Season of Thanksgiving Gratitude Day 40

 Friday November 21, 2025

Today I am thankful for the incredible range of the spectrum from chaos to order, and for all the people who work to move processes and states from the chaotic to the orderly.  I am thankful for the human resilience that allows us to survive or even thrive within that spectrum.

Imagine the entire scope of human history, and how invention changed the course of civilization.  Each succeeding generation saw modifications and improvements in processes.  The ability to build shelters from different kinds of materials.  The methods of transporting ourselves and our possessions from place to place.  The control of fire and its transformation for use in various ways:  cooking, home heating, transportation.

On the chaos side is its use in weaponry and destruction.  On the side of order, its use in producing food and surviving the elements.  Also in being able to cross physical barriers like rivers, mountains, canyons to establish new homes for our families and communities.  It's pretty amazing stuff when you think about it.

This pumpkin was pre-started by a squirrel, but did not stop Ember from continuing where the squirrel left off.  Unrelated to the topic, just because.

Season of Thanksgiving gratitude Day 39

 Thursday November 20, 2025

This is another classically easy day of gratitude.  In fact, Alicia (Mamie Allie, not my sister) used this one for the 19th.  I am thankful to be alive, breathing, above ground, etc.  Why is that natural for me on November 20th?  Because of course it's the anniversary of my birth.

I remember mom telling me that I was born at something weird like 5 a.m., which might explain why I'm a morning person... or not!

Mom always used to say that we kept on living while we had something more to learn, or something more to give.  Sounds like a good reason to hang out... learning, and sharing!

Season of Thanksgiving Gratitude: Day 38

 Wednesday November 19, 2025

Today I am thankful for alternative sources of information.  The world is changing.  What used to be trustworthy sources of news and facts are no longer guaranteed to be such.  Things are chosen to be presented, only part of a story is told, or in some cases outright lies.

I have listened to actual words spoken, then to the talking heads interpreting what was said, drawing conclusions about what it meant when alternative interpretations are available.  It makes my head spin.  Sometimes these presentations are examples of "this is what I hope/wish it means", and sometimes they are "this is what I most fear it means".

Either way, consumption of news is no longer a simple thing.  Large grains of salt are required.

I am thankful that I am not "on the front lines", so to speak, and can sit between my two furry companions, in a house with heat, with hot water, with refrigeration and cooking means for food, with stocked shelves in a nearby grocery and the ability to purchase it.  

I worry when I sit amid this bounty that my gratitude may slop over into the Pharisee's prayer from the gospels, where the self-righteous one is thankful he is not "as other men".  It's tempting to believe we are deserving of all the good in our lives.  

I am indeed blessed, but with blessing comes responsibility, to do what we can to help others.  "Noblesse oblige" in a society of supposed equals applies to us all.

Season of Thanksgiving Gratitude: Day 37

 

Tuesday November 18th, 2025

Today I am thankful for my Ember's quiet approach to squirrel chasing.  She eyes them.  If they are on my fence I can tell her to "go get him" or "tell him to get off my fence" and she'll rush at the critter... but she doesn't bark at them!

I'm also grateful for her not being obsessed with them when we're out on leash!  We're pretty good at stopping and watching, as opposed to lunging or barking.

Decision time, I might be seeing one!

Week 6 of the season of gratitude - day 36

 

Monday November 17th, 2025

Observation:  I don't usually catch Ember in one of her breed characteristics: sleeping positions that look like a contortionist designed them.  She changes out of them and turns into a normal curled up pup as soon as I get the camera out.  But they make me laugh and puzzle me... how could anyone nod off all twisted around like that?

A nod to my mother, who was born on November 17th.  She's been gone for 29 years by now, but we always celebrated our birthdays together (mine is later in the week).

Today I am thankful for a good night's sleep and a warm shower in the morning.  Ahhh!  Great way to start a day... add coffee and we're complete!

Thanksgiving Season of Gratitude: Day 35

 Sunday November 16, 2025

Today I am thankful for the smooth transition of cell service providers.  Since my son provides me with my mobile phone service, he's the decider, and today was the day to change out to a less costly one.  He messaged me with instructions for what I had to do on my end, and... it worked!

Don't you love it when technology works to plan?  He paid for a year on this new service at a "black Friday sale" price, and the old service that amount of payment would only have covered two months.  Pricing of so many things is outrageously variable!  I'm grateful that my son keeps an eye on these things so I don't have to!

Season of Gratitude: Day 34

 

Saturday November 15, 2025

Today I am thankful for crate training!  The peace of mind this gives me to take a shower or dash out on a grocery run is priceless.  

I pretty much am at the point where I accept Ember's choice of "it's time for my nap", tuck her in, and go "do human things" for a couple of hours.  

But I also can ask her to "kennel up" so that the kitty can have safe passage, or a service technician can come into the house.

It's not always a given, but this is her den to sleep for the night, too, and I have my whole bed to myself.  I second guess this one at times, because when Carl comes to visit, he sleeps on the big bed with me (and often displaces me).  I don't know if Ember will ever get to that privileged level, but you never know.  

She does now take up the whole couch for naps during the daytime.  Sometimes she just curls up in a corner, and I take up the rest of the couch for a nap of my own.