On Facebook in November, I see gratitude posts, and I’m always interested in what people are thankful for. I always intend to do the gratitude journey as well, but I don’t. If I’m truthful, I don’t stay with it long enough to do it for 30 days. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m not a deep person or if my attention which is very gnat-like keeps me moving from thing to thing. However, I am very grateful for many things. Salvation? Of course…it is why and how we now breathe so it’s the basis of all gratitude.

But tonight it is almost midnight, and I’ve been thinking of a few of the “daily” things I’m thankful for. This morning, I did a quick trip to Pal’s to pick up tea and biscuits for myself and two others I work with. I went to pay for my purchases, and they were paid for by the person ahead of me. How nice!

The traffic on the Volunteer Parkway was heavy, and I realized it wasn’t something to be annoyed by, it was something to be thankful for, because the good doctors, nurses, dentists and support staff were busy with a RAM at the Speedway. I pray that those people in those cars are in better shape tonight or following this weekend because of RAM.

Adventure Mendota opens tomorrow, and I have friends and family who are more worried about it than me. I have a sense of peace that people will come. If not tomorrow, they’ll come during the summer. Marci Gore wrote me a note tonight that there was a surprise waiting when I open the Kingsport Times News tomorrow. I’m so grateful for Marci and others who are as enthusiastic about Adventure Mendota as Mike and me. Can we be the first tiny step in revitalizing Mendota? Why not? Optimism! Another thing to be thankful for!!

On a lighter note, this little stinker is something I’m grateful for although he took me for a nice chase this evening. I realized this little guy is my weight loss plan for 2015.

Me: “River…you come here. Don’t you dare take off. I mean it!”

Me: “Pleeeezee…River.” Does he even know his name?

Oh and run we did. He looked over his shoulder and shot off down the road with me chasing him. I’d get relatively close and he’d take back off. Finally, our neighbors at the little cabin up the road stopped and I asked them to help me. Nosy, happy, friendly River had to run up to them and say hello, and they grabbed his collar. Snagged!!

In the coming weeks, we have to figure a way to keep River in his “tiny” six acre lawn. It’s fenced but he can crawl under. At one time there was an electric fence that ran underneath the wood fence which was put there to keep doggies in. I’m not sure if that can be made to work again, but there are other similar ways to keep doggies from running a little too freely. We’ll give him lots of river time, lots of love, and lots of places to run as well as plenty of leash walks, but he cannot take off like he’s trying to do now.

But I’m still grateful for him. Oh my goodness, though, he is farting up a storm as I close out this post. Yikes…something has crawled up River and died!!