Thanksgiving Day 2009

by Pa Rock
Holiday Reveler

It was a beautiful day in the desert, temperatures in the low eighties and blue skies as far as the eye could see.

I crawled out of bed early in anticipation of the repairperson from Dish Network who was scheduled to be at my place sometime between 8 a.m. and noon. Mario from Dish arrived minutes before noon, with his father-in-law (a holiday visitor from Los Angeles) in tow. It turned out that my service was out because I failed to turn the proper knob to the proper setting. Mario and his wife's father were in and out in five minutes.

I managed to plant four more roses during the four hours that I waited on Mario. All were Don Juan climbing roses which will soon be entwined through my porch railings and with their shiny green foliage and deep red fragrant blooms. Arizona, which isn't good for much, is a wonderful place to grow roses.

The morning's yard work also included digging up a dying bush - that was immediately replaced with a health Don Juan - cutting some dead branches from other bushes, and digging up an ancient knot of lantana roots. This afternoon I built a mound of dirt over the spot where the lantana had reigned supreme for so many years, and proceeded to plant two large prickly pear cacti as its crown. It is an ideal spot for the prickly pear - I hope!

The ham and navy beans that I fixed in the crockpot overnight were delicious, and I have plenty left to get me through the weekend and then some. Scroungy Bastard (to whom I am growing attached and considering changing his name) thought that the ham was a particularly tasty!

This evening I settled down on the couch and watched Calendar Girls on BBC America. It is the very essence of British comedy - a tale of a group of middle-aged women who pose nude for a calendar as a charity fundraiser. Well, they weren't completely nude - each wore her strand of pearls! Those Brits are so bloody proper!

The military hospital where I work is closed tomorrow, but I will be among several people who go in anyway to catch up on paperwork. That saves having to take a vacation day. I will use my "Black Friday" next month as I cruise the Caribbean!

Tim called last night to wish me a happy Thanksgiving. He and his bride, Erin, and Nick and Boone are going to my dad's house tomorrow and prepare a Thanksgiving meal for him. (Erin, if you wind up doing most of the cooking, make the guys do the dishes!) Molly called this evening so that Sebastian could wish Pa Rock a "Happy Thanksgiving." He said it so plainly! Sebastian's little brother is due to enter this world within the next few days.

On this Thanksgiving Day I am truly thankful for family: my dad, my kids, and my grandkids! Live long and prosper - Pa Rock loves you!