A Short, Sweet Thanksgiving Story

Having invested a good portion of my money in physical real estate or real estate related investments. When I moved here from the Midwest, I was sure that the West was all about land and building, and that would insure my retirement. I am now caught up in the current down spiral in housing and credit and suffering financially. I have put myself on an austere saving budget.

Two Thanksgivings ago, I found myself entirely alone on a day that for all the history of my life had been filled with food and people. In the big, beautiful dining room of the house where I raised my children, I had fashioned an antique golden oak table and eight chairs. Over the years I had upgraded the room until it sparkled in its charm for the very purpose of hosting family and good friends for feasts and celebrations. I was my greatest pleasure to set that table with antique stemware and china, unique and elaborate centerpieces. Monthly trips to flea markets had stocked my cupboards with every kind of table and glass ware. Candlesticks were my special passion. Needless to say, there were many fond memories created in that room.

Last year I told the people in my life there was a possibility I might be alone and ending up spending Thanksgiving with a good friend and her husband's family. I did not know anyone, but as the day progressed I found myself at ease and enjoying the different stories of this family. The afternoon ended by us all playing a simple card game that was fun. I hardly noticed when suddenly it was dark outside and time to go home. It had been a good day.

This year I am sharing the day with a good friend whose husband died early in the year. We decided to split the cooking and this way we could taste each of our special dishes. She is doing the turkey breast, sweet potatoes, fruit compote and I am doing the stuffing, salad, apple-cranberry sauce and home made pumpkin pie. I have not cooked any of these in a number of years and I am looking forward to it.

Today I did my grocery shopping and the store was loaded with all the women whose job the big holidays are to get done. It was very busy and the woman in front of me in the check out line had a huge cart brimming with the big meal's fixings. I looked for a smaller line but every one was long. So I just relaxed and observed her unpacking her cart. She was very organized, which I commented on with her coupons and clipboard. She said she had an extra coupon for saving $10 if you spent $50. That sounded good to me, as I am on a strict no spending spree, but I did not think I had $50 dollars worth of groceries in my cart. Trying quickly to add them all up I decided maybe it was $50 and asked for the coupon. She gave it to me. As she finished she realized that she had two turkeys to buy, but could not use both of her coupons on the same order. I told her that I would buy the second turkey on my order using her coupon. The cashier, a woman, made no comment on our little collaboration. In the end, she got both her turkeys at a discount and by adding the turkey to order put it over $50 dollars, so I saved money as well. Outside the store she reimbursed me for the discounted turkey and we thanked one another and wished each other a Happy Thanksgiving.

Driving home this little incident made me smile. It was so easy to be generous and help one another. Each of us saved money. Women could probably run the world, especially the government that is now having so much trouble staying on a budget and helping people.

I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving filled with good food and good people.