Happy Thanksigiving!

I started out the day by crawling out of a warm bed into the cold bedroom. It’s not bone chilling cold, I think it was 18 degrees F when I got up, and we’ve been lucky, no snow or bad weather to put up with, but it’s cold enough, especially since I was buried under a pile of blankets and snuggled against Joe’s back.

My big morning routine is to feed the animals as quickly as possible, cats and dogs, and then start up the furnace to fill up the cold house with warmth.

And then coffee, of course, always coffee. I brew up a big pot that lasts us the day.

By this time, Joe is out of bed, and I’m back upstairs, pulling on my workout clothes and grabbing my gym bag to head to the club.

I love working out on Thanksgiving. The gym isn’t super crowded with New Year’s resolutions people yet, and I get to see all my old favorite friends who work out with me on early work mornings.

I had a super workout, just like I usually do when I’ve done yoga the night before. My body is all loose and stretched and ready for some heart thumping activity.

After workout, I sat in the sauna for a while. I love the subtle heat and how the sweat beads run down my face as the minutes tick by.

Then a hot shower, get dressed, dry hair, and off I go back home.

There was a neighborhood Thanksgiving run going on, and a police officer had us wait at a corner as the runners paced by.

I kind of felt bad, because I thought maybe I should be running, and then I remembered, “Wait! I just finished working out! I’m OK. I don’t need to feel bad.”

Joe made us a HUGE Thanksgiving breakfast; hash browns, eggs, bacon, and toast. I think the breakfast calories overwhelmed my workout burning calories.

As I ate breakfast, I eagerly dug into all the ads that come with the newspaper. I never go out on Black Friday or care that much, because I’m one of those people who really hate shopping, but I love looking at the ads on Thanksgiving. It’s kind of like being a kid again and pouring over the Montgomery Ward and Sears Christmas catalogs that came to our house.

And like a child, I thought, “What if I had that wonderful thing and that would make my life so much better.”

I bought some new lighted reindeer for the front of the house last week. After breakfast, Joe helped me put those together and then he cut up the boxes for recycling. Now I’m already to hang Christmas lights tomorrow morning after workout.

I’m listening to my new jazz CD. Prism, I think the group is called. It’s kind of a modern jazz with a little edgy feel. Joe and I liked it, but we’re both suckers for jazz.

Later this afternoon, my son and I will join Susan and the boys at her brother’s home for Thanksgiving dinner. Last year, I kind of hijacked Thanksgiving from him and wanted to have dinner, because I hadn’t had Thanksgiving in a long time. He compromised with me and had the noon meal and I had the late meal. My older grandson LOVED that – two big meals in one day!

But this year, I let the boys’ uncle have Thanksgiving. It’s actually nice not to have to cook today and just relax. I’m bringing pies and wine and I’m quite pleased doing that.

Susan’s brother wanted us to come at 1:00 pm and we’d eat at 5:00 pm. We did that a couple of years ago, and it was awful. I don’t drink, so it was icky watching Susan’s parents as well as her brother and her brother’s girlfriend proceed to get drunk. By the time the meal was served, Susan’s father almost passed out on the turkey piled high on his plate.

Not a good time.

So, this year, Asher and I are going later, and be there an hour ahead of dinner and we’ll stay the minimal amount of polite time and then leave.

Thanksgiving will be over and I’ll be free the rest of the weekend.

So on this day of thanks – I have to say I’m thankful I had Ray in my life for 10 years. It wasn’t enough time, but I’m grateful for the time I had. I’m a person who found out what true love really is.

I’m grateful for Joe, because after five and a half years of being together, we’re finding our feet as a couple. We rarely snarl at each other anymore and our times are now pleasant ones, full of good times and good humor.

I’m thankful for my son, who has stood with me during hard times and good times. He’s been a great father to wonderful boys.

I’m thank for Susan, because we have a mother/daughter/friends relationship that suits us and no one else probably really understands it.

Of course, I’m grateful for my grandsons. I’m so lucky, because they live close to me and I see them whenever I want. I know about their lives, their friends, and their hopes and dreams. They’re not strangers from across the country.

I’m so thankful that I have a nice home and a good job. I was lucky enough to work through this horrible recession while many people lost their jobs and couldn’t find work while their money ran out.

I’m 58 years old and my life is starting to shift downward. Oh, I might have 20, 30 years left. But it’s not the same as being young. I’m lucky for now that I have my health and can do what I want to do. But the future is a funny thing and what we’re doing now doesn’t always mean that’s what we’re going to be doing going forward.

So, I’m thankful that I’m here to enjoy all my blessings.