'Only a stomach that rarely feels hungry, scorns common things.' Horace

'What one relishes, nourishes.' Benjamin Franklin

'At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person.

Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.'
Albert Schweitzer

'The expression of praise as thanksgiving, gratitude, and joy is among the most powerful forms of affirmation.' Catherine Ponder

My list of gratitude is enormous. First and foremost, I am grateful for the love of my husband who is my best friend and my joy. For my beautiful daughter and her brilliant Desi. For my health and theirs. For my wonderful friends, old and new, present and online. For the roof over our heads. For the 37th Thanksgiving dinner I will be cooking in my own kitchen today and all of the ones that came before, including the first, when I could not find the dark meat and insisted my turkey came without any. For my husband's office staff who care for him when I cannot. For my daughter's bosses who are kind, brilliant, caring and generous. For the staff that she loves. For the job that she rushes to early and happily each morning. For laughter, for adversity, and the lessons that both offer and help me to grow. For our TempurPedic bed. For happy surprises. For reunions and goodbyes that bring reunions closer again. For my cameras. For this country and the leadership to come. For Mayor Daley even though he isn't my Mayor. For the ability to find gratitude in a lot and a little. For today and hopefully tomorrow. Happy Thanksgiving!

'For the unlearned, old age is winter; for the learned, it is the season of the harvest.' Talmud

'I will be the gladdest thing under the sun! I will touch a hundred flowers and not pick one.' Edna St. Vincent Millay

'To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with Spring.' George Santayana

'A gift is pure when it is given from the heart to the right person at the right time and at the right place, and when we expect

nothing in return.' Bhagavad Gita

'Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and

gratitude.' Denis Waitley

'There is nothing like coming home, for real comfort.' Jane Austen

Los Angeles

Chicago
Safe flight you two......

'True friendship consists not in the multitude of friends, but in their worth and value.' Ben Jonson

Shoshana (left) our postal delivery person, rang the bell yesterday to say her goodbyes. Apparently the PO meanies (my term) have redistricted the neighborhood and reassigned Shoshana, and the Universe has once again shown us that we are powerless against loss, or change or meanies keeping friends from our doorstep each day. Shoshana and I were kindred spirits from the start. I admired her sense of style and I believe she coveted my coveralls. Not only did she deliver our mail and take letters back to the PO, she sang, she quipped, she left the most thought provoking notes. If someone needed help, she helped, in a myriad of ways. Her megawatt smile lit up her route and these goodbye hugs took place wherever anyone was at home. I 'pity the poor fool' who takes over for Shoshana. I know for certain that happiness will follow her wherever she goes. Job more than well done kiddo. Thanks, and goodbye.

'The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.' Eric Hoffer

just maybe, next year.....

and, yes, i'm grateful for Aramis.....

'We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals.' Immanual Kant

'I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.' Maya Angelou

'Barn's burnt down - Now I can see the moon.' Masahide