Being Thankful

1. Tradition...how tightly do you cling to tradition when it comes to holiday gatherings and celebrations? For instance do you always do the cooking, never eat at home, always go to grandma's, never miss the parade, always watch football, never change the menu, always eat at 2 PM, etc.? Have you ever celebrated Christmas or Thanksgiving away from hearth, home, and family? How did that feel?

Over the years our traditions have changed. My brother and his wife would come from the city for Thanksgiving. They are now an over the road truck driving team. My son mostly comes home, but occasionally not. I ALWAYS do the cooking. Up until this year the menu was always the same. Being a chef school graduate you'd think I would be able to make a turkey. WRONG!. My turkeys have always been a disaster. Under-cooked (eww), burnt (eww), a soggy nasty mess at one time or another my turkey was all of those things. . This year a new tradition is being made. My husband makes THE worlds BEST porcupine meatballs. That is our main course. 
I used to ALWAYS watch the Macy's parade. However, now it seems that it is mostly  about the stars. 
 I have NEVER watched football. Well, I need to take that back. If the Vikings were playing, and Fran Tarkenton was not retired I watched. When Fran retired I quit watching football. The game lost all meaning when he retired. I went into mourning. 
When we still lived in the city, and my mom was alive we would go out to dinner. Usually to the Rosewood Room in downtown Minneapolis. It is in the North Star hotel. They always did a perfect buffet, and gave you some to take home.
 I have never been away from home for any major holiday. One year I was going to spend Christmas with my BF and family, but God put me in my bed as a way of telling me to stay home.
P.S. Heard from my son yesterday. His girlfriend has been put to bed by her doctor. She has pneumonia. The contagious type. William wanted to know if he should come up alone. I told him NO! He might be contagious also. If those type of germs come in contact with me I am down for the count. I would just be getting over it by Christmas. Our meatballs have changed into meatloaf. I had the burger thawed when I got the call. 

2. Help...is it easy for you to ask for help or are you a do-it-yourselfer? How is that a good/bad thing?

What is the meaning of help? I don't recognize the word. I have hurt myself more times than I can count because I don't ask for help. Usually lifting something way too heavy for me to lift. In that way it is a very bad thing. I ask for help in the kitchen when something is on a high shelf in the cupboard. However, I mostly do things myself. I think probably because I want it done now and don't want to wait for someone else to do it. It could also be because I want things done a certain way and am afraid someone else might not do it my way. Geesh, maybe this is a bad thing. I do stop and ask for directions though!

3. Abundance...what is there an abundance of in your kitchen?

Utensils! Oh my gosh! Utensils are everywhere. I have a huge basket full by the stove. I also have 2 drawers full. You know those gadgets that seem to be a lifesaver, but really aren't? I have them all. And really how many rubber spatulas, wooden spoons, and pancake turners does one kitchen need?

4. Name...the smallest thing you're thankful for? the biggest?

Smallest for sentimental reasons is my aunt's wedding rings. I loved her so much, and her me. When she and my uncle had been married 25 years they got matching wedding rings. When my uncle died she took her band and her engagement ring to the jewelers. She had the setting for the engagement ring mounted to her band. My cousin gave them to me. She died the day after Christmas 3 years ago. Kind of a melancholy time of year now. I keep the birth of our Lord in front of me and I am able to get through it all.  I still look for things to buy her for Christmas. Fortunately, I have remembered before actually purchasing something.
I am thankful to not live in the city. I love to visit the city, and do miss it, but I wouldn't live there again. 
The largest in size and the other way that I am thankful for is my husband. Yes, he is difficult. Yes, he has mostly bad days. Yes, he can be hateful. Yes, the fun has gone out of him. Yes, he is delusional. However, once in a while the man I married shows up, and I remember why I married him. He was funny, he was charming, he was handsome, he was gentle. Those times I remember how safe he made me feel. However fleeting those times are now I am thankful for the glimpses of his old self.

5. Key...What do you think is the key to living a more grateful life?

The key to living a more grateful life is to never take what you have for granted. Give thanks to God  for your life as it is everyday. Even in the bad things there are things to be grateful/thankful for. You might have to look hard for them, but they are there. Even if it is just God shaping you. But, the secret is to never take your life for granted.,

6. State your own random thought here.

I haven't been here for a few weeks. I was busy nursing a sick kitty. My Boo kitty. She was diabetic, but quit eating and therefore could not get her insulin shots. This started on a Thursday, and I took her to the vet on Monday morning. Her glucose was way too high. And her blood tests showed liver failure. My vet and his staff did everything they knew to do, but I eventually brought Boo home to die. I could not put her down.

 Having her home was the right decision. She always knew she was loved, but we felt it important she be with us. Tom (the vet) told me there would be no pain. I had her home 5 days. There were times when I wanted to take her and end it all. Not for her so much, but for me. I loved that girl so , and a piece of my heart broke every single day. 

She was a funny little creature. Bossy, opinionated, loving, demanding, very vocal. Those are all good qualities because they made her who she was.

She is also in answer to question 4. My life was much fuller because of her.

 Boo did not like her picture taken. She usually looked like a crabby cat. She wasn't though.

She was a bright shining personality in our lives.

 She was a scamp. Dust covered, but a scamp. This cabinet she is on is only 5 inches from the ceiling. She would climb onto the top of the tread mill, and then jump across to the cabinet. A distance of about 4 feet. To get down she would jump down to the back of husband's chair.

 She did not like the Christmas hats I made for her and Ozzy.

She hated modeling this sweater and hat. She must have known they were made for a dog.

She was gentle. Her love for us was always evident.

 She was beautiful. I miss her, and my heart aches for her. I know she is shaking things up on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge.