Unexpected gifts of Black Friday

It is early Thanksgiving morning.  I was going to sleep in but like clockwork my body awoke before the rest of our home so I could start my daily practice.  Sally our flop eared smiler and Q-tip our always hungry kitten are also wide awake always ready for any action.  On second thought, Sally is ready for any action, Q-tip is impatiently waiting for his breakfast- he loves to eat!!

We have already celebrated our family Thanksgiving a couple of weeks ago.  Which by the way I highly recommend!!  On Saturday the 16 of November we gathered 19 to our home for Turkey and all the fixings.  Everyone brought something to the feast, we used colorful paper plates, compostable plastic utensils and plastic cups.  Simple yes, but it was what I had imagined Thanksgiving should be.  I was indeed grateful for my family, our home, our abundance of food and blessings.  It felt like we all were.

This early Thanksgiving idea came from Black Friday.  My step mom works in retail.  Today, the official day of Thanksgiving, she will be going into the store at 7:30pm, working all night for all the early Black Friday shoppers.  This odd and sleep deprived schedule created our Thanksgiving day change.  hint: Never rule out where your blessings can come from!

4 holiday benefits to doing turkey day 2 weeks early!!

1.  More family and friends could join our celebration as this day didn't interfere with their normal
holiday traditions.

2.  The prep and planning seemed easier and the grocery stores weren't in a frenzy.  I could gather my cooking supplies whenever I wanted and didn't have to wait in lines or push through crowds.
     (on the flip side, the turkey selection was slim and most of the holiday sales hadn't started yet.  I did find an all natural turkey for $15!)

3.  But- and this is a huge but...  We all got an additional 2 weeks before Christmas- which feels a lot like breathing space!!!!  I do love breathing space.  Especially this time of year, when my schedule fills up but my body wants to calm down.

4.  Turkey day was held on a Saturday, which gave us all of Sunday to put the house and dishes back together and take a nice solid afternoon nap.  (we did use the grandma dishes for serving)

These are simple things really but when you enjoy the simple things in life, life seems simpler!

Happy Thanksgiving to you all, however you find this day, may you also find an abundance of blessings to count and yummy food to eat.
      Denise

If I had my life to do over again...

       Over the weekend I came across a book I used to own called the Delany sisters.  A fabulous book about two incredible sisters in their early 100's.  They remind me so much of my Aunt Velma, who lived in wonder to the beautiful age of 102.

     I thought that book held a passage called:  If I had my life to do over again.  But as it turns out this passage was from a completely different source: Nadine Star.  On one of those lovely happy coincidence moments, I stumbled across Nadine's passage last night.

      I do highly recommend you read the Delany Sisters book but to hold you over with some good old fashioned advice here is the passage from Nadine Star.

   It seems a good start to the holiday season!!
Wishing you more daisies in your life and autumn grass between your toes,
        Denise

Nadine Star

Written by Nadine Star:  On her 93rd Birthday

When asked by a reporter what she would do differently if she had her life to live over again.

“If I had my life to live over,  I would dare to make more mistakes next time.  I would relax.  I would limber up.  I would be sillier than I’ve been this time.  I would take fewer things seriously and I would take more chances.  I’d take more trips.  I’d climb more mountains and I’d swim more rivers.  I would eat more ice cream and less beans.  I would perhaps have more actual troubles but I’d have fewer imaginary ones.”

“ You see I am one of those people who lived sensibly and sanely, hour after hour, day after day.  Oh, I’ve had my moments, but it I had it to do over   again, I’d have more of them.  In fact, I’d try to have nothing else- just moments – one after another instead of living so many years ahead.”

‘I’ve been one of those persons who never goes anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle a raincoat, and a parachute.  If I had my life to live over,  I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and I would stay that way later in the fall.  I would go to more dances.  I would ride more merry-go-rounds.  I would pick more daisies.”