>>I still have the big Thanksgiving meal to look forward to, since the girls were with their mom and her family yesterday. (With my blessing -- it's a day for big gatherings and my side of the family is all far away). Usually I cook a turkey on the grill, the last time the grill gets used before shutting it down until spring, but this year it's ham. Some standard sides like stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls, and pumpkin pie, and a couple of new ones. Green beans and almonds, for one, which believe it or not I have never made. Who could possibly mess that up? And twice baked potatoes. I saw a recipe in the paper on Sunday and it also looked unscrewupable. The fun part is I said something about it to Allie and she asked if she could make it. I about fell over. Emily is the apprentice cook in the family (mostly from her mom, a little from me) and Allie is the classic girl who "makes reservations." So Allie is going to have a go at the twice baked potatoes. Wish us luck! LOL
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>We went to my brother's in-laws for the big dinner. The funny thing is my wife made "Twice baked potatoes" haha. What a coinkadink. We also took a pecan pie and fruit salad. My other brother, his family and my mom, all went to Missouri to spend Thanksgiving with his outlaws.
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>So what do you have to be thankful for Mike?
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>I'm thankful for so much - my country,health, job, family, etc. I sent our police director an email yesterday with an idea, and his response was - "I see you are still clicking on all cylinders." Being appreciated is another blessing. The blessings have been "heaped up, packed down and shaken." I hope you and the rest of the UT folks have been equally blessed.

I keep reminding myself that I have lots to be thankful for. My daughters. My sobriety (knock on wood). A good mind and a sense of humor, both blessings from my father. Friends, even incorrigible conservatives like you ;-) Plenty to be thankful for.

Pecan pie -- yum! That just got added to the menu. Which will now be Sunday, stretching the boundaries of Thanksgiving weekend. Emily is with her mom (every other weekend) and Allie is with her boyfriend. Just me and the dogs at the moment.