Thanksgiving Day and the rest of the weekend

I have a lot to be thankful for. I am relatively healthy. I have a happy marriage and a wonderful relationship with my husband and his family as well as my own. I have a home that actually has my name on the deed. I have furniture in that home, along with clothing and food, and everything I need.

There have actually been times last month when I was out shopping and could find nothing that I needed or even wanted, for that matter. Recently I have been asked by family members for suggestions for Christmas gifts. I seriously thought about requesting that they give to some charity in my honor. Knowing the ones who asked me, however, as well as I do, I knew that would not satisfy them. They may well do that, but would insist upon an actual gift being under the tree for me anyway. So, I hinted about gift certificates for massages or coffee, etc. That way, I can have a few moments for myself and not add to the clutter of my house.

I spent Thanksgiving Day at a park with over 30 of my extended family, cousins, aunts, uncles, second cousins and so forth. This is a tradition that my father's family has done on this day for over 60 years. Last year was my first attendance since I was in my twenties! I went again this year because my sister met us there and I am accustomed to doing at least one thing vacationy with my sister each year. That privilege alluded me this year, so I had to make the trip! We shared a motel room, she and I and our husbands. Then we tackled the Black Friday crowds of only one mall. I did learn something about my family. Something that I had known but forgotten to be consciously aware of. They are generous people. My uncle Mo came around 5:00 AM to secure our usual ramada only to find a homeless man sleeping on the slab table. He let him be for a short time and then asked him to leave, telling him to return later that afternoon. I did not know this at first. I saw my second cousin scooping a bean cassarole out onto paper plates at the end of our time together, as did an aunt and another cousin. I asked why they were doing this and they stated that they were providing food for the homeless people who frequent the park. They would return later, as they did every year, apparently. Some could argue that this encouraged homeless people to come to that park. And that might be true. But this is Thanksgiving. And they did not plan to be homeless. They are hungry and they have encountered the Stewart family!

And I shall blog further in another blog regarding the rest of the weekend...Mr. Boo's birthday party!