A season of thanks

Happy Thanksgiving, readers! As I get ready to head to my parents' place for this most delicious of national holidays, I have been reflecting on things that I am thankful for. Yes, I know I just ended that sentence with a preposition. One thing I am thankful for is readers who notice such things but are polite enough not to point them out. Ahem.

(For the record, I am not just writing as a means of avoiding the GIANT pile of dishes in my sink. I'm just giving the elves a chance to get started on them is all....)

I am so grateful to have a job that I love, work that allows me to teach what I believe is important, have fun, nourish others, be outside a lot (and in the kitchen even more), and get hugs from kids daily. I'm also grateful for collaborative colleagues, a supportive boss, and fantastic interns who make a pretty challenging job one I look forward to biking to every day.

Though I don't do it for the money or the fame, every so often, it's nice that there's a little acknowledgement of the work I'm doing from the upper muckety mucks. Check out this photo of a group of 5th graders accepting the 2015 Best School Garden Award downtown just a few weeks ago. Note the City Council and Farm to School peeps in attendance:

I am lucky to have a great family and a wonderful group of friends. Whether it's by inviting me out for dinner at a fun new spot in town, being a part of my crazy cooking adventures, patiently listening to an account of the latest failed attempt at romance -- Darn that cute vegan! I deserve better! I'm going to go make a batch of icecream! -- or brewing an experimental persimmon beer together on a chilly Sunday afternoon, you remind me that I am loved and valued.

What's that? Oh, there'll be a post on the beer soon, but meanwhile, here's a little preview of stage 1:

There are lots of other things for which I am grateful, of course -- a fantastic apartment and landlady, my health (arthritis notwithstanding), the ability to support myself, a well-stamped passport, my public library card, my steadfast Ollie, and many more things I meditate on from time to time. Sometimes I get caught up in what's wrong with my life, the world, people's parallel parking skills, etc. Who doesn't, right? But today,and most days, I am thankful for the things, big and small, that make my life joyful. In the immortal words of Phibby Williams, "At this moment, I am happy."