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Today’s the day Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving. Well, it all depends on your perspective – if you’re a turkey, I guess you’d spend the day mourning the annual mass slaughter of your fellow fowl. However! As I’m pretty sure no turkeys read this blog, I’ll stick to the former interpretation.

When I first moved to Canada – back when the hills were mountains – I remember watching the Thanksgiving episodes of television shows where the family would go around the table, each member saying what they were thankful for. I always felt sort of embarrassed by proxy – not by the feeling of thankfulness, but the saying it out loud. Where I come from, we don’t talk about things like that and for years, I thought people on this continent were emotionally incontinent. However, after 26 years, I’ve been North Americanized enough that now I sort of like the idea. So today, I am thankful for:

A globetrotting family who, when we can’t come to them, hop on a plane and come to us.

Readers like Hannah – if you have a blog, Hannah, please link in the comments, because I can’t find the URL – who, when I put out an SOS about Mojo’s digestive issues, put me in touch with Margo, an expert in cat nutrition and as omniscient as a goddess about the wee beasties. To the point where in a few emails she told me more about the nature of cats and the particulars of Mojo’s problems than any of my vets ever have. And who told me about this:

FortiFlora. This is a probiotic supplement for cats made by Purina (they have one for dogs, too). I take acidophlus religiously to prevent my stomach from trying to eat itself and since part of Her Royal Catness’ issues had to do with a hyperacidic stomach, well… I hesitate to say this (due to rampant superstition), but am knocking wood frantically and will include some qualifiers as I write, so hopefully, it’ll be alright. For almost 2 weeks now, I’ve put a bit of this powder in Mojo’s food in the morning – Purina recommends a whole pouch, but it doesn’t seem to be necessary to give that much, in fact, the first pouch lasted me a week. And it’s helping. She’s not completely well, but part of the time, she’s better than she’s been in years. Mojo is eating (like a horse), usually not hiding in the closet feeling crappy after she eats, often playing spontaneously several times a day, is alert, talkative, pushy – in other words, she is herself after years of being unwell. I’ve been up against the wall for several years, as have about five different vets in the clinic I take her to and it might be as simple as a supplement (I hope). Hannah and Margo, you rock!

The Tinks. As always. I keep going back to watch this video. And this one. Damn, they’re cute.

My body which despite 40 years of RA damage and frequent episodes of rather intense levels of stupidity on my behalf, keeps pulling me through and supports me to do the things I want to (except things like the trapeze flying). I’m often frustrated by what I can’t do, but when put in the proper context, it’s pretty amazing that it keeps going. I should be nicer to it.

A fantastic family and good friends. Old and new, online and off.

My other good friends codeine and cyclobezaprine that help heal me after abovementioned stupidity wrecks something.

Lazy three-day holiday weekend with decent weather. Really decent weather.

Books that entertain, educate and move the boundaries of your mind.

Dragon NaturallySpeaking that allows me to write.

Your comments that make me feel in touch with the world every day, but particularly on days where I’ve been stuck inside for reasons of snow or above-mentioned stupidity. They mean a lot.

The quiet of a holiday Monday leaving my downtown neighbourhood virtually deserted.

Cloris Leachman on Dancing with the Stars, especially her jive, which had me crying with laughter. If I can move and entertain like that when I’m her age (82), I’ll be a very happy woman.

And you?