Thoughts on Thanksgiving and a Quote from Ferris Bueller

This time tomorrow the turkey will be roasting in the oven and I'll be buzzing around the house doing who knows what.

Thanksgiving dinner is at my sister Kathleen's, but I'm making a turkey so we will have plenty of leftovers at our house. Plus, turkey is good for you, right? It's all those extras like dressing and gravy and marshmallow-covered sweet potatoes, and green-bean casserole, oh and the pies that pack on the pounds. The stuff I really like.

So, since no doubt, I won't be able to post tomorrow, I want to take time today to wish all of you a happy, safe, and joyful Thanksgiving Day. When I count the many blessings I've received this year, I count you among those gifts for which I am thankful.

If you're one of my blog followers, someone I've interviewed, someone whose book I have reviewed, a long-time reader, a first-time visitor, a blogging buddy, or a writing friend, I am grateful our paths have crossed and wish you many blessings.

Oh, and please if you have a slice of pie or cake or anything else scrumptious tomorrow, I hope you savor every bite.

If our family tradition at Kathleen's holds, we might even watch Ferris Bueller, one of the Duly Clan's all-time-favorite holiday flicks.

So, I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes from Ferris, "Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

Blessings,
Donna

Shopping on Black Friday - A New Tradition

Last night and early this morning I did something I said I would NEVER do again. I fought the crowds to shop on Black Friday.

Shopping on Black Friday used to be a fun tradition I shared with my late daughter Julie, her in laws, and a few friends. Thanksgiving day we would scour the ads. The next day we met in the wee hours, fought the crowds, got the early bargains, grabbed a late breakfast, shopped some more, grabbed a late lunch, more shopping--maybe a trip to the ATM-- then drove back home by dark. It took a day to recover, but by golly I got some great bargains. Even if it was stuff I didn't need, at least I got it cheap.

Since we lost Julie and Mike in a motorcycle accident almost six years ago, shopping on Black Friday hadn't been a priority. My husband Walt and I were busy raising Cari and Michael, Julie and Mike's children. We made sure our grandkids got nice Christmas gifts, but I joked I would rather take a stick in the eye than fight the Black Friday crowds. Actually, it was because shopping on Black Friday brought back memories I wasn't ready to relive.

Then late Thanksgiving night Cari asked if I would take her and a friend of hers shopping.

So, shop we did.

We left the house around 11 p.m., drove to her friend's house, picked her up, then rode around looking for bargains--and a parking spot. I shook my head when I saw the lines of folks camped out in front of Best Buy. I spotted a tent and a bonfire, folks sitting in camp chairs, and a few playing cards at a table. We kept driving. The parking lot at Toys R Us was packed, so we continued on our way.

We ended up at Wal-Mart shortly before the advertised 12:01 a.m. sales began.

Maybe it was because of the cold or maybe the freeing rain, but people literally ran into the store from the parking lot. Inside, the greeter handed out sheets that showed where the advertised items were located. As I wandered around trying to maneuver through the crowded aisles, Cari and her friend, cell phones in hand, let me know where they were as they looked around.

I watched shoppers with wild looks in their eyes pile stuff in their overloaded carts. As expected, toys and games were hot items. Suprisingly, so were towels, steam mops, candle gift sets, luggage, storage tubs, and other household goods.

At 11:59 I stood in a line which did not move for 15 minutes, then it slowly inched forward. While I waited with my few bargains, Cari found a couple of inexpensive accessories she had to have. I passed the time talking with fellow shoppers. A twentyish woman in front of me had a basket filled with toys, games, and some household items. We chatted about Christmases past. She told me how excited her five-year-old son was the year she bought him a dinosaur that she got on sale for $100, but which she later sold at a garage sale for $10. "It was worth it," she said, "just to see the look on his face Christmas morning."

The family behind me took turns shopping while one from their group manned the cart. Not a bad strategy. Eventually our line forked into two. The twenty-something young lady veered towards the left; I to the right. That's when I noticed I could've used the Express line, but I didn't want to get out of line and take the chance of an even longer wait. At the fork I stood behind a family with three jam-packed carts. The checker was a woman about my age who was fast, efficient, and pleasant. By the time we left the store, around 1 a.m., I was about $80 poorer, but richer for the experience.

Outside, Cari ran into a couple young men from school who were selling hot chocolate to shoppers in the parking lot. What a clever way for teenagers to earn Christmas money!

After getting the girls a snack at a drive-through and taking Cari's friend to her house, it was well 2 a.m. when we got back home.

I drank a cup of hot tea and read for a bit then crawled into bed around 3 a.m. My feet ached, my back hurt, but I smiled as my head hit the pillow. Maybe it was time I started a new Black Friday tradition--this one with my granddaughter Cari.

Thanksgiving Blessings

Pilgrims' Progress by Currier and Ives

(from Smithsonian.com)

After an arduous voyage, the religious Separatists later known as Pilgrims arrived from England in 1620.

Today's forecast for St. Peters: Fair, high 55 degrees; a lovely day for giving thanks.

To my gracious and generous Lord, I give you thanks for the many blessings you have bestowed upon me: life, love, liberty, family, friends, faith, hope, freedom, education, . . .

Wishing you all many blessings and great happiness on this Thanksgiving Day.

**Tomorrow morning I will draw one name at random from everyone who entered the "Julie's Gift" contest. The winner will receive a copy of A Cup of Comfort for Women, which includes "Julie's Gift," a true story about my daughter, Julie.

Thanksgiving Theme Short Story Contest

Today's forecast for St. Peters: Partly cloudy, high 59 degrees, but it was chilly when I drove my grandkids to school this morning.

Here's a short story contest from Armchair Interviews with a quick deadline. Thanks to Julie E. for sending it to me. Good luck. Hope you gobble up a prize!
Donna

****

Thanksgiving is at your house this year and you can invite anyone (famous/not famous, alive/dead) to dinner.
-- Write in any genre you prefer. -- Create a person we can see with dialogue so we know what he/she is all about.-- Who would it be? -- Why invite them? -- What will you talk about? -- How do you prepare your family for the guest? -- Are there any taboo subjects? -- Are they your idol - your adversary, etc.? -- Do others know this person?
Here are some words we'd like to see you use (as many as possible) in the story--and please underline them.
-- Writer -- Singer -- Ed Sullivan -- Memory -- Secret -- Famous -- Millionaire -- Prison -- Liberty -- Horses -- Flowers
PRIZES ARE:
First place: $50.00 Second place: $25.00 for second Third place: Two books in your favorite genre.
GUIDELINES:
-- Deadline is midnight, Wednesday, November 26. -- Limit to 1,000 words. -- Submit your name, address, email and favorite genre on a separate cover page, and then your story follows on new page.
Submit Word document (or if not available, include entry inside email body) and send to Info@ArmchairInterviews.com

Here's a link to their site for details.
http://www.armchairinterviews.com/winners/thanksgivingtheme_short_story_contest.php#more