Happy Thanksgiving

I know I'm a day early, and I realize there are folks in other countries who don't celebrate the same day, but I'd like to take the opportunity to express my thanks and gratitude. 

I'm thankful for my family - all of them. For those who have gone ahead of us, for my husband, my children, sisters, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins that we've spent so many holidays with. For friends both past and present who have helped shape the person I am. 

I am thankful for those readers who buy my books and support this author's vision and dreams. I'm thankful for readers who recommend my books to their friends. I'm thankful to my father, who with every book of mine he read would always say "this is your best one yet." I am thankful for a second cousin, who recently sent me notes my grandmother wrote when she was a young woman, who reinforced that I came by my ability to write honestly, for the reminder of the book my uncle on the other side of the family wrote in his own endeavor to "be an author." 

In a world that seems to be coming apart at the seams, I am grateful for the opportunities I've had and the life I've been given, even the darkest hours that make me appreciate the many blessings I have.

So, while the actual date of the holidays may no longer find me surrounded by family, I am thankful that we can find alternate days to gather, giving the people I love opportunities to share the bright light of their presence with their "other" families. 

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving, and a wondrous holiday season!

Happy Thanksgiving, Sweetheart

Today, I'd like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. Today is a time to set aside everything else, all the insecurities and unhappiness and look at the plus side, the silver lining.

I am thankful for my family.

• My parents, who have been blessed with long life.
• My husband, who regularly "shows" his love through all the little things he does, in addition to "telling" me.
• My children, who I am so darned proud of each and every day.
• My grandchildren.
• Sisters and nieces and nephews and cousins and all the extended family who mean so much to me.
• And let's not forget pets ...

I am thankful for friends, especially new/old friendships that have included me or have "come around again" 

I am thankful for excellent critique partners, who make my writing better.

I am thankful for my faith, which has gotten me through more difficult times than I'd care to admit. 

I am thankful for the job I often complain about, for the house that I live in, for the food on my table.

I am thankful for fans who love my books!

As I spend the next couple of days making the rounds, I wish for all of you the gift of "seeing" your blessings and remembering those who you hold dear.

Sharing my husband's favorite Thanksgiving dish with you today - Sweetheart Salad

2 cups crushed pineapple                        
2 tbsps lemon juice

½ cup sugar                                             
2 tbsps maraschino cherry juice

1 ½ tbsps unflavored gelatin                   
¼ cup water                                             
2 packages cream cheese

12 marachino cherries

½ pint whipping cream

Heat pineapple with sugar.  Soften gelatin in ¼ cup cold water; stir into pineapple mixture.  Add lemon and cherry juices.  Cool.  Mash cream cheese;  add cherries which have been cut fine; mix with pineapple, adding a small amount of pineapple mixture to cheese at a time.  Chill until slightly thickened.  Whip cream and blend with pineapple mixture.  Mold and set.  Makes 12 small servings.

As an alternative, you can substitute the whipping cream by omitting the sugar and using 2 cups of cool whip.