Reporter's Note: While American celebrates, the president is...I think...reading my daily letter instead. Maybe.

Dear Mr. President,

I assume you are up to your eyeballs in turkey today, as are the rest of us. Well, I supposed I should not say "the rest of us" so casually as if everyone is buying into the stuffing and cranberry sauce club. Considering all the many different cultures in our country, I suppose there are millions of people who have their own, unique ideas about Thanksgiving.

A friend told me that her family always celebrates in Florida with a lobster feast! Not a bad alternative.

As for my family , we've always been more or less traditional, but not to the point of being straightjacketed. (Mind you, we've had some family members who belong in straightjackets, but that is a different matter).

We always have turkey, but we've experimented wildly with the side dishes. We've had pecan-plum stuffing, and pearl onions with peas, and orange seasoned carrots, and one year we enjoyed an uproarious midday preparing Oysters Rockefeller. Note: When you have no other idea how to open oysters, backing over them with a Chevy Impala works pretty well.

I've known folks who would simply never even attempt anything new on a holiday. They will cling like grim death to mom's mashed potato recipe, or Uncle Charlie's way of cooking yams. That's fine for them, but like I said, our traditionalism has it's limits.

Now, I'm afraid you must excuse me. I'm in charge of appetizers and you know what that means...need to rev up the Chevy again!

I trust you are having a good time and will call if you can.

Happy thanksgiving.

Regards,
Tom