HAPPY THANKSGIVING

I have been away from this blog for such a long time - four weeks to the day - that you may have thought that the Queen of the Fairies did spy me on Samhain Eve and spirited me away. But no, here I still am.

It seems to me that I went to sleep on a balmy Halloween Eve and awoke to a whole new world. A whole new world of:

Colder weather.

A brand new month, a month I'm not very fond of.

A new job, which meant jumping out of my comfort zone and into yet another learning-new-things zone.

Going back to working full time, when I had been spoiled working afternoons for about six weeks.

Getting up in the dark.

The time change.

I adapted to the new world of November, as one always does, having learned the new job, having adjusted to the time change and waking up at 6:30, having put my beautiful garden to sleep, having dragged out the winter coat, hats and gloves.

Yesterday, I had a couple of setbacks. I learned that my employers grossly overestimated the amount of work they had for us, and our jobs will be winding down by the end of next week at the latest, instead of the end of December. (And new temp jobs are few and far between in December.)

When I drove home at the end of the day, I knew something was definitely wrong with my car, and I had to limp it home. I am praying it is something small and not monumental like the transmission.

Of course, immediately my mind jumped to the worst scenarios: no jobs all winter, no car. The only thing going for yesterday, it seemed, was the unheard of temperature of  62 degrees. Indeed, it broke a record for Bismarck on Nov. 23.

But here it is Thanksgiving Day and I find I do have a lot to be grateful for.

Although it will be just Dan and me for Thanksgiving this year, my sister will have Christmas off and we'll all celebrate together, including Kristen, who flies in Christmas Morning.

The ground remains brown, not white, and promises to remain so until the calendar page turns to December. As everyone around here is saying, "That's one less month of winter for us", as November has been known to wallop us with a blizzard in its first week.

I have been continuously employed for 13 months, yay! And the economy in Bismarck is so good that I will probably get another assignment early in the new year.

I have plenty of food to eat, a cozy house, a husband who loves to cook (even Thanksgiving dinners), and my sweet but nutty dog, Gracie.

I am not one of those crazy ass people out shopping at Wal-Mart today, or going to bed early tonight so they can get up at MIDNIGHT and enter the insanity of Black Friday.

I AM one of those people who has not forgotten the meaning of Thanksgiving and does not let Christmas madness overtake this day.

The car will eventually get fixed. I'll eventually get another job. And if winter comes, can spring be far behind?

I am truly blessed. I hope you all are too. Happy Thanksgiving.