Dia De Gracias

Ah, bliss. It's Thanksgiving Day, I'm up early, and it's cool out. The paper isn't here yet, but the dogs have been fed, the coffee is hot. D2 is home, asleep, as is Wifey upstairs. D1 went out last night with her boyfriend's Indiana family, and I assume she's still asleep, too.

If there's a luckier man than me, I don't know who he is.

I got sick of all the "I'm thankful for" messages on FaceBook (tm) and so posted that I thought we should reflect on all we DON'T have. I mean --look at Jay Z. Billionaire, married to Beyonce, flies around in a private jet, gives away millions in charity. Compared to him, my life is that of a lowly schlepper!

Ha. I feel just the opposite, of course, but then again, I always did. Back in the early days of Wifey, when times were tight (and our buttocks were, too) I was also happy and thankful.

Our runneth over cup REALLY filled up in 1988. D1 came along, a few days after T Day that year, and taught us both the true meaning of love. Wifey and I both knew love, of course, but never the unconditional kind. I mean, she loved me lots, I'm sure, but had I, say, schtupped her best friend Edna (sorry about that, Edna) I think her love for me would have waned pretty quickly.

But not so with our children: we love them always, above all, no matter what. And D1 was the first, and now she's about to turn 23!

Last night, Wifey woke up from a long afternoon nap, occasioned by having to take her mother for outpatient hand surgery at 6 am, and came downstairs. It was nearly 9. D2 and I had eaten lunch with D1 in South Miami, and were hungry. So the three of us headed to our local IHOP, which is now open 24 hours, 365 days per year. This may be the best thing to happen in Pinecrest, ever.

Anyway, the running joke is that D1 loves IHOP, and somehow never gets to go with us. So, we sat there and D2 and Wifey texted her pictures of the blueberry pancakes she was missing out on. She texted back some spicy language about it being HER birthday, and yet she was excluded. It was exquisite. The pancakes were good, too, and an appropriate way to start the coming days of mass consumption...

Last night, this already thankful guy was even more absurdly thankful.

On the way to the car, we spotted a line forming at Best Buy. The IHOP manager told us the folks were there, and would stay there through Thanksgiving, to be in the store when they opened on midnight of Black Friday. Apparently, you can buy $300 flat screen tvs for $149 or so by doing that.

I guess that for those who are thankful for STUFF (crap, to me) that's the ultimate. Bereft of love, they have to fill the cavity with the material...Wifey, D2, and I shook our heads and laughed as we drove away.

Today, we have plans for a noon lunch on Key Biscayne. This is the 4th year in a row we will so gather, letting the chefs of a hotel prepare our feast.

D1's boyfriend Joel is coming, with his sister, her boyfriend, and his parents. D2's fine young man Josh is coming down as well, so there'll be 10 of us there.

Joel's mother emailed Wifey, saying how much she looked forward to meeting us, as she really dug D1, and was sure the apple didn't fall far from the tree.

So, of course, I already like this lady hours before meeting her. Class. Pure class.

Her email reminded me of the party we threw when we first moved into the 'hood --our annual homeowners' meeting. One of the neighbors had a gorgeous flower arrangement sent over that day, with a note that she was sure the evening was going to be special. Wifey and I were floored, and knew then we had found the right place to live.

Probably not coincidentally, the neighbor, like Joel's mother, was raised in the Midwest...

After brunch, D2 and Josh are headed to Josh's place in Weston for T Day DINNER. So D2 gets 2 feasts. I have a spot reserved on my couch to watch the Fins play the Cowboys.

Tomorrow, D2 will get a ride to Barry's, and he will drive her to the Canes game, where we will all convene. My friend Norman turns 50 this weekend, and his tailgate party will also be his birthday celebration. I'd bring his gift with me, but it'd get drunk, so I'll drop it off later...

Saturday, we're having Joel's family over for bagels and lox and mimosas. I was at the liquor store last night, and got a great recommendation of sparkling wine for these drinks. We'll find out if Hebrew Hoosiers dig our local bagels, baked with care by Palestinians at House of Bagels...

And so my favorite time of the year is here in full swing. I have less than 3 months to go for D2's 20th birthday, whereupon I will have succesfully raised 2 daughters without teen pregnancies... After that, all is, like the fine accompaniment to today's turkey, gravy.