Well . . .more like a weekend of thanks!

There's nothing like a four-day weekend to knock you off the treadmill of busy-ness! The weekend started off with a fabulous Thanksgiving Day Mass, sponsored by the teen youth group of my parish. I'm happy to say that everyone pulled off their duties swimmingly and the Mass progressed as it should. Then, Deb and I prepared the turkey for our dinner at her family's house. A generous application of olive oil, fresh basil and tarragon, garlic powder, paprika, and fresh rosemary to tie it all together, plus some heat and--voila--a beautiful thanksgiving feast!

Deb and I enjoyed the rest of the day with her family, and we returned to some very thankful dogs! :) After a good night's rest, we took advantage of some unseasonably warm weather and cleaned out our garage, organizing and sorting what we were keeping so that we could actually fit one of our cars in it! Not quite exhausted, we then started sorting through boxes that still formed a wall in our bedroom, either bringing out their contents into the house or carrying them to the attic for long-term storage.

   In the evening, we braved the mall on Black Friday to see 2012. I had heard a great deal both positive and negative about the movie, but I'm happy to say that Deb and I both found it to be an enjoyable "big effects" romp. After it was over, I couldn't help but think that the voyage of the 7 human Arks would make a great Battlestar Galactica type TV series--especially if the writers included the fact that alien invaders caused the solar flares that created the destructive havoc as a prelude to invasion!!!

   On Saturday, Deb and I deep-cleaned the first floor of the townhome and then relaxed for the day. We spent a wonderful evening with our friends David and April, enjoying the bounteous and delicious snacks of Trader Joe's. Finally, Deb and I (along with Archbishop Francis Cardinal George, 6 concelebrating priests, and a host of parishioners) celebrated the beginning of Advent and the 50th Anniversary of our parish (Queen of the Rosary). Afterwards, we went to a brunch for the Cardinal, and then returned home for a much-needed nap! :)

We spent the rest of the evening relaxing and even watched the new version of The Taking of Pelham 123 without too much doggie interruption!

Overall, it was a phenomenal weekend. We got a lot accomplished, and I managed to spend more time with Debbie that I had been able to in weeks! So, without further ado, here's a list (in no particular order) of what I'm thankful for:

God
The Gift of Salvation in Jesus Christ
The Church
Debbie
My family
Literature
Freedom
Shelter
Health
The Human Imagination
My Dogs
Frosty Winter Mornings with the Sun Shining Bright
My Friends
The Parishioners of Queen of the Rosary Parish
Movies
Advent

I hope that you all had a blessed and grace-filled Thanksgiving!