It's Only August And Already A Family Discussion About Thanksgiving?

     Page One Hundred Twenty-Seven.
     In my family, it's never too early to begin talking about, planning and preparing for Thanksgiving. Labor Day is in a couple of weeks and already my family has been discussing said holiday for well over a month. This is for a variety of reasons, primarily to discuss the guest list. I won't even get into this year's controversy just yet, but you should know that in my family the belief is: if we've ever been related to you or ever met you then, of course, you are invited to join us for our annual Thanksgiving banquet. (And that's what it is - a banquet. More of that another time.)
     As an example of my family's preoccupation with inviting anybody, everybody and the mail carrier's dog:
     'Twas the day before Thanksgiving around 1986 or so. My sister, Louise, the oldest child, who happened to be hosting the feast that year, was in the drugstore picking up a few items. She ran into her ex-husband's sister, Laura. She'd been very friendly with Laura prior to and during the 10 year marriage and the two were very happy to see each other. (Louise had been divorced from Nick for about 4 years at that point.)  
     Seems that Laura was in the drugstore picking up a prescription for a women's issue that she was having. She hadn't been feeling well for sometime, but was gradually on the mend. Louise also discovered that she hadn't any plans for Thanksgiving, so she invited Laura to join us. In my family, this wouldn't even raise an eyebrow.
     The next day, Feast Day, when I arrived, I inquired as to who else would be there. After Louise told me the story of how Laura would be joining us, her then current husband, Bruce, chimed in, "did you invite her gynecologist also"?
     That's pretty much the way it is nowadays too. This year it'll be the typical 25-30 people, most of whom I'm currently related to and happy about it, at least one person whom I used to be related to, at least a few whom I'll probably be related to eventually, a few whom I wish I was never related to at all plus a large handful  in the entourage. Welcome to my family. We won't even discuss the food yet.