Nov 22 2008
Top ten things I am thankful for
Pre-Ramble: Mom is in the other room chopping celery, so I, the resident canine, Daisy, 
have been appointed as your esteemed guest blogger for today. My topic for the ramp-up to Thanksgiving Day will be the Top Ten things I am thankful for this holiday season. Between you and me, we should all be thankful that Mom is not cooking anything for the big Thanksgiving dinner beyond a couple platters of crudites and her signature/fool-proof apple cake. My plan is to busy her with setting the table and filling water goblets while the girls prepare the pumpkin pies (complete with hand-rolled crust embellished with maple leaf cut-outs and freshly whipped sweet cream).
Turkey Talk: Before I share my list, I just have to comment on Audubon‘s rendition of the “wild turkey” (shown right). I don’t know what he was looking at, but I’ve chased plenty of wild turkeys out of my yard and I can tell you that they are not good looking birds. There is clearly some photoshop going on here, both in the coloration and arrangement of plumage, and in the fowl’s implied demeanor. Far from the picture of soft, brown, calm, coyness depicted by Audubon, in addition to being ugly, this plucky breed is skittish, ornery, and mostly grey. Benjamin Franklin however was evidently a fan, indicating in a 1784 letter to his daughter, that he preferred the feisty and courageous Wild Turkey over the aloof slacker Bald Eagle as his choice for national bird. But, enough of this turkey talk; here is the run-down of the Top Ten things for which I am thankful this Thanksgiving. I am thankful that…
- … my family loves me and takes good care of me
- … two rabbits live under the back porch (we’ve had endless hours of fun)
- … rescue dogs (like me) are going to represent in the new White House
- … nobody feeds me canned dog food (the canine equivalent of Spam, which I also wouldn’t eat even if I was sitting in a sky box at a Saints game)
- … I don’t have to go to The Nutcracker this year (that old guy in the cape gives me the creeps)
- … my Pilgrim hat wouldn’t stay on (so Mom had to go with that lame Audubon print)
- … nobody makes me fetch things (a couple laps around the dining room table and I’m good)
- … I don’t fit into a standard size roasting pan
- … no one in my family likes dark meat (score – more for me!)
- … no one is tracking my Neiman Marcus tab
The Take-Away: Well, I can’t sit here blogging all day… I have stuffing to do. I hope this Thanksgiving finds you happy and healthy, and that you are able to find a warm, sunny spot on the carpet to sit and reflect upon all of the wonderful things in your life. I will leave you with this final thought on thankfulness from Ralph Waldo Emerson:
For each new morning with its light; For rest and shelter of the night; For health and food, for love and friends; For everything Thy goodness sends.
“Woof!”
I had no idea our adorable canine was such an eloquent writer! For her sake I sincerely hope you did not attempt to make Daisy wear a pilgrim hat (since when do we own a pilgrim hat?!) Daisy is way too stylish for that, she would know that the hat trend of the season is arguably the stylized fedora… Daisy has some great things to say though, she and I both have the same number one thing to be thankful for :>
I am so happy that our dearly loved Torch Lake could inspire the ugly but collectible Audibon turkey on your front page. See, I told you they were ugly and should not be hanging on the wall. Happy Thanksgiving to you and we share our friendship to be thankful for since 1975. Wow.
How did we know our daughter is such a good writer,as ghost for her favorite dog.
Kathie we love to read your blogs almost as much as we love you!+