So the family is here. Most of them are still sleeping and likely will be until I pull a turkey from the oven a little later on this afternoon. Whatever.
This year I’m thankful for my husband, who keeps me sane. I’m thankful for my dog, who makes me laugh. I’m thankful for my home, which keeps me grounded. I’m thankful for my job, which keeps me in my house and allows me to eat delicious nomnoms. I’m thankful for the last few days of fall, for the hope of tomorrow, for good hair days and lazy Sunday afternoons.
I’m thankful for hot coffee on cold days, and cold sweet tea on hot days. I’m thankful for my crazy city with all it’s craziness and hidden goodness. I’m thankful for the radio, for music that makes me cry and laugh and dance. I’m thankful for books that open my world up. I’m thankful for friends, both the ones I’ve met on the internets and the ones I know in real life. I’m thankful for wine and chocolate and good pens.
I’m thankful for the neighborhood kitties who drive my dog insane. I’m thankful that I get the chance to cook a turkey this year. I’m thankful for the family the Army has given me. I’m thankful for starry nights and wool blankets. I’m thankful for bright red toenails, warm sweaters, comfy chairs, and deviled eggs.
I’m thankful for life this year and for all the plans for next year.
Thank you.
I want to be a rock star, a super hero and a novelist. I want to always have my toenails painted bright pink, or lime green or black. I want to travel to France, Belgium, Austria, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Norway, Ireland, and the Netherlands. I want to wear more skirts and better mascara. I want to have a pack of puppies that sit and give me kisses on command. I want to work fewer weekends, and volunteer more weekends.
I want to be totally comfortable in my own skin. I want a bigger voice. I want to remember how to ride horses. I want a beautiful garden designed by me. I want to write without hesitation. I want to throw caution, all of it, into the wind. I want the ability to get up and just go. I want to spend afternoons outside reading classic novels. I want to bake pies that smell like heaven and cakes that won’t make me fat.
I want to have a degree. I want to visit all 50 states. I want to learn to swim. I want to walk barefoot all the time. I want low-maintenance hair that always falls into place without any effort from me. I want a bigger sense of who I am. I want to walk for something I believe in. I want to convince others that freedom and love for everyone on the planet is the right thing to do. I want to save a life.
I want to still dance around the house with music blasting. I want to love my husband even more than I already do. I want to feel responsible. I want to be proud. I want to have a combat patch. I want to curtains on all my windows. I want to have a best friend outside of my marriage. I want to write in a paper journal. I want to learn to play an instrument, like the harmonica.
I want to save the world.
What do you want to do/be when you grow up?
Sometimes I’m hyper-organized. Like when I have family coming for Thanksgiving. Or like when I go grocery shopping. Or when I register for classes at school.
Thanksgiving is a perfect example.
Since I don’t believe in making everything on Thanksgiving day, I’m spreading out the food preparations throughout the week. Because I am crazy.
Today, right after I got home from work, I made cranberry sauce, from scratch, which was the easiest thing EVER, boiled a dozen eggs, made chocolate oatmeal cookies and baked bread from scratch WITHOUT a bread machine.
Tomorrow we’ll make the pies, also from scratch, and the casseroles and maybe some banana bread as well. Plus, we’ll sweep the house because SOMEONE (hint: she’s been called FurBitch on more than one occasion) thinks it’s appropriate to shed fur all over the house.
Thanksgiving Day all I’ll do is throw my big, beautiful, free-range, vegetarian-fed, antibiotic-free turkey in the oven, mash some potatoes, throw some rolls in the oven, heat my side dishes and drink glass after glass of wine.
Fingers crossed nothing burns, nothing explodes, and I don’t poison anyone…
Yesterday was beautiful. We finished preparing the house for Thanksgiving, took a long walk with the FurBitch (she loved it, as usual), and then gave her a bath (she hated it, as usual). Luckily, she didn’t give me another black eye. It was a near-perfect day.
–
Last week, when we found the goats, our boss captured the above photo of the Husband and I. We are awesome. Just in case you didn’t know.
Dear Neighbor’s Oak Tree,
Remember in the summer how awesome you were? How your branches spread across my yard and provided some much-appreciated shade? We had a great relationship them, and I miss it. I really do.
Things have changed, however. I’m starting to hate you. Yesterday I was out there raking the leaves you’ve decorated my back yard with, and, as soon as I’d cleared an area of your leaves, you felt it appropriate to shower said leaf-free area with yet more leaves. It’s like you were watching and waiting to totally ruin my efforts.
Can’t you just STOP throwing your leaves in my yard? Why is that too much to ask!?
Cease & Desist,
- The Crazy Rake-Wielding Lady
–
Dear HuskyMutt,
Remember when you gave me that black eye? Yeah. That sucked. So, in order to make up for it, I’d really like it if you just stopped shedding righthisminute. Okay?
Thanks!
- Your Mother
–
Dear Project Runway,
If the next season isn’t better than this past season, I’m done with you. For reals. You sucked. As did this season’s winner.
Time to step it up!
- Almost Ex-Fan
–
Dear turkey,
You better be in the fridge thinking about how you can be most delicious for Thanksgiving!
Love,
Hungry for delicious Thanksgiving NOMS
