It's A Two-Fer Day

 Walking in the snow.

Walking in the snow with my bestie.

That is all.

Thanksgiving

Or, maybe more to the point, 

Thanksgivings past.

This is from 2008.

Gaye and I have been spending 

Thanksgiving mornings together

for MANY years.

We had some *interesting*

Thanksgivings.

Most notably, the one when I prepared

pretty much the entire meal in crockpots

and then transported them to 

Carriage Oaks

because Big wasn't well enough

to travel to my house.

Last year was our first one without mom.

Mom wore that sweatshirt every year.

I wanted to strangle her every year.

It was complicated. 

But, it makes me smile now.

Gaye and I cooked 

Thanksgiving dinner together last year.

We both knew we'd need each other for that one. 

Gaye now has twin grand daughters.

Even I know to not get between a grandma

and her grandloves.

I knew last year that Gaye wouldn't be

cooking with me this year.

I've had a whole year to get comfortable

with the idea of a totally different 

Thanksgiving this year.

For that, I am thankful.

I'm pretty sure Mike's parents will stay

hunkered down and safe in their own apartment.

This year it will be Mike, Ava and me.

It'll be different.

it's fine. 

But, some things remain.

 

This City

Chicago.

If only it wasn't in Illinois.

I have had so much fun exploring this city.

Sometimes I go down by myself and just spend

 time wandering.

Sometimes Honey and I go and picnic

by the lake.

Sometimes I go with some combo

of girlfriends.

And once we went with a 

group of us for my 60th.

I'm thankful to have such an amazing city

at my disposal. 

Not so much in January.

Or February.

Or Covid.

 

Christmas Music

I'm thankful for it.

  Not gonna lie or be ashamed.

I started it up November 1st.

I'll keep it going until at least 

New Years Day.

Andy was mom's favorite.

Mine too.

But, you know what?

I've been known to crank it up 

mid-June.

Even when it wasn't 2020

It's The Obscure Things

 We have very deep thoughts on our morning walks.

1- aren't you glad you aren't

 the person who collects coyote urine?

2- aren't you glad you're not the guy

on the back end of the leaf sucking truck?

Technically,  our walk highlighted

 two things to be thankful for.

Here's what precipitated the coyote pee reflection.

I am thankful that someone collects that urine

and packages it so 

I can use it to keep critters out of my flowers.

And, whereas, the back end of a leaf picker-uper

looks like the short end of that stick, 

I am thankful for the job they do. 

There!

You can always find something.

Just Do It

I'm not sure where this will go. 
I've noticed that I've been thankful
for the things I have done. 

When I think about things that won't happen this year

I'm just so thankful that I've chosen to DO things

in the past.

I'm wondering if our town will

 do it's lighted Christmas parade.

I'll miss it if they don't

but I'm so happy we've braved the cold and done 

it many years.

We did an overnight in Chicago with our

kids and their families one year. 

We did Kris Kringle Market,

dinner 

and zoo lights.

Look at all those people 

PACKED in! 

This was before we even knew what

"social distancing" was.

Lory and I did Christmas in Disney last year,

well, not *actual* Christmas,

but Disney's Christmas celebration.

We saw fireworks every night, my favorite.

Disney is open on a limited basis but no fireworks yet.

Our gang of girls did Chicago last year.

We managed to find a day and just DO it.

No nasty warm wine in boot mugs this year.

I guess, where I am going is, 

I could get sad about what 

WON'T

be happening this year, 

or I could be so 

THANKFUL

for the wonderful times I've shared with people I love.

Another thankful moment, 

I'm thankful for the time spent,

not *things*.

Hmmm.....

36 Years And Counting

Big started sending me this magazine when I first got married.

Thanks to them sending renewal notices

long before the current subscription ran out,

and thanks to Big not wanting me to 

"miss an issue",

she dutifully renewed the subscriptions on

Meredith Publishing's schedule.

Big passed almost 2 years ago.

I still get 

Better Homes and Gardens.

I'm thankful for how it warms my heart

and gives me a little grin.

Love you Big.