Things I am Thankful For

Friends who care about me, and who don't want me to be alone today even though I have the plague and am most likely contagious.

Fred Meyer for being open until 4pm so I can get more kleenex and some sinus decongestant.

The long shelf life of Nyquil.

The leaves on the tree outside my window (even though they are gone now) because they hide my apartment windows from the street and provide me with a small amount of privacy.

Netflix for having movies I can watch on my computer now that I am barricaded from the outside world like a shut in.

Happy memories of Thanksgivings past spent with friends and their families.

And finally, I am thankful for having survived some of the worst long and lonely Thanksgivings between parents' houses spent wishing for a repair to come fix my broken family. They make today seem pale in comparison.

Perspectives on Family: Phone Conversation

Here is an excerpt of a phone conversation I had with my mom today. Sometimes the things she says just strike me as funny. This, for example, gives me a clear mental picture:

"Grandma called earlier and I picked up the phone, but all I heard was a click, and I thought, didn't she hear me say hello? So I looked at the cord and I could see that the kitties had chewed through it because they're still mad at me. I keep putting their grasshoppers outside that they bring in. I think it was the one with the broken leg that did it."

I can just see her gathering the grasshoppers in a cup and throwing them out; meanwhile the cat looks on in disgust, its eyes narrowing. All that hard work (with a broken leg no less) to bring in the hoppy toys, and mom just throws them out. Naturally the cat takes out it's revenge on the phone cord. It knows where to hit mom so it hurts.