So much to be thankful for
November 26th, 2009 by CatI know it's cliche, to be thankful on Thanksgiving.
But with our hectic lives — rushing to work, taking kids to soccer practice, fighting the crowds at Costco, stressing that you haven't started Christmas shopping never mind the turkey tonight — sometimes it's good to have a day set aside to just eat, watch football, nap and, yes, remember to be thankful.
Sometimes I feel guilty that I have so much to be grateful for. Unlike thousands of other Americans, I still have a job — and one that provides medical coverage I can't complain about. I can't tell you how thankful I am about that!
I've had a lot of ups and downs this past year, with new challenges, new goals, new expectations — and yes, a new boyfriend! — I still can't see any way it could be better.
Well, maybe if I had won Megabucks...
That said, what I'm most thankful for are the people in my life. From the volunteers — and participants — I've made friends with through the Cherry Blossom Festival to the Old Guys I surf with in the morning, these are the people who have enriched my life. And for that, I'm grateful.
We met through CBF and now we can't get enough of each other!
This is an old photo — he one getting married has two kids now, as beautiful as her — but it reminds me that we've all been in each other's lives through these milestones. It makes me smile.
If I ever get married, I'm going to have about a dozen guys walk me down the aisle!
I spent so much time with the staff of the Kapi'o, KCC's college newspaper, they've become my family. In fact, they call me Mom.
I spend more time with this bunch — the Hawai'i Kai dog park crew — than anyone else, including my own family!
Though I haven't worked at The Advertiser full-time for, oh, two years now, I still consider many of them — like the four in the above two photos — my close friends.
It might have been short-lived, but those Thursday mornings spent at KHNL were some of the best times I've had at 6 a.m.! I miss them terribly.
I'm also grateful for the chocolate cream pie at Sunny Side Bakery in Wahiawa. I know it's not a person, but I thought I'd just throw that in there.
Who can't be thankful for this!
And, of course, to my sweetheart. I'm grateful he's been patient and understanding with me, even when my life is out of whack. And he feeds me. He's a keeper!
What are you thankful for today?
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Check out Metromix's new series, "Out and About," and see how uneventful my life really is.
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Follow Cat on Twitter @thedailydish or send her an e-mail at cat@thecatdish.com.
Tags: grateful, hawaii, thankful, Thanksgiving, toth
November 26th, 2009 at 7:44 am
don't forget about "us" your loyal blogg'in family!! Happy thanksgiving Cat!
November 26th, 2009 at 8:23 am
Hey mom (Cat) and all the great blogsters and bloggerettes, happy Thanksgiving and thanks for making this such a great place to come. I am thankful for each and every one of you. Since I am killing time before I go to my cousin's house, I decided to try and imagine how the first Thanksgiving really was. Here's my story and I'm sticking to it....
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A long time ago in ‘Pilgrim land’ also known as Massachusetts, the pilgrims were restless, but the natives were peaceable. The pilgrims were tired of churches that were Spartan because after all they were English and Dutch and not Greek. Also, they had moussaka, dolmades and grilled lamb envy. Try as they would, they just couldn’t season up possum so it would taste like lamb. The first frost had come and they were like cold and hungry. And to make matters worse the soil in New England wasn’t even good enough to grow tobacco, let alone olives. Then there was that gosh darned Puritan ethic against alcohol and all. All they could raise was a lil wheat. They would forage for acorns which they ground into a powder or roasted. Sometimes they like served braised acorns and squirrel which wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t like grilled lamb. Also, these were the days were even vegan pilgrims were upset cuz ‘tofurkey’ hadn’t been invented yet and they couldn’t go online and try to find suitable substitutes cuz they didn’t have internet access either. Things were so bad that Capt Scott (great great x7 grand something of our own Scott) went off into the woods to commune with nature and seek a solution to the pilgrims’ woes.
So, he walked until he found a beautiful glen far, far away from the settlement and all the whining. Scott was seated on a log deep in thought when all of a sudden he heard a voice:
“Capt Scott, this is Princess Summer Fall Rosette the 7th, High Chieftess of the Algonquin Tribe, I sense that you are a good man and I am here to help you with your dilemma and stuff. I am helping you because I have the power of far sight and I foresee that in the future we may be as one and that I may even introduce you to something called PIE …”
Capt Scott (CS): “Omgoshness, do I hear a voice? Hmmm, this voice it sounds as sweet as the taste of wild ripe strawberries which we pick in the late spring and early summer. It is a voice from the heavens? Can I really be hearing something so sweet? What is this thing called ‘PIE’ of which she speaks?”
