First, I’m thankful I checked the calendar. Thanksgiving Day is next Thursday – who knew how it even got to be Halloween, much less close to the third Thursday in November? I’ll bet my family’s thankful too since I’m providing the turkey and the venue. It would be too embarrassing to have them ring the doorbell and find me in my writing clothes (read “oldest sweater and jeans”) with leftover soup on the stove.
I’m appreciative of California’s climate right about now. The spectacular autumn foliage in the East has faded. In fact, most of the trees are shedding leaves rapidly by now, and snow is not so farfetched. I lived in the East for a long time, and the start of a new season was always a thrill, the rest of it not so much. Late fall and early (February) spring here in northern California contrast greatly with New York’s and remind me of why we put up with the threat of earthquakes
I’m grateful for a new publisher, for the steadfast support of my agent, and the encouragement of my friends in the writing community. Getting to three published Dani books from the dream of one continues to thrill even as it keeps me humble with the realization that luck – timing – is part of the equation of any kind of success.
My gratitude for four adorable, bright, unique grandkids who still like to spend time with me runs deep. They haven’t decided I’m boring yet. “Grateful” doesn’t begin to cover how I feel. And, of course, their parents are high on my all-time favorites list too.
As grateful as I am for having some time left in which to write, I haven’t used it it wisely. Someone told me the other day that I have an enviable balance in my life. I’m thinking it may be time to chuck some of the movies and operas and dinners out and dig in. I still have books in me, a handful I not only want to write but am flirting with or have partially written. By next Thanksgiving, I hope I can say I’m grateful for having finished two more.
I hope you’re counting your own blessings while you make the stuffing or peel the apples. Happy Thanksgiving!
Alyx, You had a very big year! Best wishes and hang in there for another good one.
I’m very thankful for this year to be drawing to a close. It’s been a wonderful year (I got married, took a honeymoon in Greece), but it’s also been a very stressful & expensive one. It’ll be nice to go back to a “normal” year in 2013. Oops…I may have just jinxed that. ;o)
Chinese is good. It even has leftovers although you can’t make sandwiches with leftover garlic prawns the way you can with slices of turkey breast topped with cranberry sauce.
We (Dave, my sister Lisa and I) are going to have chinese food for Thanksgiving this year. Our normal plans fell through and we thought we’d do something different since the only thing Dave really likes from the meal is the stuffing… so I’m just gonna make him stuffing, I think!
A lot of things to be thankful for and I’m definitely trying to focus on them rather than the things that have made this year a trial by fire.