Turkey dinner, of course.

And, naturally, it’s obvious why Chappy so loves when we eat in the dining room. He has the best view in the house from his favorite spot … except that (from his point of view) it’s a littttttle too far away from the table.

He’s also very helpful about clean-up. Even after two and a half helpings of turkey, he STILL insisted on helping to clean the carving board.

What a guy, huh?

What else am I thankful for this year? With the world economy in the tank and so  many bad things happening that are beyond my control, I couldn’t be more thankful for my family. I often think Susan picked out our parents, because I can’t imagine having better ones.  I live with mine, as you know, and we get on wonderfully. Mom and I may squabble a bit from time to time (usually in the kitchen), but she is one of my best friends, and my Dad is the person I respect most in the whole world, and he always has been.

My sister and I may not be “best friends,” and we certainly get along better since we don’t live in the same house anymore, but I love and respect her, too. She’s a challenging person, my sister, but as the years go on, I find that–different though our personalities are–we have a lot more in common than we thought we did when we were kids. We’re both creative and practical, like to cook (though her cooking is way too low-fat for my taste), and both inherited a lot of the same traits from our parents. (Thanks, Dad, for the sense of direction, logic, and math abilities. Thanks, Mom, for the imagination, eye for photography, and love of words.) We have a lot more in common than we would have admitted 20 years ago, and when in need? We are always there for each other. The day my Katy was killed? My sister jumped in the car, leaving her in-laws and her kids at home (which, if you knew my sister, would know was huge), and drove an hour to get here, just so she could give me a hug.

My brother-in-law is one of the kindest men I know–he’ll do just about anything he possibly can for you, and is never happier than when he’s doing a favor for somebody. And if that person can even remotely be considered family? Even better. And he’s similiarly appreciative of anything you do for him. He’ll also happily and gratefully eat just about anything, making him a pleasure to have as a guest, any time. He helped me tear up the old wall-to-wall carpeting in my room six years ago, just because I couldn’t manage it on my own. And he installed Katy’s dog door for her on the day we picked her up at the airport, just so it would be ready for her–even though it took weeks before she was grown enough to get through it on her own.

My niece and nephew, I talk about all the time. My niece is 19 years old and a sophomore in college, and is fun, creative, and oh, so talented. Her energy levels flow back and forth from highs to lows, like those old wave machines people used to have on their desks–blue waves going back and forth, back and forth, just naturally following their rhythm. She’s bubbly and bouncy when she’s excited about something, but follows it with a crash and a nap later on, just to balance out. And yet–while I know they do happen–I’ve almost never seen her in a bad mood. At least with us, she’s always sunny–there may be the occasional cloud, but she’s a definite bright spot.

My nephew is 15, very tall, and very funny. I admit, I find it harder to relate to a teenage boy than to my niece (mostly because I was never a teenage boy), but he is such a nice (tall) young man. He’s better at saving his money than I ever was, and one of his favorite things to do when they visit us on a Sunday, is to go through the advertising circulars from the newspaper. He enjoys getting new gadgets (and showed off his new iPod Touch today), and loves to be outside. We all wish he lived a lot closer because he would practically shovel snow all the way from his house to ours if he could in the winter. And did I mention that he’s funny? And tall? He’s growing into an admirable young man, my nephew.

Of course, then there’s Chappy. I’m sure it’s no surprise that I adore that ball of fur. He is also funny, and nobody, but nobody, can put a smile on my face faster than he can. Even when I’m in a bad mood and don’t want to smile (which doesn’t happen often)–he can still make me smile despite myself. He’s smart and charming. Polite and patient in everything except his over-enthusiastic greetings and his eagerness to get out the front door for a walk. Every other door he waits at, but the front door? With his leash? Oh, noo …. “Wait” is a four-letter word. He’s charming and sweet–by far the sweetest dog we’ve ever had–and does whatever he can to keep me happy. If I’m getting upset over anything, he comes over and gives me a hug–literally. He’s a little, chocolate-covered ray of sunshine, just for me. (Well, okay, he makes the rest of the family smile, too, but he concentrates his efforts on me–probably because I’m the one in charge of his food.)

I am also, I hope you all know, thankful for YOU. Real-life friends and online friends. You’ve made knitting fun again. One of the reasons I’d stopped knitting back in the early 1990s was because I got lonely. The only local yarn shop around was focusing on knitting machines, and I had no friends at all who knit, and no way to get any yarn once that LYS closed, except for the Patternworks catalog. The internet and knitting blogs changed all of that. Who could help but be inspired?

And not just for the knitting. People blather on about the “internet community” all the time, but it’s true, it’s real. I’ve been lucky enough to meet a lot of you, but even the ones who geography has made meeting impossible, I still consider friends. You are collectively funny, supportive, caring, and darn good company. So, thanks for all of you.

While I’m at this, I’ll say a word for a couple other things I’m thankful for–like, say, reading. As much as I love to knit, reading is and (I hope) will always be my favorite leisure activity. When I’m sick or tired or not feeling well, my first instinct is to curl up on my favorite chair with Chappy and a book. No television necessary. I read like I breathe, or eat–it’s just an absolute necessity and vital to my well-being. I don’t know what I’d do without books.

I’m also very appreciative of my job–especially these days. And while I’m trying hard to get this freelance business up and running (I am), I am grateful to have a job that I enjoy. I’ve been at Fulco for almost 18 years and love it. I also love the perks of being 4 miles from home, being able to come home at lunch to walk Chappy, and having 8:00-4:00 hours so that I have plenty of time at home in the evenings.

Thanks, everyone. For everything you do.

• Tags: Family, General • Permalink:Thankful //