Thanksgiving Peas by Joelle Anthony

peasAs you know, I live in Canada. We had our Thanksgiving in October. It doesn’t mean that I’m not thankful this week, it just means that it’s a pretty normal work week up here and the only big meals I had were of the pizza variety.

I thought that since I don’t celebrate American Thanksgiving anymore, I’d celebrate an American instead. She is a fellow Canadian-American who moved up here quite a long time ago. Ten or twelve years ago, I’m not really sure. She’s a writer and that’s how we met.

About this time three years ago, or was it four? Gosh, I don’t know…but a while ago, I was in the habit of reading agent Rachel Vater’s blog. She posted a piece from one of her newer writers that she was really excited about and the piece was about an American living in Canada and trying to get used to metrics. I laughed and laughed over this character trying to buy 100 grams of sliced turkey and ending up with only one and half slices and then trying to pretend like that’s exactly what she wanted. I had had the same deli experiences (only I was buying cheese). How much is a hundred grams exactly? It sounds like a LOT! But it’s not (tip to Americans shopping in Canada, buy it according to how much you want to spend…as in I’ll take $4 worth).

Anyway, I had to contact this writer and tell her how funny she was and that I too was an American, in the process of emigrating to Canada myself. We immediately clicked. The emails began to fly back and forth daily, sometimes hourly, depending on how much one or both of us was procrastinating.

My husband and I have a little shorthand between us. We say that we are peas in a pod and whenever we meet someone that we really click with, we say, “Oh, she’s a pea.” Well, it didn’t take long to know I’d met a pea, and once I told her that, we began to address our emails, “Hello, Pea!” She loved the idea of peas because…well, she’s a pea!

When I landed in Canada in July of 2007, I was alone because my husband was working. I had driven up from Portland, Oregon, so rather than take two more ferries to my new house, my pea invited me to visit her and stay the night. After a lovely dinner, and a nice long chat, I retired to the guest room and she to her bedroom where her husband said, “She’s nice. Where did you meet again?” and she answered, “The internet!” I’m not sure he slept very well that night. But she knew it was okay, because we’re peas.

So this Thanksgiving week, I am particularly thankful for my Canadian-American Pea. And those of you who have been hanging out here any length of time will know how nice she really is because she is former Friday Debutante, Eileen Cook. She’s the best!

lauren wood

And she has a new book coming out, so make sure you buy it because I’ve read it and it’s fantastic and funny, just like her.

RestoringHarmonyLR

6 Replies to “Thanksgiving Peas by Joelle Anthony”

  1. Sniff. I’m thankful for you too! One of the best things about my writing journey so far have been the amazing people that I’ve met along the way. I would totally invite you over as a total stranger to sleep in my house anytime!

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