Thankfuls
It’s November, which means it’s time for thankfuls. I know I’ve really let this blog slip, and I need to pull it back into something that might be almost current.
November means I’m writing my annual novel for National Novel Writing Month. This is my ninth year of writing for National Novel Writing Month. This year rivals one of my past years as the worst experience. I’m having fun at write-ins and am managing to write something most days, but I’m woefully behind the goal to write 50,000 words in a month. I’m grasping at the weakest possible plot lines and filler material. Really sad. This is the first year I think I am thinking I’ll be glad when I reach my 50K so I can stop this nonsense! Next year will be better. It has to be.
Now, on with the thankfuls.
1. Earlier this year, I was laid off. It was an ugly five months of me reporting to work and feeling like Dead Man Walking and pretending that nothing was wrong. While I am still angry about how it was handled, and how I was treated, I was able to find another job before my last day of work. I signed a contract for my new job on June 16th and was finished with the previous job on June 30th.
2. Not only did I find another job, with a similar pay scale and almost identical work, it was located in Colorado. Yes, this meant we had to move (and we spent our savings to do so), but I fell in love with Colorado some 35 years ago and swore someday, I’d live here. Well, now I do.
3. Both Klown and the Perfect Child are also gainfully employed, and have been since a month after we got here.
4. Both of our cars made the cross-country trip with no problems. So did the cats.
5. I could afford a turkey and the rent in November. Oh, and a new Christmas tree, since the old one was given away before our move so we wouldn’t have to drag it across three states.
6. In the four months we had no health insurance, no one got sick or needed emergency care.
7. My family is alive and well, no one has any overriding health issues, and I still have my parents.
8. I get to drive to work every morning facing the mountains. Right now they are snow-capped.
9. I have the most comfortable bed I’ve ever owned.
10. It has already snowed three times here. And it’s not even winter yet.
There is plenty more I can be thankful about, but a list of ten is a decent start. Tonight, the turkey comes out of the freezer to start thawing, and I dig out the roaster. Pies are planned, and potatoes will be peeled. The bread maker will get its first use since we moved here, and I will teach the Perfect Child how to make stuffing from scratch and a dried out loaf of bread.
Life is good. Life is very very good.
