Hommel Mangas
The pre-Thanksgiving sibling texts have been shooting back and forth, here and yonder — and obviously ricocheting off a few trees while being transmitted to the nearest cell tower.
I sent out a quick text at 9:25 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 9 inviting my Hommel family siblings and all their youngins and great-youngins to the house for Thanksgiving. I added that I’d make a small turkey and get a honey-baked ham, which the hubby prefers.
By 10 a.m., my brother Kevin, (eldest son and No. 4 in lineage) was first to respond. “I’ll bring a bird, mash potatoes and cheese dip,” he said.
He added, “Emily is bringing a lasagna.”
My sister-in-love Julia Hommel said, “We’ll bring cabbage salad and brownies!” She added a colorful salad emoji.
Daughter Chloe Tillman added, “I’ll bring green beans.”
My brother-in-love Russ Hornaday (my husband calls himself an outlaw, instead of an in-law in our family) humorously texted that he’d be bringing “Jerri and deviled eggs.” Jerri, my younger sister, is not allowed to attend any family function without her deviled eggs — it’s kind of a family mandate.
By Friday at 1:34 p.m., the group text was interrupted and added to since the auntie and author of this article was remiss in adding two of her nieces to the group text because technology wouldn’t allow her to continue adding family members. So instead of one 7-person sibling text and a later copy and paste 17-family member text, there was now an 18+ family member text and another. We were then instructed by our eldest sister Leta, “Emily added Jenny to GROUP 18, now GROUP 19, Please use GROUP 19.”
Friday 1:22 p.m.: Amanda Hommel (wife of Chris, No. 7 in lineage) added, “We’ll bring mac and cheese and a pie.” (Amanda’s baked mac and cheese is usually the first large emptied dish along with Jerri’s deviled eggs.)
Friday 1:33 p.m.: Eldest sister Leta reminded the 19-person group text, “NOTE: This is GROUP +17 … there are more posts on GROUP +18, as well as original sibling feed.”
Sunday, 3:26 p.m.: Debbie, (older sister and No. 2 in lineage) texted to seven-person sibling text, “We will bring CCC, vegi’s and fruit. Does anybody like corn and lima beans?”
Leta: “What is CCC? I love lima beans. Will eat corn if not much selection of other veggies, David loves corn on the cob.”
Kevin succinctly text-answered Leta’s question for Debbie: “Chocolate Chip Cookies.”
Leta: “duh, thank you!”
Jerri: “Succotash, yes!”
Sunday 6:09 p.m.: Leta: “No, for succotash.”
Is it just my family or are your family text communications reminiscent of the 1938 Abbott and Costello comedy skit, “Who’s on First?”
May your Thanksgiving be just that — a day of giving happy thanks, filled with love, prayer and much laughter.
Janet Hommel Mangas grew up on the east side of Greenwood. The Center Grove area resident and her husband are the parents of three daughters. Send comments to [email protected].
