Friday November 25 2016  THE DAY AFTER

Today is a gift to me.  I have given myself permission to do as I please, go where I please, and get home when I please: no exercise, no appointments, and no hurry.  So that is why I am writing early this morning.  I WANT TO BE FREE FROM ALL “HAVE TOO’S”.  (How do you like my made-up word?)  No comments please.

Yesterday was delightful.  We bucked the system and had lasagna for our Thanksgiving dinner.  And believe me I was so thankful that I didn’t need to handle a big bird and all the falderal of preparing it.  I made my lasagna last week, put it in the refrigerator for 48 hours and then froze it.  I took it out of the freezer Wednesday night and left it in the garage wrapped in a large clean bath towel.  Thursday morning I set it in the kitchen as it was still frozen but beginning to soften.  It was thawed by the time I put it in the oven.  And it was delicious!

My friend sent me a wonderful creamy Italian dressing recipe for my salad and it was a big hit.  I served a side of roasted Brussels sprouts (which is also what I ate for breakfast this morning), fresh fruit brought by our daughter-in-law, garlic French baguette, and the delicious salad topped with my new dressing.  It was better than a five star restaurant, even if I do say so myself.  It was finished off with fresh baked carrot cake muffins.  And three of the muffins had a candle on top.  I won’t mention the silk pumpkin pie (a gift baked by our neighbors) that we ate later!  It was DELICIOUS!

Yesterday was a twofold celebration!  First on the agenda was Thanksgiving and we conveniently combined the celebration of three birthdays.  Our daughter-in-law and our grandsons have all celebrated recent birthdays and due to schedules we had no time to have birthday parties for any of them.  We did have opportunity to attend our Grandson’s birthday parties with their school friends but as far as I am concerned the party that counts is the one we have with the family.  As long as I am able I hope to be able to do something special for them to celebrate their life.  We had a great party including a time of games and gift opening.  Our Christmas tree was lit up and it was almost a bit like a pre-Christmas.  Who knows, maybe we’ll leave the tree up all year.  It is so festive and brightens up the room.

The best part about the evening was that there was no television blaring and no heads stuck in electronic games.  It was just plain and pure interactive fun.  The boys were also excited to look and see what was in their buckets.  I have two little pails that look like the sand pails kids use at the beach, but much smaller.  Their little pails sit on a shelf in the kitchen.  As I collect little things from give-aways,  stickers that come in mailings, wrapped treats from the bank, perhaps a piece of leftover Halloween candy, little stuffed animals or figurines the kids might like, I stick it in their pails.  Between visits the items just seems to add up.  And that’s the first place they check when they come over.  Tonight however they had to wait until after dinner!  It just raised their anticipation a little as they could see all kinds of fun things peeking over the tops.  Oh the joys of childhood.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if it took so little to satisfy us as we got older?

I am so thankful for our grandsons.  They are truly a gift to us.  It warms our hearts to watch our children parent, hear their concerns, and know they are being so diligent in all they can do to prepare their sons for the world we live in.  I feel so blessed to be their grandmother and I hope they remember these fun filled days of their youth.  Some memories gain importance as the years pass.  I want to leave a legacy of loving memories for them to look back upon.

CREATING MEMORIES DRESSINGS

Kathleen Martens

November 25, 2016

http://www.visionsofpoetry.com

It comes but once a year

A day in which to give thanks.

And because it is on the calendar

It’s a day of high ranks.

But wouldn’t it even be better

If it happened every day,

That we would pause to give thanks

And Thanksgiving with us would stay?

So each day give simple pause

And be grateful for life’s blessings.

Create a legacy of lasting love

Trimmed in memory’s dressings.

Express care to those you love,

Show kindness to everyone.

Say thank you for what others do,

And be part of life’s fun.

Every day should be celebrated

By being, loving, and giving,

Be a blessing to those you meet

Expressed by how you’re living.

And every day will be a day

When Thanksgiving is born anew.

It needn’t be on a special Thursday,

But be celebrated all year through.

Thank You God for the memories created yesterday.

Thank You for life today.

Thank You for the tomorrows you have planned.

And thank You that my days are numbered and I need not fear death.

HAVE A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING WEEKEND!  GOD BLESS YOU!