Thursday, November 24, 2016

Happy Thanksgiving 2016!!!










I wanted to start this holiday season in style so before I filled my Alaska cup (a gift from Terry) with FP I poured a bit of Baileys in rather than the usual cream!  I am now good to go for the entire day.
I received a nice note from sister Helen and a nice note from brother Dave.  I am thinking sister Joan is making lefsa, taking care of Ron and spending time with those 4 little ones and those 4 big ones!
Thanksgiving and Christmas are times of the year that I spend quiet times thinking, reflecting and reminiscing about the past, present and future.  This year again my senses have been dulled by the death of a friend and tennis teammate.  John was in his low 80's and had lived a very active and full life.  As an MD he traveled to third world countries to give of himself and in his spare time he did woodworking and many other things.  Times like this I can not ignore the fact that this is the last Thanksgiving that I will be south of 70!  I often struggle with the fact that my body and mind are not in the same place.  I am not sure if that is good or bad.
This morning I have made the decision, for today, that I will take life and run with what God has given me.  Now there may be a question as to what that is but I intend to find out before it is too late. Terry and I will spend a quiet day but will enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving meal mid afternoon.  I am not sure if I enjoy the meal the most or the leftovers the most.
I do think of how different this Thanksgiving is from the past 60 or so.  It seems to me that growing up on the farm it was usually cold and snow on the ground.  It even seems that it was kind of fun to do the chores in the barn because it was warm there!  In Devils Lake I KNOW it usually was cold.  I remember very well one Thanksgiving we headed to our parents on Wednesday night after school.  About 10 miles south of Devils Lake the roads because glare ice and the ditch looked like a good possibility.  We found an approach, turned around and headed back home.  In St. Paul one of the goofy measuring sticks was by Thanksgiving it would be freezing in the garage.  How about that for a  Thanksgiving memory!  Here, as I tapped my phone this morning, it showed the temp to be 66!  Warm enough for a walk, a tennis match and perhaps a sunset at the beach.  Life is changeable as one grows into maturity!
Just a few things I am thankful for this Thanksgiving:

  • my wife Terry who is terrific
  • my kids who are all growing into maturity with success and grace
  • my grandkids who daily give hope to a new generation 
  • I am thankful to be looking at north of 60 in January
  • to live in a country and have all (actually more) that I desire and need
  • for FP with a little kick in it!!!!
There are many many more things too but enough for now.

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