Retail stores were pushing us into Christmas shopping before
we were able to enjoy Halloween and long before our family
Thanksgiving gatherings.
Apparently,
even the turkeys were upset with the rush; they were running
into traffic offering to be part of the Thanksgiving
dinners. I narrowly missed a whole group of them recently
on Pte. Aux Barques Road as I was driving to my daughter’s
house.
Thanksgiving
dinner is surly one of the best meals of the year – I
know it’s one of my favorites. I was lucky this year
because I was able to get in on two of them. The first feast
was celebrated with two of my daughters’ families just
before we headed south. We all enjoyed the works — turkey,
stuffing and of course pumpkin pie. By the time this column
is in print, I’ll have polished off my second Thanksgiving
dinner with another daughter’s family living in Florida.
Raising
four daughters was no easy task but it sure pays off around
the holidays. It also has provided an opportunity
to
visit distant places for mini-vacations and experience
big city events. Throw in all the grandkids produced
and the
great help we receive, and as the t-shirts proclaim, “Life
is good!”
Thanksgiving
is a time to reflect on why we are grateful. At the top of
my list is having the chance to enjoy all
the year’s
celebrations and gatherings with each member of my family.
I’m so grateful I raised daughters who became
such good cooks and such good moms. It makes me proud.
It’s hard to resist (I really don’t try) the great
meals they fix and I don’t even have to help
with the dishes.
I’m very grateful for all my friends and their families
who often invite me to join in their festivities. In times
of need, good friends are always there for me. I’m grateful
for good health and the wonderful doctors and other healthcare
providers who help me out. I’m very thankful for the
opportunity to present my column via the HURON DAILY TRIBUNE
and the great staff who represent it. I’m also grateful
for my reader’s comments, good or bad; I
sure enjoy hearing from them.
I
gave up on politics years ago and am thankful I did but I
still think I could do a better job
for
the middleclass
people
than what is offered today. I’m thankful that our troops
are at last coming home and so grateful for the contributions
and sacrifices they have made. I’m hopeful
we can keep them here at home and hope our leaders
will
stay
out of other
conflicts.
Now
it’s time to rush out and find those better sales.
You know, the ones they said you would never see again back
in October. It’s time to actually enjoy
(not be irritated by) those Christmas tunes
blaring at you everywhere
you
venture. When you hear the tinkling bells ringing
as you exit a store
and see the big red pot, toss a little extra
in
this year.
As I See It, the Salvation Army has had a lot of work to do
this past year, keeping up with all those it provides for.
We need to be thankful for all we have and recognize there
are so many families with less.
I sure hope all my family, friends and neighbors enjoyed their
Thanksgiving as much as I did. Pat and I are both very thankful
to live in the best of both worlds; Port Austin in the summer
and fall, Key Largo in the winter and spring.
As I said, LIFE IS GOOD!