I was talking with my sister the other night making plans for Thanksgiving. In the middle of our conversation, I realized this will be my fifth Thanksgiving without Jody. It seems so hard to believe.

Jody and I shared Thanksgiving meals with my sister and brother-in-law and their children for so many years. I have some memories that seem to repeat themselves every year. When the mashed turnips were placed on the table, one of the kids would always say: “Turnips! Yuck” and Jody would chime in with a hearty, “I love turnips,” only to be told, “Then you eat them.” And, he did.

Later, when it came time for dessert, the great debate would begin. Is it “PEE-can” or “puh-KAAN” pie? Since Jody was raised in Texas where pecan pie is the state pie, he insisted on the later pronunciation. The kids would always tease him insisting on the former. In any case, we all enjoyed a piece of pie.

The kids are now grown and have their own children. Since Jody passed, we still maintain those rituals surrounding turnips and pecan pie. And, in 2020, we started a new tradition. We leave an extra plate on the table in remembrance of the one we lost.

When Trump previously was President, he did not organize resources, take crucial action or inform our citizens. Instead he denied reality and deceived us, knowing the real and dangerous threat of Covid. Trump was primarily concerned with his re-election and deferred the crisis to the states instead. It resulted in a complete chaotic and political mess without a national policy. The American people deserved better.

As a result we lost more citizens than most other countries . Now Trump will be our President again. I hope the next Pandemic will not happen under his watch. I hope nothing catastrophic happens under his watch. God save America.

We are celebrating Dia de los Muertos today by cooking arroz con leche, my abuelito’s favorite treat. My daughters and I will measure the sugar & cinnamon while we think about him and tell stories to remember his smiles and jokes. We miss him so very much. We always will.

Trump lied about the Coronovirus in 2020–we should never forgive him. He knew how deadly this virus was in January or February of 2020 as recorded by Journalist Bob Woodward. He downplayed it all and was unwilling to effectively deal with it. Covid-19 was his greatest failure. Trump told so many lies about this virus during the worst public health crisis of the century.

The No.1 responsibility of government is to protect its citizens. Of the 1.2 million Americans who died, many could have been saved if our government and leaders were better prepared and took global pandemics seriously. Now we have too many empty chairs of loved ones at Thanksgiving, many who should still be here.

This was the biggest night of the year for my husband Mike. This was the day he left work early from Brooklyn to be home to take the kids trick or treats.

After dinner, we didn’t give up. Mike would take the kids in the station wagon and drive them to the spooky houses to get more candy. No one came home until those bags were filled.

The tradition would have continued with his grandkids if not for Covid, but his daughters will always remember those nights.