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by Olorin
Well, Thanksgiving is upon us. And already long past for our Canadian members (belated Happy Thanksgiving!). As I write this message, I am reflecting on what I am thankful for this year. I've reached that age where being thankful for health is appropriate, so I'll start off with that. Closely related, I'm thankful I'm still able to work from home, at least through the end of the year. I'm also thankful for this beautiful, blue-eyed cat, Jasmine, who is tapping my elbow and meowing as I write this, wanting attention. There, I've leaned back and put my feet up, so she's now happily lying on my lap. I'm thankful that although a hail storm broke some of my siding a few weeks ago, I have just enough left over from the construction of the house to replace it. I'm thankful that I can still get parts for my 19+ year old car, as I did yesterday, and that it rarely needs anything other than routine maintenance (GM should never have ended Saturn). I'm thankful for a pantry and fridge absolutely stuffed with food, so that my only food issue is settling on a menu for tomorrow. I'm thankful we have a gluten-free bakery in town now, though it's pricey and its offerings are a treat, not a staple (picking up some orange cranberry scones later today). I'm thankful for family and friends, so that I'm not alone in the world. I'm thankful for our forum, which has provided endless interaction for me for decades now (and where I can occasionally wax philosophical, this being as close as I get to "social media"). I'm thankful that I'm approaching the end of my career (theoretically three more years, but I could chuck it all on a moment's notice now, if I had to). I'm thankful for the many parks and nature preserves in the area, where I've spent much weekend time these past three years, in the absence of movies, concerts, and other things I used to do cooped up in a room with hundreds of other exhaling humans. And I'm thankful that we had almost a normal autumn this year, and that I could visit all those parks and nature preserves to see beautiful fall colors silhouetted against an azure sky.
So with those thoughts in mind, I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving, or whatever you call it if you're outside the US...even if it's already over. Just try not to over-indulge at the harvest table!
"Olorin I was in the West that is forgotten...."