Thanksgiving Thoughts

One week from today is Thanksgiving! My goodness, it was just Halloween ~~or 4th of July for that matter! Time is going by so quickly and before you know it, we'll be saying goodbye to 2011. I've been working with my Daisy Girl Scout Troop putting together Thanksgiving baskets for those who could use them. We also packed 14 boxes for Operation Christmas Child. My daughter loves the collecting and packing of supplies. All the girls decorated the boxes and gift bags so happily; I am sure their packages will put a smile on the receiver's faces. The message of "service to others" is not lost on these little ones. Bless their innocent hearts. And thank you Girl Scouts for promoting 'service" as a virtue.

I'll be visiting my sister's home for Thanksgiving. She lives locally so it's a short ride. We had thought of going into NYC for the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade (we live about an hour from Manhattan) before going to my sister's house in the afternoon but it seems the kids enjoy a big breakfast at home on Thanksgiving and the parade in their jammies! That's fine with me. Billy and I went to the parade in 1997 and it was magical. There are so many things going on that the tv cameras don't show you when you are actually standing along the parade route. It's super fun. I'm thinking we may go next year and my husband has been working extra hard lately so I think a nice morning home with a big breakfast in HIS jammies will do him good! My favorite float is the the big Turkey! and of course I love Snoopy. I also love Pikachu because when my son was little, he loved Pokemon so I have a soft spot for Pikachu. Last year, Commack High School was one of the bands that marched. Commack, Long Island represented! (besides being the hometown of Rosie O'Donnell and Bob Costas). We marched and we were proud!

This is also the time of year when I watch Holiday Inn. Please don't confuse this movie with White Christmas. Although that's a good one too, Holiday Inn came first and it features Bing Crosby & Fred  Astaire and takes place at Holiday Inn, an Inn in Connecticut open only on holidays. Bing Crosby's character wanted to return to the "simple life" where a man's hard work and the satisfaction of knowing he did his best for his family was reward enough. Whereas White Christmas is a wonderful movie, it has more glitz and it is in color. It's more elaborate Hollywood production. Holiday Inn is in black and white and the message just hits you! It is very powerful. One of my favorite lines in this movie is one Bing says to a woman who keeps looking for bigger and better and of course always finding disappointment. He says "Always looking for greener pastures and finding spinach."  Words to live by!

Before I end there is also a song called Counting Your Blessings that is on the Holiday Inn soundtrack but not in the movie and again, listen  to these words:   "And when you're worried, and You can't sleep, Just count your blessings instead of sheep."  That's what I do when I go to bed!

Have a joyous day!