A time to be thankful

Okay, time to catch up a little...

Here are some (week old) Thanksgiving highlights.

Pop Pop and Duncan

A fence for the cow so he won't get out...

(isn't it obvious?)

And at our house, no one takes a bite until we go around the table and say what we are thankful for. I love hearing every one's thoughts each year, it is a wonderful reflection of who we all are and where we are in our lives - how our thanks change and how they stay the same. Every year I think I should write them down and start a journal of sorts documenting our thankfulness's over the years - I would love to pass those thoughts on to my children. This year my good friend Richard who normally always has a seat at our table, ended up spending the holiday with his own family (I know - THE NERVE!). However he did email me what he was thankful for this year and I just felt the need to share... A brief story: On a warm Sunday in July, I received a series of phone calls from Andria, while she and John were on the road home from a week at the beach. The calls revolved around how she and John had managed to get on the north east extension of the PA turnpike—without getting a toll ticket. They managed to get the lack of ticket problem resolved, with absolutely no help from me—although it took four phone calls to establish there was nothing I could do. However, in the final call, Andria mentions that she and John—ok, John—will be painting their living room on Monday, in preparation for Andria’s monthly book club meeting—at their home—on Tuesday. Now…most people would budget a little more time than 24 hours to paint, but not these two. And Andria encouraged me to stop by to lend a hand Tuesday afternoon to put things back together. Tuesday afternoon I went over, just to see what help I could offer. With 4 hours to book club, most other couples might have been panicking. What I saw was a couple, working together to put up new drapes and centering new framed prints. I was charged with dusting. Damn, there was a lot of dust. I moved through the dining room, dusting and moving and dusting everything in sight. As I reached what I would describe as a china cabinet, I dutifully removed some Anne Myers pottery that was sitting on top of the china cabinet, and dusted each item. Inside one bowl, I found a baseball. Big surprise, right? But this baseball was different. It seemed to have been painted, or shellacked. And it had either the word “love” painted on it, or a heart, or both. I can’t remember now. But it seemed so…appropriate. A couple, working together, no anger, no panic, putting their freshly painted room back together, and while they debated the placement of pictures, a little baseball pulled it all together, for me. I carefully put the baseball back in the bowl. I did not mention it to Andria or John, until now. I am grateful for that memory: my friends, happy and working together. And a baseball that says it all. Happy Thanksgiving. Among other things...I think this guy needs to start a blog, don't you? Happy late Thanksgiving everyone, hope it was filled with all things good.