Thanks Given..

It's Thanksgiving - the prepared federally acknowledged day designed to herd everyone together to give thanks, prop up profits for the grocery stores and to give a prep day for retailers getting ready for Black Friday.

Cynical? Um.. a little.

The reality, for me at least, is that I've been pretty frustrated the last few weeks with the way the dice have rolled for me. November has simply not turned out as planned at all. I've been cooking for the last two days pretty much straight. I don't want to cook ANYMORE.. and yet, there is still a whole other turkey to cook.

WTF?!? A whole fucking 20 lb turkey. Ugh.

You know the one thing you can bank money on is that there is plenty of time to think when scalding a milk and heavy cream combo for an espresso - brandy cream sauce. So, thinking I have done.

Initially, I thought to myself in a grumpy mutter, what they ha-hay is there to be thankful for?!? I mean.. my knee still hurts.. work is nuts.. my ex is deploying again which is bad for my kids.. and also means my son will probably deploy again.. the list goes on.. and on.. and on.. Double fucking ugh.

But then somewhere around prepping the ice bath for said sauce, it occurred to me that I really am blessed all things considered.

I'm blessed with smart, happy children.. I'm blessed with their smile and the joy they bring into my life even when they leave egg shells and egg snot on the cooktop.

I'm blessed to work in an environment that keeps me active and my mind stimulated. I work in a place where I genuinely like most of the people. Hell, I'd even like the creeper if he'd keep his fucking hands to himself.

I'm blessed with better health this year. Last year, I was getting migraines so often.. 2 and 3 times a month for 3 or 4 days at a time. I am getting them about once every 5 or 6 weeks now.. and they're much milder than before. This was a big blessing cuz migraines are pukey.

I'm blessed with a new relationship.. which will undoubtedly mean I get groped in the baking aisle at the Super Target and give the little old man watching a hard-on and me a red face.

I'm blessed with great friends.. great friends in my life and great friends on here. Great friends like graceygirl, candy, vixen, kylie, Firmhand, raven, brigid, 247Ds, slinka and BW, JSF, Kali,

Now, I know there are definitely more people that come in and out of my life. People.. friends.. that affect me in ways that ripple through my days and make things go so well.

These blessings.. and make no doubt about it, they are indeed blessings.. come into my life and leave me for the better. They lubricate my days to make the passing of bad shit so much easier. They bring smiles and joy.

To all of you, every single one of you.. Thank you. Thank you for all the smiles you've directly or indirectly provided me. Thank you for the way you have shaped my future.

Thank you for the good and just as importantly, the bad. Thank you for it all. Life just wouldn't be quite as interesting without you all.