Click to enlarge Kathy Williams

For about half of my life I have been either a vegetarian or a vegan -- in short, an herbivore. A recent letter the newspaper received reminded me that most folks are omnivorous and brought up the prospect of a vegan Thanksgiving. The writer, a dietitian, said studies of human omnivores found that consuming meat and eggs can actually promote disharmony among family members gathered to celebrate the event.

"Much holiday stress comes from trying to create the perfect meal. As a dietitian, I want to point out that what you put on the menu actually influences your mood and could help relieve tension," she wrote. I'm thinking she's a shill for turkey breeders, touting the benefits of natural tryptophan in turkey. Nope.

"Researchers at Arizona State University found that when omnivores cut meat and eggs out of their diets, they experience less tension and less confusion

"Meatless holiday meals of lentils, winter squash, and perhaps a soy- or wheat-based "turkey" just might help prevent the next family feud."

Are you kidding me? I can't imagine the words that would come from my kinfolks' mouths if I offered tofurkey.

In college, my sister and I became vegetarians. My father could not grasp the concept. "What do you mean you're not eating turkey. Turkey isn't meat, it's fowl." "Well, can you eat bread at least?" my mother-in-law, appalled, asked a few years later.

The year my daughter Autumn and I decided to go vegetarian at Thanksgiving, Andy took it as an invitation to go the Cowboys game, guilt free. We went out to a restaurant and Laurel had traditional turkey. By 10 a.m. the next day, we were out buying cheap turkey, fixing a full T-Day dinner -- for leftovers with all the fixings. Fixings are vegetarian.

Happy birthday Wednesday to Judge R.C. Vaughan, Melvin Briggs, Katherine Ailshire and Deloris Allen, all of Sherman; Jerry Price, Vesta Kruzensh, Jean McNealy, Stephen Wayne Sparkman and Kim Knowles, all of Denison; Melva Hignight Shugart of Yantis; Anthony Geer of McKinney; Winona Flaherty Bishop of Alma, Ark.; Jesse Branham of Bells; Phillip Farris and Kevin Bateman, both of Howe.

Happy anniversary Wednesday to Randy and Debra Clark of Sherman, 31 years; Mike and Pam Hurley of Sheman, 20 years.