(that devil dog is every bit as black as you think it is.)

I'm really horrible at speaking. I get into this world where I separate from myself -- like I'm standing there, mute, while someone else, somebody with a script, speaks. She talks for a while, rattling off the things that I wrote for her, and then when she's done, she finds her way back into my soul and is gone until next time. Then, I have to try and remember what she said.

On Thursday, holiest of thankful holidays, I wrote that gal a script to deliver. I only asked her to preach the obligatory stuff that she does every year. Just the things I'm thankful for, that's all. Which is basically everything. But this year, she was overwhelmed with a table full of thankfulness and the way everyone at that table was thankful for the same thing: each other.

Oh bless that girl's heart, she can't handle it. She has the feels! She's emotional. She drops her script and goes off the record and starts ad-libbing. "Uh," she whimpers. "I'm thankful for my cute puppies."

I can't remember what else she said, because, you know, I'm separate from the speaking part of me.

Well, here's what she was supposed to say. Here's the script I cultivated for her, digging deep and wide into the year, searching out the good stuff.

Kicking off the season right; snow falling fat and gently like a snow globe.


***

All the things that make this day more than an ordinary day with extraordinary food. It's more than that. It's a holiday.











































































****

The next day, we put up the tree. It's finally socially acceptable to be in the Christmas spirit and I will rock that biz. Jim Carey did his thing on my TV while my Oma and I did ours.




























****

Somehow, the days just blaze by. As I tugged box after box up from the basement, I envisioned taking them all back down again. I don't remember time moving so quickly when I was young, but now it just feels like I've been in the passing lane forever. This year I'm making a conscious effort to enjoy and savor it. No year will be like this year ever again and if I've learned anything in 2013, it's that a lot can change in 12 months. The world could be a different place next year. Who knows what I'll be thankful for in 2014 -- but certainly I'm adding this past weekend to the list. Ultimately, I'm looking forward to the unknowns that I'll be rejoicing next Thanksgiving.

Happy Holidays to you all and in preparation for Christmas, watch out for this guy.
He likes deviled eggs and he moves fast enough to thwart the shutter speed on my camera. That's quick. 
























Merry Christmas!