Princess Summer Fall Rosette the 7th (PSFR7): “No no no, Capt Scott – Bucko – not so fast you are not yet ready for ‘PIE.’ Pie has to be deserved and you ain’t there yet!”
CS: “Please, please your chieftessness, my people and I need ‘Pie!’ I pray you wondrous, sweet Native American Princess (NAS), help me feed my people. If you do, I will honor you and praise you and give you some wondrous beads and I’ll show you how to make acorn powder.”
PSFR7: “Okay Scott, you win, but you are not yet ready for pie. But, I am gonna give you and your peeps something good.”
With that PSFR7, gave a whistle and from the trees descended 17 beautiful wild birds. Yes, native American turkeys! With that PSFR7 showed herself(remember she was just a voice) and she and Scott headed back to the settlement where the turkeys were rapidly ‘dispatched,’ plucked, seasoned with various roots and dried berries and left to bake in stone ovens. The resultant feast became the stuff of legend and the surreal origin of Thanksgiving.
November 26th, 2009 at 9:02 am
The last photo is the best. You make a neat couple. I am happy for you. Happy Thanksgiving Cat, and everyone else!
November 26th, 2009 at 9:30 am
Hello Cat!
I'm thankful for my Lord and savior Jesus Christ, my family and my friends.
November 26th, 2009 at 9:39 am
I am thankful for toilet paper....and good stories
November 26th, 2009 at 9:39 am
add thankful fo rthe guy that invented PADS THICK PADS FOR THOSE DAYS!
November 26th, 2009 at 9:49 am
Nice!!!
❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ Happy..Thanksgiving!!! ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀
November 26th, 2009 at 10:12 am
Today, I am most thankful for my daughter Kianna who brings me such joy and keeps me grounded. I am also thankful for my close circle of friends who bring the much needed "adult kine" fun (ie, nights out on the town) into my life. Most of all, I am grateful for the gifts that my parents have given me, especially my Dad.
From my Dad I have inherited his generous spirit, his sense of humor, the capacity to care for others before himself. He is my Champion, my biggest supporter. Hopefully in the coming New Year (2010) - I finally find a man of similar caliber to be my partner, my other half.
Okay, 3 more hours to go with the turkey. Oh hey, I'm also thankful that Foodland was giving away free turkeys (with 2 Maika'i Awards)! The turkey that I'm cooking right now is the 2nd turkey; cooked the 1st one yesterday.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Special blessings to two friends who are serving our country: J.Torrez in Iraq and J.Atkins in Afghanistan.
November 26th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
OF COURSE I'M THANKFUL FOR ALL OF YOU! Even though I haven't met many of you in person — though I know some of you are my friends, cousins, coworkers and students disguised by avatars and fake e-mail address! — I do feel like this is a family here. I truly appreciate everyone who's been reading, posting and lurking for the past three years. It gives me a reason to write every day — and for that, I'm thankful!
November 26th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
Man, do you ever have good teeth. I hope you are thankful 32 times over for those. I wish I'd taken better care of mine. I'm down to 16 and a half.
November 26th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
I am thankful I have the best hygeinist...she give free toothbrush you can't beat that !
November 26th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
I am thankful to the guy that invented tylenol !
November 26th, 2009 at 7:06 pm
I am thankful that we have scientist that invent cures! I am thankful I got this computer! I am thankful for many things ...fresh water!
November 26th, 2009 at 7:13 pm
Great pics Cat. I am thankful for you! This is the one thought provoking item that I know awaits me each day. That, and remembering how to figure out which sock goes on the left or right foot, are wonderful ways to start my day. After seeing that photo of you and the old guys, I realized that I walked past you guys lots of times this summer, after you guys finished your surf and were talking story by those benches and shrubs on Kalakaua. I was just finishing my swim during that time. It was nice to see you in person with your friends, enjoying the morning. Small island, nice people, good times!
Happy Thanksgiving to Cat and all her loyal bloggers!
November 26th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
Happy Thanksgiving Cat. Surf or Shop tomorrow?
November 27th, 2009 at 4:12 am
Family, friends, and health.
Foolishly, I once asked God for all things so that I might enjoy life. Today, I thank God for giving me life so that I might enjoy all things.
November 27th, 2009 at 6:27 am
It's funny that as soon you as get a new boyfriend, a lot of the steady males who always respond to your blog.....disappear LOL
December 2nd, 2009 at 10:01 am
Thanks Cat!