This is the time of year when we focus on things we are thankful for instead of what is wrong in the world. It’s a good thing to do because the best things in your life can be overwhelmed by the nagging aggravations, day-to-day troubles, and the just pure evil that is out there buffeting your ship of life with high winds and roaring waves.
I am thankful for all my people: my husband who perseveres at my side all these decades, for my extended family including those I acquired by marriage, for many friends who have become part of my family, and for my blog followers and readers! I’m living proof of having lots of good food to eat and shelter from the weather. I’m thankful for many interests that enrich my life like my author journey, spinning, helping on the railroad, weaving, knitting, crocheting, and generally crafting. If I don’t have to leave my house or watch the TV news, life is truly great.
The picture shows a symbol of something else I’m especially thankful for this year.
Some of you who have had to dig up your yard for any reason may recognize the brightly colored flags mixed with the silk flowers. Those are marking the water, gas, cable, phone, power and other buried lines that run to your house. This summer we had an adventure that started with our phone line (yes I still have a landline) and internet service going out completely for five days due to a fiber optics contractor laying yet another buried line and cutting through our lines in the process. For over four months we ran on a temporary line that lay across the neighbor’s driveway and along the gutter bypassing the break point on the main line. We were waiting for the new line to be buried.
Patience is not my strong suit, as some of you know, but persistence is my forte! We experienced the dismal state of today’s customer service, being repeatedly lied to, and general incompetence. I can’t tell the details of the full service restoration here (there are too many lawsuits possible) but after two rounds of flag placement and line painting my husband said an immovable object (the telecom company) met the unstoppable force of Kim Ligon. I am especially thankful that the seventy-two year old technician–who was able to get it working when others failed–had not retired yet! I wonder who will be able to make things work when he does!
May your annoyances be few, your triumphs many, and the people you love most in this world are close enough to hug you! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Enjoy!