Without fail, at every wedding and funeral I’ve been to in the last decade, someone has said “We should get together more often”. At funerals it’s with a tinge of regret at the conversations one perhaps should have tried harder to have with the dearly departed. At weddings, it’s with the warm feelings of togetherness that weddings inspire. In good faith, there are new connections extended over one’s preferred social media channel. And I guess that kind of connection is better than no connection at all.

And it is there that we find ourselves this week.

On Saturday, my gentleman associate and I attended his cousin’s wedding. The bride looked truly breathtaking, and there were amazing nerdy references to Tolkien in the ceremony. I always feel a little wistful (is it?) during the vows at the weddings we attend. I don’t remember my vows at all, but are GA and I living up to whatever vows the current happy couple have just gushed at each other? During dinner, GA and I were talking with another cousin (and her husband) about family weddings gone by. Do you remember the girl who fell and hit her noggin at *this* wedding, or the woman who had her panties in a bunch because her chair was on the sleeve of GA’s suit jacket, and when GA asked her to move, she accused him of being a sloppy drunk at *that* wedding? Remember how much it rained the day of *this other* one? Were we even at *some other* one?

In all, it was a good time, and I came away from it with two new social media connections, and an offer to get together in a few weeks when GA and I are taking a mini-holiday. And relationship building is never a bad thing.

So, what else am I grateful for this week?

I finally (FINALLY) got the irises and assorted other bulbs that I dug out of one spot in my garden buried back into another part of my garden. I’m grateful for whomever of the previous owners of the Casa originally planted all those bulbs, and that I can continue to tend to them.

I’m glad it’s so cool at night, and that I have excellent jersey sheets on my side of the bed.

I’m glad for the Little Library that I walk past on my route with Louie. And I found another Little Library in my neighbourhood. That makes 3 within about 5 blocks of my house. Yay, Literacy!

A fellow that I work with started a social thread on our internal messaging tool about music, and it’s introduced me to some interesting new music, as well as reminding me of some forgotten favourites.

If you can choose to be anything this week, friends, choose to be thankful.