Thansgiving Toast

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Required listening:
Alice’s Restaurant – Arlo Guthrie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_7C0QGkiVo

There will be one less plate set at the table today. Nettie passed quietly yesterday afternoon. I am hoping that the solemnity that accompanies the loss does not overshadow the feistiness that she always brought to the table. Thanksgiving is a celebration of all that we have and we enjoy gifts aplenty. We may take a longer pause in remembrance but in order to honor Other Nana correctly we should not delay the feast too long. She would have wanted us all to eat and to eat heartily. Make an extra toast today and then indulge, it’s what Nana would have wanted.

Earlier this year, Nettie’s battle with dementia inspired me to write the song Raggedy Annie. Here’s a link to the words.
http://invasivemaneuvers.blogspot.com/2009/04/backtracking.html

So what does this leave us on this holiday? It leaves us with all that we had and more; more because we get to again acknowledge and cherish the gift of life that we enjoy. In this house it has been a fairly rough year but we persevered. Troubling times look to be passing. We will grieve and then we will continue to live. I pray we do not squander these precious gifts on things that are neither enjoyable nor meaningful.

Slainté! (Cheers!)
Le-chaim! (To Life!)