Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. We started the day with our annual Turley Turkey Bowl, which has been running for over 50 years. We then returned to prepare our big family feast. We served traditional fare, including turkey, stuffing, cranberries, Waldorf salad, pumpkin pies, and all the rest. We should be in a food coma in time to watch the NFL games.

Our Turkey Bowl always features the Bears against Washington. I, of course, proudly coached the Bears. The game ended with a soul-crushing 24-0 loss. There were the usual allegations against the Bears coach of fixing draft selections, misrepresenting down counts, and other infractions. Whatever the merits of those allegations (and there were grounds), it did not seem to matter. However, it does give Matt Eberflus something to be thankful on this day. He is not doing nearly as bad as “that other Bears coach.”

Once again, my past requests for a flyover from the Pentagon have yet to be answered. We then proceeded to have a potluck feast on the field, with donuts, muffins, hot chocolate, coffee, and other morning fare.

Today, we are having our usual two turkeys. One is brined and in the oven. The other is in the Green Egg for smoking (my first venture with a turkey on the egg).  I made my usual apple and cornbread stuffing.  We have four homemade pies, our favorite spinach dish, Waldorf Salad, our cranberry dish, and other favorites.

We have all the kids with us, despite one in college, one preparing for graduate school, one in law school, and one in medical school. We now have dozens of regulars from the neighborhood, many of whom have attended since they were small kids.

The Turkey Bowl is now an occasion for these kids to see each other on break from their various jobs and schools. Having watched them grow up, it is an amazing moment to see them all together. I am so happy that the Turkey Bowl has become part of their return home each year. Despite our best efforts, they all turned out pretty darn good.

For most of us, Thanksgiving remains a day of family and friendship—a needed pause from the divisions and strife we experience daily. That is why it is my favorite holiday. Thanksgiving is about maintaining the connections that have shaped our lives and perhaps making some new ones.

I am also thankful for our extended family on this blog, which has continued to grow at a record pace. Many of our readers are in countries that do not celebrate Thanksgiving, but we are indeed thankful that you continue to join us and share your views on the blog.

I hope that everyone can come together despite our recent divisive election. That is precisely why this is my favorite holiday. It celebrates what we have and should give thanks for, including our relationships with others. As I watched all of the “kids” at our annual game, I was truly thankful for our long history together.

My family wishes you and your family a wonderful holiday. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!