Last week, I was on vacation. Since the heat of summer makes me ragey, I limit my summer days off to fridays (or, actual away vacation where, when I get hot, I just go bob in the waves in the Gulf of Mexico. Alas) So now, as the evenings dip into the 40’s and the days still get us into the 70’s, it’s the perfect time to book some time off. I aim for low-power mode – I don’t go completely offline, but I also don’t keep up appearances on social media. I lurk, in low-power mode.

I had a list of things to do. A solid 3/4 of them got done. The “putting the garden to bed” line item was called off on account of mosquitos. MOSQUITOS! Srsly, bitey bugs, take the hint!

But a week off with Canadian Thanksgiving on the leading end has been lovely.

So, to the gratitude part of GratiTuesday:

• For my gentleman associate’s cousin who got married last week and invited us to share in their day. As I looked around the ballroom during the reception, I noticed parts of the family who were not there. In some cases, it was because of the vaccination requirement. In other cases, it was the rifts that sometimes just form, and stressful times make them worse. I thought about how hard it must have been to make choices on who to invite, and for others to decide how to prioritize their personal life and decide not to go – whatever those priorities mean. We could all use a little grace because of the muck that Covid stirred up.
• For the road trips with my dad, including the one we did last week. A few times, when Child was at the Montreal campus of RMC-CMR and now that he’s at the campus in Kingston, I’ve been able to make one of the sides of the boomerang pick-up or drop-off with my dad as company. He does it to see his grandson at the military college, but he also does it so that (if my gentleman associate is working) I don’t have to do half of the drive alone. I enjoy the conversations that ebb and flow. That time is priceless.
• For every step in the evolution of birds that brought us to the glory that is a Deep Fried Turkey.
• For the folks in my neighbourhood who have decorated their houses for Thanksgiving, and twisted that slightly toward Hallowe’en, and who leave their lights on late enough that the evening walks with King Louie of Dogswald permit us to enjoy the festive décor. Except that one gauzy ghost that moves when the wind blows through the tree and gives King Scaredy-Dog the royal heebie-jeebies.