Thanksgiving

A hastily composed, unordered, random list of things for which I’m thankful.

• Mrs. Curmudgeon and various friends and relatives are happy, healthy, and none are currently pissed off; especially at me.
• I’m in a country and society where I’m allowed to pray or not pray on Thanksgiving. I can also eat Chinese food on Thanksgiving if I wish (that would suck but I’m all about having options). I can abstain from watching football and there’s no shortage of toilet paper. Truly a blessed land!
• I paid off my student loans. That happened many years ago but I’m still pretty damned happy about it.
• An entire 24 hours in which I’m not going to do any work. (Except I was on a ladder this morning, and did some dishes, and…. wait a minute.  Damn it! OK fine it’s 24 hours in which I’m going to do not much work.)
• The mechanic finally managed to “reboot” my Dodge. I managed to “reset” my Kindle. My laptop is fading but functional and my shortwave radio is shit but due for replacement. Overall I call it a win.
• I have a job. Sometimes I bitch about it but at least I’m bringing money in.
• Deadly Ebola got to American shores lookin’ to make a name for itself. The CDC and the Federal Government more or less laid out a red carpet for it and a couple folks did their best to infect everything in sight. Despite all that, for the moment at least, it has completely crapped out. We owe this miracle to the fact that Americans take hygiene really seriously? Regardless of the reason, it’s good news so far. (No, I don’t think the Ebola story is over… but let’s enjoy the fact that the shit didn’t hit the fan just yet.)
• The electric power is on. The internet is functioning.
• The toilet is functioning. Nobody cares about lights and the internet if the septic is stopped up.
• The pigs were a success (which makes up for the field cultivation which wasn’t). Pork is on the menu today.
• Peaceful elections. Sure they won’t change everything overnight or possibly anything ever but times with elections are better than times without.
• Disco is still dead.
• On a personal note, participation in an undisclosed sporting activity has been rough on me lately, but not enough to stop me. I’m glad I’m still at it. I won’t provide details so don’t ask.
• I spent Thanksgiving in a hospital a few years back. I’m thankful the hospital was there when I needed it. I’m thankful I got there under my own power and cut through red tape before I croaked on the ER floor while the drones filled out forms in triplicate. I’m thankful the herds of morons throughout the entire system parted like the red sea for a surgeon who was skilled and forthright. I’m thankful that it probably won’t happen again.
• Deer season this year was simple, easy, and successful. Hunting is never a sure thing. Venison will be a part of today’s feast.
• I don’t have to plow the driveway today.
• I may be low on cash but we’ve squirrelled away nuts for the winter. Especially food; including plenty of chicken, pork, and venison. Plus enough coffee to keep society safe in my presence for an extended duration. I (probably) stacked (maybe) enough firewood (barely) for the season (if not I do indeed own trees). My stash of beer and liquor isn’t huge but it’s enough. Life isn’t so bad when “worst case scenario” starts with “coffee, eggs, and bacon for breakfast” and ends with “steak and beer”, all the while accompanied by “a cheerful fire”. We truly are a rich society.
• Mrs. Curmudgeon (inexplicably?) loves me. I should have put “a happy marriage” at the top of the list. That’s always the first thing.
• Cthulhu hasn’t risen.
• Among 3 tractors, a snowblower, and an ATV… I’m 80% sure at least one will start and work well enough to clear a path to civilization. (Al Gore will be happy to know that several are decorative yard ornaments that aren’t likely to emit carbon any time soon. I’m “green” like that.)
• Mrs. Curmudgeon made an apple pie.
• My dog is content and is doing a fine job keeping the imperious cat in check.
• Tomorrow there will be post-thanksgiving turkey sandwiches! (Most men agree that this is the real reason we like Thanksgiving.)

I am thankful for so much more. I could go on for hours; but I’m not about to spend all Thanksgiving messing around with a blog. There’s food to eat and homestead chores to ignore! Have a great Thanksgiving and stay the hell away from my “leftover turkey” sandwich tomorrow.