Thanksgiving 2016

Last Friday evening, I spent a couple of hours with the Christmas in the City (CITC) folks, helping sort through and organize the donated food stuffs – including, oddly, a tin of baking powder -  that would be used to supplement the hundreds of turkey-and-all-the-fixins food baskets (bags, actually) that CITC distributes each year. CITC is a wonderful, all-volunteer organization run out of Kennedy Brothers PT by the brilliant, kind, funny, and generous Jake Kennedy and his wife Sparky. Check out the new web site, by the way. (I’m the content person and main blogger.) We’re now gearing up for the annual party for homeless kids, and the day-after free toy “shopping” day for those who are needy but not homeless.

So on Thanksgiving this year, I’m thankful for Christmas in the City, the hundreds of volunteers who support it, and the donors who make it all possible for Jake and Sparky to do what they do.

CITC is new to the list this year of what I’m thankful for.

As ever, I am thankful for my wonderful family and friends. They have been a special comfort this year, as I sat shiva after the election.

I’m thankful that there are people who won’t give up and retreat to their hidey-holes, but who’ll keep an eye on what’s happening in Washington to make sure that whatever it is that’s currently giving comfort to the KKK and the American Nazi Party won’t go any further than talk.

I’m thankful for my clients, and for the good health – mental and physical – that enables me to keep working. (I’m thankful that the weird thing in my mouth turned out to just be weird thing in my mouth. And for Dr. P., who looked in there and said “I’m not impressed.” When he took his flashlight out of my mouth, he had the grace to smile when I told him that there were a number of different ways to interpret “I’m not impressed.”)

I’m thankful to the good people of Venice who made my trip there so enjoyable.

And, as I am every year, I’m thankful for the folks at St. Francis House, who take such excellent care of Boston’s poor and homeless. Donations always welcome, and always put to good use.

Finally, in keeping with Pink Slip tradition, here’s a link to last year’s Turkey Day post.

Happy Thanksgiving!