Plans are set for Thursday’s Thanksgiving feast — I will bring the pies, my sister will bring her yearly surprise, and my “baby” brother will bring himself.  What makes this year special is that the holiday falls on my father’s 83rd birthday.

Celebrating his birthday on our national day of thanks is a cosmic way of reminding me and my siblings that, unlike many of my friends and relatives, my father “Pops”  is still with us to enjoy the holiday. For that we are truly grateful.

So we will sit around the dining room table — a piece of furniture used no more than three times a year — and toast the day and family.  And like other Thanksgivings, we’ll learn about what the holiday was like “Way back when” there was lamb instead of turkey; huge bowls of pasta instead of mashed potatoes; and plenty of homemade wine.  We’ll laugh about the inevitable kitchen disasters and family faux pas that make our family unique; and not so unique.

Thursday will be one of the few days out of the year where we will take a moment  to  be thankful for our blessings: a full table, lively company, and those warm, sweet family stories — especially those stories.  Happy Thanksgiving and a very happy birthday Pops.