Happy mail, comfort and optimism

- A good mail day - what I like to call "happy mail." Friend Michelle has sent me some books, there is a party invitation, my replacement Starbucks card, loads of catalogs, and a beautiful purple sweater.

- Coming home after mucking through a cold rain all afternoon, getting a fire going in the fireplace and knowing I do not have to go out again until the morning.

- It is still raining this morning, but I get to leave a little later than usual and I can go through the Starbucks drive through on the way in to work. Yay!

Shining through, vortex and picture project

- The sun shining through the branches of a Live Oak tree in Jefferson County, Florida.

- On Thursday, 42 relatives make the rounds hugging each other (sometimes multiple times) as we say our goodbyes at the close of Thanksgiving day. One cousin by marriage calls it being caught in a "love vortex."

- Going through piles and piles of family photos with sisters and laughing at our hair styles over the years. We wonder if we will be laughing at our current hair 20 years from now.

Pilgrims, mad dashes and abundance

- My pilgrim salt and pepper shakers make me so happy that I move them around to different areas of the kitchen. After the holiday, they live among the crockery inside the cabinet and still make me smile as they peer around the dinner plates.

- Realizing I am short one egg, I tear up to the grocery store on Wednesday night. A woman in the parking lot offers me her cart, saying they are short of carts inside. She tells me this is her third visit here that day. We wish each other a happy Thanksgiving and go our separate ways.

- During this morning of pot stirring and thinking of everyone I will see in a few hours, I have reflected upon those early adventurous souls who made friends with native Americans and sat down to eat together, sharing their abundance. I am thankful for them and for all I have. Happy Thanksgiving everyone (including my friends outside the States.)

I will be with family for the next few days - have a great weekend, my friends!

Semi-homemade, cooking talents and Zen

- This stack of ingredients makes me giggle a little every time I pass it. It is for the ton of sweet potato casserole I will provide for Thanksgiving dinner for 42 people tomorrow. I took over this dish from my mother, who pronounced it "just like hers" last year. I know fresh potatoes seems more like me, but this is faster and easier. I guess we would call it semi-homemade. :)

- A similar gathering on Tuesday at the printing company resulted in a potluck spread that showcased the cooking talents of office staff and pressmen. My favorite - the shipping manager's coleslaw with finely chopped jalapeno peppers in it - a nice (and fiery!) accompaniment to other rich food.

- My account of visiting a client that morning and the client's one-eyed and very loving rescue dog, Zen, sparked a conversation of everyone's pets. I loved hearing one co-worker speak of his dog and how the dog follows him around "talking" - he pulls out his phone and displays a screen shot of him that is passed around the table.

Good excuse to walk, irony and air of mystery

- To avoid lining the pockets of that parking garage owner who gets $3.50 for 20 minutes parking, I find street parking in a residential neighborhood about a mile from my client's office and walk to my appointment. The fresh air (not to mention the walk) lifts my spirit and I get to study old Atlanta buildings, like this one, up close. I think it might have been an apartment building, but I'm not sure. The name "Pavilion" is on the front in smallish letters. I love that round window in the front.

- I pass the Lattetude Coffee Lounge and Bistro and enjoy the irony of the admonishing sign and the very laid back hours. :)

- The mansion on the hill is the Peachtree Circle apartment building, said to have been a school for girls long ago. It has a certain charm and the peeling paint suggests an air of Gothic mystery.

Tableau, smiling faces and anticipation

- The annual Thanksgiving food tableau at my church (photo taken with a friend's iphone) - the food was donated to two local food co-ops. This tradition began about ten years ago with a Slavic congregation who used to meet at our church in the afternoon; they did it as a surprise the first time.

- Going through mountains of family photos from our family home for preliminary sorting prior to division between sisters. Family faces float through my dreams in black and white and color.

- Sitting in a shop dressing room talking to my sister by cellphone about next weekend and what board games we'll bring. Finally saying to her that I am sure the shop employees wonder what happened to me.

Banner day, wee neighbors and nice neighbors

Photo by ALM

- My niece's dog Hank is a celebrity now - this picture was published on the Ducks Unlimited website. He mostly just likes to play and bark, so modestly accepts this honor. Today is his first birthday.

- The fern hanging outside my front door is still living and looks as big and lush as ever. Some wrens have been flying in and out of it - I think its denseness is a good barrier to the wind and cold, so they burrow into the middle of it. I wonder why they stick around - I'd be in Miami for the winter. :)

- My neighbor comes out of her condo leading her teenage son (who is blind) at the same time I am leaving for work. She tells me that yesterday he said "Bye Lynn!" as they were leaving. When I looked confused because I didn't remember seeing them, she said "No - you weren't out here, he just said it anyway." How nice and this time he got to say it in person.

I hope you have a banner weekend, my friends!