Thanks Birchy. Sincerely appreciated.
Our own Thanksgiving was quieter than usual, and we managed to ride out the ebb and flow of our family's busy lives. The last breath of autumn is upon us, the hardwoods are changing and skeins of geese noisily making their own plans for winter. Two young g-sons were dropped off for an overnighter fresh from a hard fun day at the Fall Fair. They weren't quite worn out yet so they burned off the last of their youthful energy while I wished for some of my own puttering in the backyard. And a family dog we're minding for the month joined in the ruckus. Laughing and yapping, bawling and barking, I could never be sure who was what and which was whom. No worries. Dinner, bath time, bedtime stories and it was Zzzzzz for all of us. At the end of this up and down weekend my wife and I escaped for a pedal down a quiet path to a lovely bench overlooking some quiet water. Two young teens loped up and cast lines, their ripples making the reeds dance. She had made some soup at home with the last of the pumpkin and I had filled a Thermos with it. Hot, spicy and welcoming. The earth tilted and the sun slanted, and we got that funny feeling you experience this time of year when shadows deepen on even the sunniest days telling you summer is over. Packing up the pannier and pulling on our toques we felt thankful for the sun and the warmth, the wind and the cold, the family and the fun, and the peace and the quiet. And on the ride home my wife said to me "Brad, do you know what I could really go for right about now?! Roast turkey with gravy and all the trimmings!!" Wow. We had forgotten to take the bird out of the freezer. I told her not to worry, there's always Christmas.
Hope Columbus Day weekend was good to you all too.