Wednesday, November 23, 2022

Thankful

 It's the eve of Thanksgiving and I'm grateful for so many things at the moment.

  • It looks as if Gregg will keep his regular income for the next couple of months in exchange for going up to the store a few times a week to maintain the aquatic systems and to help the manager care for the animals. The late owner's brother is in town meeting with attorneys to sell the pet stores and settle his affairs. A number of potential buyers have stepped forward, but appraisers will have to come in and put a monetary value on the stores before they can be sold. This process could take up to two or three months, and in the meantime the brother will be cutting Gregg and the manager (as well as the managers of the other two stores) checks every two weeks for their regular salary. What a relief that is! It buys us some time to prepare for whatever might happen next.
  •  I'm feeling much better. I'd caught a mild cold a couple of weeks ago that led to some chest congestion, and although I didn't feel bad, when I went for my (already long scheduled) follow up appointment with the allergist, my lung function had gotten really bad again. He thought my right lung sounded like an infection was setting in so back on antibiotics I went. He also prescribed another round of prednisone. Prednisone always makes me feel so much better that I wish I could take it more often but of course it has bad side effects. 
  • Dare I say this? Let me just whisper it, lest the Universe should decide to smite me upon my return to work next week for my hubris: work has been going better and my boss has been much calmer and easier to be around. Everyone was happy, given that we had a two day work week, and things felt more relaxed and almost fun than they have all year. We had a giant Thankgiving staff potluck in the library yesterday, and with almost 50 people bringing dishes, it was a feast. I couldn't even come close to sampling everything. There were two cooked turkeys, lots of homemade fried chicken, dressing, casseroles, hot dips, meatballs, puff pastry appetizers, a huge crockpot of savory collard greens (those were one of the biggest hits of the meal), deviled eggs, rolls and biscuits, fruit salad, watergate salad, and I don't know what-all. The dessert table was also full: fruit pies and pound cakes and brownies and cookies, tortes and banana pudding and hot cherry crumble (in a crockpot). Two teachers got together to make an autumn punch out of sparkling cider and pomegranate juice and sliced fruits. There was so much left over that all of the staff was asked to please take food home for their families, and we all did. I also brought back my contribution, which was virtually untouched, much to my disappointment.


Nobody wanted the healthy option! :)

  • George is doing much better. I'm SO grateful for that--it's been a real worry. We're pretty well convinced now that he doesn't have a torn ligament in his knee, just some arthritis. He's still favoring that leg a little, sometimes, but he rarely limps and wants to be active. I'm still giving him a (lower) dose of the NSAIDs once a day, along with fish oil at night, to try to keep that knee as loose and pain free as possible. We're also slowly building him back up to twice daily walks, and he seems much happier for it. So are the rest of us! Those walks have been sorely missed by us all.
  • Last thing I'm thankful for: this girl.


She's brought so much fun and energy and lightness to our home this year. She's wildly playful, smart, and very affectionate. It's been a joy having a young dog again. And this is the start of her first holiday season with us!

Tonight, Thanksgiving eve, is special in our home because it was the night before Thanksgiving 2007 when a stray puppy showed up at door and became our beloved Ginger. Since it was her homecoming day, it became a personal family holiday and that hasn't changed since she died. Now we have Poppy, who shares so many of Ginger's good qualities that I think she's going to be a worthy successor to her. 

Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow if you celebrate, my friends!

17 comments:

  1. What a Thanksgiving potluck feast! Your veggie tray was a visual work of art and I love how you put the dip in the yellow pepper "bowl." Glad to hear Gregg will get his regular paycheck while the executor tries to sell the pet store business as a going concern. Let's hope the new owner will keep staff on too!

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  2. We don't celebrate Thanksgiving over here in England - unless of course we happen to be American. I wonder what on earth a watergate salad is - is it one that forms a caricature of Richard Nixon - made entirely from salad ingredients? Good news about Gregg's job - giving him time to think about the way forward.

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  3. How fun, the massive thanksgiving at work. I like your list of thankfuls, and my especial favorites are Greg's paycheck for a couple of months and the improved attitude you find at work.

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  4. Happy Thanksgiving to you! I’m glad that your Greg will be taken care of for the time being. It must be a relief. - Jenn

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  5. Happy Thanksgiving!
    Like YP, I wonder what a watergate salad is. And also like YP, we don't celebrate Thanksgiving here (my American friend and "running buddy" will do, of course). But your list of reasons to be thankful made good reading, and even amidst the sadness and grief my family are going through these days, I have plenty to be thankful for, too. Last but not least, to have you as a friend, dear Jennifer!

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  6. Happy Thanksgiving to you and Gregg and the dogs. Your platter of veg and dip looks beautiful. Perhaps the dogs could help you eat it all up? My boy loves carrot, broccoli and tomatoes!

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  7. Happy Thanksgiving, dear Jennifer! I am so glad to hear all this good news. Light and love to you and yours!

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  8. I love your yellow pepper bowl and I'm stealing that idea for the next time I do up a veggie plate. I've been waiting for news about Gregg's job and was delighted to hear he will remained employed for the time being. I'm also thrilled to hear things are easier at work. I'll cross my fingers for you. Happy Thanksgiving, Jennifer!

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  9. Such a clever arrangement for your crudites (you can't properly appreciate that term unless you are from Pennsylvania, I'm afraid. I am so glad that things seem to be working out for Greg's job *looks around, whispers* and yours, too!

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  10. I'm glad things have been going well in your neck of the woods! Your crudite plate is beautiful even if it went largely untouched. (Maybe people didn't want to mess it up?!) At least it will last so you can enjoy it.

    Poppy is a beautiful girl.

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  11. Happy Thanksgiving, Jennifer! Glad to hear all of your happy news.

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  12. Happy Thanksgiving to you Jen and your family!!!! The veggie platter looks incredible!!!! We all have much to be thankful for...even little minor things we take for granted.

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  13. omg..so much food..how wonderful is that? yeah I don't know why my son and daughter in law put out the veggie and dip tray ...no one eats it...

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  14. Yes I'm afraid holiday eating is not about healthy. I try to watch myself about now til January but it is just not humanly possible .

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  15. That is helpful news about Gregg's job continuing for a couple months. Poppy is posing like a movie star, she has very graceful front paws.

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  16. Happy Thanksgiving Jennifer and lovely to meet Poppy. What a handsome girl.

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