Greetings family and friends,

Happy Holiday and Count Your Blessings Day! This has been a busy week (and it's only Thursday.)

First, I am thankful that my children and grand children came to visit on Monday of this week! I couldn't have wished for a more pleasant surprise than to see both daughters, et al. (I knew Trisha was coming - but, I hadn't planned to see Tracy until after all the hoopla was over this week. Much better this way however!) Had my DEXscan, too, and everything looks ok - results later...

Delia was the major architect of our Walls' Christmas tree which is sitting in front of the picture window now - just right for celebrating any holiday in style!

Zoey is as curious as a kitten and into LETTERS - recognizing and repeating their names! She's walking all over; she's just tall enough to reach into the tall kitchen garbage can to retrieve interesting straws...- gotta get a lid on that pretty soon! (If I can get out of the house on Saturday, I'll try to get a pack n play so she can entertain herslf and take a nap when needed.)

And of course, there was the obligatory stringing of the lights outside on the deck and along the handrail. And thanks to Keith and Tracy, we now have TWO holiday deer, lighting up the front lawn to show Santa where to graze his herd.

I, for one, am thankful that Barbara and Ed came to WV to help get the paperwork started on all this legal work that has to be done before the end of February. We went to the courthouse on Tuesday (where I forgot my photo ID - and that's another reason I'm thankful for good friends - Jan Warner Bozarth went out of her way to get me the message I left it there and get it back to me.) And on Wednesdy, we went to the BANK to get accounts closed and opened - and to FBW, then to the Post Office... business, business, monkey business.

Daddy and I met the new occupational therapist, Joe, who has shown us some new tricks to keep Dad movin' and groovin', and who gave us some ideas for getting him out of the house to dr appointments related to his hand.

I met the new physical therapist, Karen, who will be visiting at least two times a week to help Dad with his Ninja skills - she brought a big stick that seems to be a good part of his action hero practice.

Sandy and Linda have been big supporters. They have their own family gatherings today but they were here Monday and Tuesday to cheer up the place and give me time to go grocery shopping, get monkey business done, and check the mail. And I'm thankful that Kim Sandy called me to offer to come and help me get out of the house to go Christmas shopping etc. this weekend. I'm gonna call her [smiley face insert here]

Of the many little and BIG rituals that come to mind at this time of year, we, here in the valley, enjoy seeing the smiling faces of our families -- close and far away. So, post those dinner pictures! I'm sure there will be a variety of settings, food choices and new rituals that each and every family group can show us.

I'm going to try to post a picture that Jerry Hovatter sent us yesterday, which I thought expressed the "new" way we can look at these holiday rituals - like holiday lighting, for example: [see photo]

I call it WV Christmas...

Hope you all enjoy a very restful Thanksgiving. I know we will! Love ya all!