Murder by Death

Tasks for Thanksgiving Day: List of 5 things you’re grateful for –OR–  Be thankful for yourself and treat yourself to a new book and post a picture of it.

I'm doing both these (for 1 total point).

My book treat - ordered and express delivered for our upcoming Hogswatch Buddy Read:

Because nothing says "Merry Christmas!" like a portrait of Death.

5 Things I'm Thankful for This Year:

My Health - Even though I've been plagued by back issues this spring, and in spite of the fact that MT gifted me with his cold last week, I am generally a hale and hearty being.  Long may that last.

My husband - MT is NOT without his faults, of course; the list is sometimes long and sometimes short, but generally, as spouses go, I've more or less hit the jackpot.  I could bore you all with a list of his virtues... smart, funny, blah blah blah, but I won't.  I'll just say this:  he irons everything.  Also, he cooks.  I do not say this with any smugness; this marriage is not my first, and the previous experience has left me with a very fine appreciation of how lucky I am now.

My parents - My dad is no longer with us, but my mom is 93 and will outlive God.  In my mind (and my sisters', so totally objective) my daddy hung the moon and was practically perfect in every way.  My mom, being a mom, drives me 6 shades of crazy on any given day, but she's still awesome.  Together they raised 4 kids spanning 3 generations: the 50's, 60's and 70's (why yes, I was a surprise!) and none of us turned out to be delinquents or addicts.  They taught all of us - 3 of us girls - to think for ourselves, do for ourselves and never ever take shit from anybody - but always be respectful.

My cats, of COURSE!, and my chickens - I don't really need to explain my complete and utter devotion to my cats to you guys.  They make me happy even when they exasperate me (I'm looking at you Wasabi, you Easter-cat stalker you), and they make me laugh more often than they make me yell.  And my chickens (Eggy, Henri, and Princess Parmigiana) are hilarious.  Never underestimate the entertainment value of a feathered ball of stupid; it's like the avian version of the Three Stooges every day in my back garden.

All my friends - I don't have many RL friends, but the ones I do have are amazing.  They put up with me - all their other gifts (and they have many) are just icing.  And my BookLikes friends... it's embarrassing how attached I am to so many people I wouldn't recognise on the street, lol.  But you guys are my people - you put up with my cat photos and my librarian nags and my sometimes questionable taste in reading.  I would be lost without you all and BookLikes (you're stuck with me Kate!).  I know this for a fact after last weekend, when I just kept looking at the "under maintenance" page and thinking "what the hell do I do with myself now?".  

All of you - I'm soooo thankful for every one of you.  You guys rock!