What's On My Mind . . .


Here are some of the things on my mind this November morning:

1. Thanksgiving.
I've mentioned this before, but I'd been dreaming about Thanksgiving since summer this year. Something about being very very hungry--for a very very long time--makes you DREAM for a day where your plate is filled to overflowing. And, a day when your family is all around. (With their plates filled to overflowing, too.) 

SO . . . in my mind, yesterday was a perfect day: food and family.

My first plate.

Three of our 6 kiddos--just before dinner.
(Sparkling cider in tea cups, PS. Not champagne. Ha.)


After dinner, we took a drive to find "The Best Lights In Our Neighborhood."

We dubbed this one, "A Very Very Blue Christmas," the winner.




2. Black Friday.
I'll be honest, I've never really been a BIG Black Friday shopper, but after spending the summer in one outfit (my pink dress), without a roof over my head, without my family, with zero electricity, no transportation, no computer, no phone, no food pantry or other basic resources (toilet paper, running water) . . . 

I really have a different perspective on Christmas. 


I mean, we're definitely celebrating Christmas and getting into the holiday spirit; I'm just not so sure our Christmas will be centered on adding MORE "stuff" to our already overflowing life. 


PS: I hope this doesn't sound like an attack on Black Friday. It's not. It's more of a realization on my part that our lives are literally OVERFLOWING with abundance. 


It sounds so cliche', I know. (Sorry.)


But it's true: there's almost nothing we have NEED of. And I don't mean we are monetarily wealthy. I mean, we have all of our basic needs met. And that's how I define wealth since Survivor: a working body, clothing, shelter, food, and family.


Funny how a game for a million dollars--39 days living off the land--can teach you that. 


But, Survivor did that for me: one summer changed my world view permanently.


(C) CBS, Monty Brinton, 2011.

The Savaii tribe.
(Probably Day 2 or 3 in the game.)




***


I'd planned to talk about Hannukah and Survivor today, too, but we're on our way out--so I'm outta time!

Will do that tomorrow when I post the Recipe of the Week. (A Turkey Panini that sounds pretty good about right NOW.)

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