Happy Thanksgiving, all and sundry

As many American bloggers already know, this is Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. I don’t know why we have it on the second weekend in October, but we do. Probably just to be contrary. That wouldn’t surprise me. Canadians are inclined to be a bit defensive and paranoid when it comes to matters American.

On the other hand, my American uncle thought Thanksgiving Canuck-style made infinitely more sense rather than being butted up right against Christmas, when there is just too much happening.

Canadians like to think that ‘our’ version of Thanksgiving is highly different from the US version, but it’s not, really. I mean, we do the turkey thing, the pumpkin pie thing, and people put little cornucopias on their tables, and decorate with multi-colored Indian corn, and all that stuff. All terribly Norman Rockwell-ish. I remember when I was in school we were even regaled with tales of the ‘first Thanksgiving’ and Pilgrim Fathers meeting with the Indians, and so forth. For some reason my boneheaded elementary teachers seemed to be oblivious to the fact we did not have Pilgrim Fathers (or Mothers, or Sisters or whatever other familial relationship) in Canada. But, what the hell? We thought the misinformation was fun, anyway.

Anyway, this isn’t designed to be a curmudgeonly rant; it’s designed to give thanks, for I have much to be thankful for.

What am I thankful for?

- I still have all my own hair
- I’m (finally) married to somebody wonderful
- I seem to have my health
- I am able to work at something I find fun (if not lucrative)
- I have some talents
- I have a nice house
- I have a reliable, albeit elderly, car that is still fun to drive as a sports car should be
- I have traveled to some very pleasing places in the world
- I have a decent and honest circle of friends – friends here, and friends in the ‘real’ world
- I have no major guilt-inducers gnawing at me, and I confess that hasn’t always been true
- I think there is some sort of master engineer behind my destiny or I, quite frankly, am not sure I’d still be alive and/or relatively sane otherwise. So, thanks Big Guy or Girl
- It’s rainy and nasty today, and I don’t give a damn because my sweetie’s home, and I don’t live in Afghanistan, or Burma, or Darfur, and for that I am immensely thankful but also agonize over the fact that I think there must be something I could do to contribute more.

There is one other thing I am grateful for, and that is, turkey sandwiches will be coming up after today. To hell with roast turkey, it doesn’t really do that much for me. But, turkey sandwiches with a good dollop of mayonnaise, sometimes cranberry sauce, sometimes not, depending on my mood, and especially stuffing, are mightily close to heaven for me.

Happy Thanksgiving all, including American and UK readers. Wish us the best, and we shall do likewise on yours.