Thanksgiving.....

This is Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada. Not the same kind of family reunion time as the American holiday, but a time to stuff the turkey and eat pumpkin pie. The fact that our family is going to be together (except for my first-born) for the first time in probably 40 years is quite a remarkable feat.

I haven't been blogging, mainly because I haven't had reliable internet connections and I failed to get a word-processing program on the new laptop. I can't figure out how I could blog from the blackberry, so things are quiet on the quidnuncblogging front.

But - the things we have seen, the places we have been, the people we have enjoyed over the last few weeks have been amazing. We have mostly been centred at my older meaner sister's home - helping her paint, clean, repair and purge junk from her home. But we have spent lots of time visiting with friends - we spent a weekend at Georgian Bay with my friend Cheri (who I have known since I was 7 years old)...we had brunch with two highschool friends, we shared Rosh Hashanah dinner with two sets of friends from law school and their families, we toured vineyards in Niagara on the Lake with two dear law school friends (and had a terrific brunch at Hillebrand Vineyards), we had a second delicious Rosh Hashanah dinner with my friend Wendy and her family, I got to catch up with my old neighbour from Vancouver who has moved to the Niagara region, I spent an afternoon at the spa with my sister and her adorable friend Jan (pedicure and manicure, don't ya know). Our lives have been rich here in Ontario......

Today my mother flies in and we will head up to my brother's home for Thanksgiving weekend. My mother is 89, so this is a big trip for her. I coerced my older meaner sister into making cabbage rolls for the weekend (we always had them on special occasions when we were young) and we will take them to my brother's house. Even the idea that we could plan such a Thanksgiving and all be together makes me happy. We are lucky to have this chance to be together. It will be busy and noisy and undoubtedly frustrating - but we are blessed to have the opportunity - and for that I will give thanks.....

Have a great weekend my Canadian friends.