Giving Thanks

Today is Thanksgiving. It's the holiday that we all consider "the food holiday." I would agree with that, There seems to always be a gathering and a feast. But it's also a day to give thanks.

I'm thankful for my health. We certainly don't know what tomorrow may bring but today I woke up and my back didn't hurt and my sinuses were clear. While this isn't the case every day, that's pretty much the worst of my chronic ailments.

I'm thankful for my family. My immediate family is really small. My sister lives nearby, she's got a son. I see them often and we all get along. My mom lives with me. She's elderly and doesn't get around very well so holidays are held in my house. We gather here and cook and have a good time. Then we sit around and eat and enjoy a nice conversation.

I'm thankful for my fantastic group of friends. Dan and Luis, Denise, Tina, Polo. When we're all together it's magical. We laugh constantly and we're there for one another through thick and thin. I love them so much, they are like my family. There are a lot of other friends, too many to mention, but all are special to me for their own reason.

I'm thankful to have someone new in my life, Anthony. When we are together time flies because it's so much fun. When we're apart, it feels as if time is standing still because I can't wait to see him again. We can make each other laugh, we offer each other a fresh perspective on thing when either one has a decision to make or a problem to solve. I learn something new about him each day and it excites me. I hope I do the same for him. It's fun, as opposed to past relationships where I spent more time feeling uneasy about things.

I'm thankful that I have a job that challenges me, that frustrates me, and keeps me intersted. Some days are more challenging than others but often there's a sense of satistaction when I'm presented with a daunting task and by the end of the day I've completed it and everybody's happy.

What is it you are thankful for on this day?

Happy Thanksgiving

Today is Thanksgiving, and it seemed like the right time to sit down and share my thoughts about today as well as a bit about all that's been going on since I last posted.


Thanksgiving one year ago was much different. My mind was in a different place. Things change, life goes on and you learn from experiences. I learned just how much of a support system I have in my friends and family.


Obviously my core group of friends mean the world to me and I'm thankful that they're always around. Never have I had such a group where I could just let myself go and be myself. They love me and my quirks.


Another friend who has always been there but only in the past year really gained more of a presence is my friend Steve, whom I often refer to as "my dear friend Steve." In the past year, we began getting together more often. Whether it was a planned day of shopping or just running into one another on the street and spending time together, it's been a great pleasure getting to know him better. I'm thankful to have him as a friend.

Last weekend, he and his partner had a bad experience at their home. It left them shaken but thankfully not seriously hurt. I, being the friend who wants to help and protect all of his friends, felt completely helpless and angry over the whole incident, even though there's not a thing I can do except wish them well and hope for justice. I'm thankful that they are both alright.

My mom has been on the road to recovery for about 4 weeks now. She's getting around with the help of a walker. Home health professionals have been visiting her. The one issue that she's had to deal with is a bedsore which developed in the hospital. It was healing when she was discharged but since she sits a lot (it's not like she can be on her feet for a long time), it opened back up. The home health nurse has been treating it. Mom's got a donut cushion which keeps pressure off of her tailbone, and again, it's healing. I'm thankful for that.

I'm also thankful that my mom, my sister and I had a nice day, we finished having dinner together a couple hours ago and everything turned out great. My sister and I cooked and my mom ate just about everything on her plate. It's nice to see her eat such a big meal.

I'm off from work tomorrow, and I've got plans to run to Target for the 5 am madness. I'm hoping to get some deals, including the GPS unit that is on sale for $97 bucks.

So back to Dancing With the Stars, I was pleased with the way the season ended. The semi-finals came down to Joanna, Kelly, Mya and Donny. Surprisingly Joanna was eliminated, I thought for sure it would have been Kelly. Joanna was a better dancer, but Kelly has a big fan base. It was hard to see Joanna go, I found myself really liking her. But I liked all of them. I was not surprised to see Kelly finish 3rd, however, similar to last season, the best dancer did not win the trophy. Mya proved she could dance all of the dances with grace and artistry, but Donny won due to his overwhelming popularity. He has a better on-camera presence and the fans are drawn to it. He wasn't a bad dancer at all, just not the best. But he sure was a gracious winner and that alone makes it OK in my book.

I think I'm back to blogging now, I'm going to try to post a few times a week. This is a busy season, but it's also one of my favorite seasons. The fun and excitement of it all offers much to discuss. And speaking of thankful, I'm so thankful to have this forum to air my thoughts, and I'm thankful for all of you who have read my blog, left comments and been supportive of me.

I hope you and yours had a very Happy Thanksgiving, and here's to a magical holiday season!!

xoxo

Happy Thanksgiving

File Under: Turkey Day

(photo credit: I don't know, but my friend Mark posted it on our message board, QTS, so thanks goes to Marky Mark for this)

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!