Beyond Chance

Funny how life works sometimes.  So yesterday I was missing my dad because I was thinking about the upcoming holiday season.  I had started to think about it the previous evening, and that's why I wrote about it yesterday.  I had plans to have lunch with my mom yesterday, she was going to stop over and bring another bag of random stuff that I had left at her place from our time there.

She got here around 11 a.m., and told me she wanted to talk about something, and she seemed very serious.  I was worried.  She had made what she called a "selfish decision".  She proceeded to tell me that she decided to reserve the Fawcett House at Breezy Point Resort to have our Thanksgiving, she wanted our whole crew to go up there and stay.  She needed something to think about, something cheerful, and she said the idea had hit her like a ton of bricks the night before, and she felt like it was dad telling her she should do it.  Funny, because I was thinking about Thanksgiving and dad at the same time.

My first reaction, to be quite honest, was sadness because I knew my hubby would not be able to join us.  There's no way he'll be able to get that time off work with such short notice.  Due to his strange work schedule, I have spent many holidays without him, and the idea of another one isn't that great, but I'm also sort of used to it.  And SIL2 is hosting Thanksgiving here at home, so at least I know he'll still have a warm, family-filled, fun meal.  My second immediate reaction was to feel worried for my mom because I didn't think it would be remotely possible to get the Fawcett House for that period of time with this short notice.  But I thought it was a great idea, in theory.  Very bold.  Our family Thanksgiving has been celebrated the same way, basically, just adding people as families grew, since my parents got married.  And to change it up is definitely going to shake everyone out of their comfort zone a bit.  This was definitely bold.  And expensive.

The Fawcett House is this old mansion on the property of Breezy Point Resort.  It's super cool.  My sister was the landscaper for the Breezy Point for years, until very recently, and I had visited her there last year and she gave me a thorough tour of the Fawcett House.  It's an 11-bedroom, 9-bathroom lodge, and during Prohibition it was a safe haven for mobsters.  It has a great story, and it's in a beautiful location.  It's a great place for family reunions and large gatherings, and is usually booked up for years in advance for big dates like Thanksgiving.  I was so worried my mom would be disappointed, and I told her it was a great idea, but just in case it doesn't work out, we'll try to figure out something similar to it.  We went back to the office and looked up the information on my computer.  I called the resort and left a voice mail.

So we're getting ready to take off to go to lunch, and my phone rings.  It's the lady from Breezy.  She says the Fawcett House is available!!!!!  My mom immediately said she'll take it.  I could not believe it.  So we went through all the details with her--cost, package information (free cocktail hour each evening, free breakfast each morning), standard information (sleeps 32 comfortably, 2 gas grills), and got everything reserved.  And right after I hung up the phone, I couldn't stop grinning.  This has the potential to be a great time.  If we can get everyone that usually comes to our Thanksgiving dinners, we will have right around 30 people.  That is a bit doubtful, but I'm sure most of them will come.  So the rest of the day was spent making calls, talking to everyone about the little trip, and getting more and more excited.

It really was as if dad was orchestrating the whole thing.  From the idea to the open reservation, it was beyond chance.  And now my mom has something very happy to look forward to, we all can have lots of fun planning it, and I'm sure many special memories will be made at Thanksgiving this year.  Truly a time to be Thankful.  So thanks, dad.  And thanks in advance, mom.  Great idea.