawn, and their daughter Ayva, there was my brother and his wife, Aneca’s dad, her mother Barb and her husband Vic, her brother David and a woman she works with, along with her husband and son.

What might have been a Thanksgiving with the four of us eating at a restaurant turned into a very nice family event.

By the way, the six of us did have brunch on Sunday, with my other sister Sara and her husband, David.

I hope all of you had a splendid Thanksgiving.

Mr. Hennessey may be contacted at pmhenn@sbcglobal.net