We headed to another family get-together on Sunday. Unlike last time at my youngest uncle, my cousin's new home was deep in suburbia. There was no reasonable way to get there except by car so my oldest uncle came by to pick us up. We were lost several times trying to find the house. On the way, the highway exits and arterial roads were confusing. Then we circled aimlessly through several winding streets and cul-de-sacs until we found the right sequence of turns.
It was both a Thanksgiving dinner and a tour of the house. Though it wasn't quite as large as the two-car garage homes of recent decades, it still seemed like too much space for a nuclear family. The main floor's dining room, living room and open kitchen comfortably accommodated my large extended family. But how often will my cousin entertain 15-20 people? The rest of the house also included 3.5 bathrooms, 3 bedrooms, and several offices and open areas.
The hosts provided a traditional dinner with turkey, sweet potato, mashed potatoes, and various salad and veggie sides. But guests also brought extra dishes including fried rice and chayote squash slaw. It was a good meal but I didn't indulge too much. I was too far from home (and dependent on a ride) to risk stomach problems. Luckily, my grandma felt strong enough to leave the house because I haven't seen her since her birthday party in August.
As for the rest of the family: the aunts were finalizing their plan to visit the old country while my millennial cousins were neck-deep in raising young children. It was interesting that the ones that were single or childless either talked about recent or future trips. Why stay in boring Ottawa when all the experiences worth remembering are about somewhere else? But they were also excited about new development at local malls and big-box stores. Perhaps the suburban virus infects everyone in the end.
