Monday, October 13, 2008

Let's be Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving Day Canada!

I’m not entirely certain why Canadians need a special day to be thankful and appreciate what they have, where they live, family and friends. Surely we should be thankful for these things every day….well, in an ideal world anyway…. Oh, OK then. We’re not in an ideal world, so we need reminding. And what better way than with turkey, turkey stuffing and pumpkin pie!

I can tell you right now that if I was a turkey, I’d be scared shitless at this time of year. OK, so you guys caught me out on that one…I am a bit of a turkey and I’m always cautious at this time of year too [laughing].

Being a Canadian import, I thought that Thanksgiving was quite a unique little tradition. For the first couple of years I enjoyed the harvest festivities. But, as far as I can tell, Canadians don’t treat each other any better on Thanksgiving Day than any other day of the year. It’s just another long weekend of road rage, but with a traditional turkey dinner.

[Please be seated and prepare for some blasphemy]. Personally, I could skip the whole Thanksgiving Day ritual. Truth be told [and I do humbly apologise to the patriotic for what I’m about to write], I don’t really like the taste of turkey! EGAD! And what’s more, I can’t stand pumpkin pie. Ewwww! Pie = sweet, rich, fattening, delicious, lots of cream, and umpty calories. Pumpkin = soup or baked dinner, but most definitely not pie. Yes, I make a very poor Canadian.

This year I was invited to Thanksgiving Dinner on Saturday evening. My good friend, Roxanne, slaved away for a day and a half to build a meal fit for royalty. She had food for every palette. Yippee! I didn’t have to plow my way through turkey this year; I had the ham. And I brought the dessert – nope, not pumpkin pie [rather evil cackle]. Pavlova, of course. Mmmm … deliciously decadent Pavlova ….

So today is Monday, and the actual holiday for Thanksgiving. I decided it was about time I had a few quiet hours to myself [to reflect, appreciate, and be thankful, of course]. I shoved my knitting under my arm, grabbed a chair and headed outdoors. I perched myself under the beautiful maple trees, drank in the phenomenal shades of autumn, and added some rows to my Gerlinde lace scarf.

Life was buzzing all around me, so camera in hand I snapped a few pics of Mother Nature at her finest.

It doesn’t get much better than this, and I am indeed thankful.

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