Grateful

My Father called me yesterday to reserve the thigh of the turkey for Thanksgiving. I'm being completely serious. So was he. We were right in the middle of a discussion about flight times and pick-ups outside of baggage claim when he said, "I have a favor to ask your husband (the chef and maker of all our Thanksgiving meals). Could you tell him that I would like one of the thighs of the turkey this year?"

Never mind that he and Mom have been eating Thanksgiving dinner at our home for decades, and that Alan is very aware of Dad's "thigh obsession" in the turkey department and therefore always (ALWAYS!) presents him with the coveted dark meat section. Dad still somehow felt the need to place his order. He did the same thing last year at Christmas when he phoned and told me what guest room of mine he preferred, and was calling ahead to place his reservation.

Needless to say, I'm going to have my hands full over the next several days. Starting tonight, my company will begin arriving; my parents and two of my sisters, along with their spouses and one niece. This is why I am sitting here in my living room at 5:00 am after having just finished cleaning the guest bathroom and sweeping the floor. I'm WAY too excited to sleep! My family is going to see my new house for the first time, dinner will be served in my new dining room, and we have a brand new shopping area to explore on Black Friday! I simply cannot wait!

So you probably won't be hearing from me for a few days. But I wanted to be sure and take a quick moment to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. Whether you're celebrating it by working a shift at a theme park (I'll be thinking of you guys!), eating a quiet dinner with someone special, or feasting with an enormous group of quirky family members, I hope it is equally delicious and precious, and that you come away with happy memories and new stories to tell!

At the very top of my "Blessings" list this year, my friends, will be YOU. I'm so grateful for your continuing readership, and for your kind words of encouragement. Praise from you, to quote my friend Stasha, "is like hot chocolate -- super tasty and makes me feel all warm and snuggy inside!"

Once my family has left and we're all going full Christmas throttle, rest assured I'll be back to write some more. I have a whole treasure trove of holiday memories for you, maybe you'll recognize your own family celebrations in them. In the meantime: Gobble, gobble. And as always, but today especially...

Thanks for Reading!!