Happy Thanksgiving!

This is the sunrise that greeted me when I got up at around 6:45 to let the dog out. Soon I will be making winter squash gratin and a broccoli salad to take to my mother-in-law's for dinner.

I also hope to squeeze a good long dog walk in (Molly hopes so too.) I always think it is a drag that we can't get out into the country to walk on Thanksgiving, because it's Huntin' Season™ around here.

Wishing all of you and yours a wonderful holiday.

Five years ago, this week ...

... I had my only hospitalization ever, barring my own birth and the birth of my oldest child. After experiencing my most painful and intense back pain ever, and after going to both a chiropractor and an acupuncturist for more than a week, I finally went to a medical doctor and said, "Don't prescribe muscle relaxants. I know this is not muscular."

Amazingly, he listened to me and sent me for a scan, and lo and behold, I had pulmonary embolism, i.e. blood clots in both of my lungs. I was admitted to the hospital immediately, where I stayed for a full week.

I was, and still am, immensely grateful to the many people who helped during that time: dog walkers, food providers, laundry do-ers, babysitters ... and the ones who brought me cheer in the hospital. Too many to mention by name.

By the end of my stay, I was an emotional basket case, and all I wanted to do was go home. I think I spent the entire last day there in tears.

I remember that I decided to make it my mission to not treat any hospital employee as if they were invisible, not matter how unhappy I was. So from the nurses down to the housekeeping staff, I made a point of making eye contact and saying hello each time they came into my room.

I also remember the absolutely stunning sunrises every morning over Lake Monona viewed from my east-facing window.

This week I am giving thanks for my health -- which is good, by the way. I never did know what caused the clots. I suspect too much time sitting in front of the computer as I did a mountain of work for one of my library classes -- bloggers, beware. I have not had a recurrence. The intensity of the pain drove me to begin a regular yoga practice, which I maintain to this day.

And I am giving thanks for the amazing people in my life.

I am glad to be here.

Happy Thanksgiving?

I watched some t.v. with my daughter last night. (I'm not a t.v. watcher, but sometimes it gives me an excuse to sit and knit.) I was disgusted by ad after ad after ad for "day after Thanksgiving" sales, many starting at 4 a.m. And our newspaper yesterday weighed at least 3 lbs. -- I'm not exaggerating -- because of all the circulars. It is obscene. All the more so, after reading this article today about hunger in the U.S.

I have to say, I take issue with the wording of this last paragraph:

“At least at this time of the year they are prepared to give generously but the worry is that a system based on charity will mean that the supply of donated food will always ebb and flow,” he [Mark Winne] said. ” We may be entering one of those perfect storms where everything goes wrong but if we depend on food charity rather than ending poverty, this is what is bound to occur.”

Calling it "a perfect storm" somehow implies that the hunger crisis facing Americans and those who would help them is an act of God. Make no mistake -- this is one more product of the greed and callousness of the Bush administration, whose policies have willfully created a shrinking middle class, a rise in the number of "working poor" and homeless families, a culture of rampant materialism, selfishness at the top, despair at the bottom, and no "safety net."

I think that statistics show that people with less income tend to give a greater percentage of what they have, than those with more. I have no problem with charitable giving. I honor anyone, rich or poor, who sees a responsibility greater than themselves to help others.

But I also happen to believe that a government has a responsibility to take care of its citizens (both those born here and those born elsewhere.)

The teachings of Jesus were essentially about not hurting others and taking care of the poor.

Most politicians like to bray loudly about their faith, and no one brays louder than George F.W. Bush.

I am disgusted.

Happy Thanksgiving

I am grateful to have a few hours to myself -- just me and the dogs (and the cats and guinea pigs) -- to play guitar and get a little sewing done for the Peace Market I've organized in a couple of weeks. Everyone else has gone over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house to watch the Packer game. I'll take any level of Hell that Dante can dish up over that, any day! I'll be joining them after the game, for dinner.

I tend not to spend this day taking inventory of all the things, people, etc. for which I am thankful. Neither do I make my students engage in that time-worn exercise of writing "I am thankful for ...". I try to live every day in a measure of gratitude, and I hope that I model the same for the children in my life.

Nevertheless, I hope that all of you are enjoying the loving company of family and/or friends today.