Happy Thanksgiving!

Lola Bunny · 11-21-2012, 06:16 PM

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!! GOBBLE GOBBLE

orthodoc · 11-21-2012, 06:21 PM

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Enjoy your turkey/tofurkey/venison/ham/stuffed squash/Subway sandwich ... any and all!

For those brave souls who venture out on Black Friday, happy hunting ...

Griff · 11-21-2012, 08:28 PM

Have a great one guys!

xoxoxoBruce · 11-21-2012, 08:36 PM

If anyone is having trouble thinking of something to be thankful for, I'll be home in my cave, which means...
Be thankful I'm not screwing up the traffic on your journey with the Green-Bean casserole.
Be thankful my elbows aren't on your table.
Be thankful I'm not drinking your booze.

busterb · 11-21-2012, 08:45 PM

And Bruce, I'll be happy that I'm alive, but almost out of Jose.

xoxoxoBruce · 11-21-2012, 08:47 PM

Jose? You have a pool boy?

Griff · 11-21-2012, 08:53 PM

Too bad you guys won't all have your elbows on my table,.. we need a cellar virtual table.

Trilby · 11-22-2012, 06:20 AM

too bad you're so far away bruce. You and I could party till my kids get here-which won't be until four or five. No family gathering at mom's this year as her health is so bad; even with help it's too much work for her and her house is the only one big enough for the whole family. We're each doing our own thing and then each of us taking a desert to her house to share with her and dad. Last year we went to a restaurant-and we HATED it-it's just not the same as home.

infinite monkey · 11-22-2012, 06:56 AM

Speaking of which...i better get crackin' on the green bean casserole. Oh yeah, it's the easiest side dish on earth and takes minutes (which i suspect is why i am in charge of it.) Going to brother's house.

Have a lovely day everyone!

Chocolatl · 11-22-2012, 07:12 AM

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! I wanted to share this story with y'all because thinking about it really put me in the "counting my blessings" mood this morning.

Last year I participated in a charity event where my group of student volunteers went Christmas shopping for foster kids at a group home, with money donated by a local rotary club. As the sponsor, I prepared index cards that had the name, age, interests, and a budget for each foster child. My volunteers drew cards at random and then off we went to Walmart on a day after school. While my students were shopping, I bought gift wrap with our club funds and snacks with my own money. The volunteers were putting so much thought and effort into shopping that many surpassed their 30 minute time limit and I eventually had to announce over the PA system that they'd better be at the cash register in five minutes or so help them.

Once we got back to school, I put on some Christmas music and we set out to wrap everything we'd bought -- what would eventually be two carloads. Now to the first part that made me realize how lucky I am: a lot of my students had no idea how to wrap a gift because they'd never given one before. How was it possible that juniors and seniors in high school had never given gifts? Some never had the money; others didn't have anyone to give gifts to. As time passes, I find myself feeling luckier and luckier about the opportunity to give. As a kid, I used to pick my prized stuffed animals to give as gifts (only to reclaim them a few days later). While I didn't understand the mechanics of gift giving, I did understand the inherent joy of giving someone you love something that you think will make them happy.

The second part that made this event so memorable was the actual delivery of the gifts. We attended the Christmas party at the home: my volunteers made gingerbread men with the kids, we had lunch, and then Santa appeared to dole out the gifts his elves had brought earlier in the day. Those kids were so grateful for each and every item. The budget for each child had been $35 at most, so most of the gifts were very simple, usually a toy and a shirt for each one. While some kids might think a shoddily wrapped basketball was garbage, I saw these kids rocketing outside to play with the new treasure. One of the foster kids was a middle school aged girl with special needs. The student volunteer who had drawn her card had remembered she liked Justin Bieber, and got her a poster, a notebook, and the latest CD. The look on her face when she opened each gift was one I'll never forget -- it was as if all the birthdays and Christmases in the world had all come at once. But even more memorable? Seeing my student -- a scrappy Hispanic kid who didn't know how to wrap gifts -- lean over to his friends and whisper with tears in his eyes, "That's the girl I shopped for! She likes it!"

infinite monkey · 11-22-2012, 07:15 AM

Oh my...brought tears to my eyes.

YOU are a special person. Thanks for a lovely story.

Griff · 11-22-2012, 07:44 AM

Jeez Choc, that'll start the waterworks.

jimhelm · 11-22-2012, 07:45 AM

Happy Thanksgiving, friends!

infinite monkey · 11-22-2012, 07:53 AM

I was just thinking about you jim.

Really, thinking about cellar folks and wondered how you're doing. Have a great day!

Lamplighter · 11-22-2012, 07:55 AM

Choc, Thank You... that was nice.

11-21-2012, 06:16 PM	#1
Lola Bunny Junior Master Dwellar Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 2,728	Happy Thanksgiving! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!! GOBBLE GOBBLE

11-21-2012, 06:21 PM	#2
orthodoc Not Suspicious, Merely Canadian Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 3,774	Happy Thanksgiving to all! Enjoy your turkey/tofurkey/venison/ham/stuffed squash/Subway sandwich ... any and all! For those brave souls who venture out on Black Friday, happy hunting ... __________________ The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. - Ghandi

11-21-2012, 08:28 PM	#3
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	Have a great one guys! __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

11-21-2012, 08:36 PM	#4
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	If anyone is having trouble thinking of something to be thankful for, I'll be home in my cave, which means... Be thankful I'm not screwing up the traffic on your journey with the Green-Bean casserole. Be thankful my elbows aren't on your table. Be thankful I'm not drinking your booze. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

11-21-2012, 08:45 PM	#5
busterb NSABFD Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: MS. usa Posts: 3,908	And Bruce, I'll be happy that I'm alive, but almost out of Jose. __________________ I've haven't left very deep footprints in the sands of time. But, boy I've left a bunch.

11-21-2012, 08:47 PM	#6
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Jose? You have a pool boy? __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

11-21-2012, 08:53 PM	#7
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	Too bad you guys won't all have your elbows on my table,.. we need a cellar virtual table. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

11-22-2012, 06:20 AM	#8
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	too bad you're so far away bruce. You and I could party till my kids get here-which won't be until four or five. No family gathering at mom's this year as her health is so bad; even with help it's too much work for her and her house is the only one big enough for the whole family. We're each doing our own thing and then each of us taking a desert to her house to share with her and dad. Last year we went to a restaurant-and we HATED it-it's just not the same as home. __________________ In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum

11-22-2012, 06:56 AM	#9
infinite monkey Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 13,002	Speaking of which...i better get crackin' on the green bean casserole. Oh yeah, it's the easiest side dish on earth and takes minutes (which i suspect is why i am in charge of it.) Going to brother's house. Have a lovely day everyone!

11-22-2012, 07:12 AM	#10
Chocolatl Glutton for Gluttony Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 1,409	Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! I wanted to share this story with y'all because thinking about it really put me in the "counting my blessings" mood this morning. Last year I participated in a charity event where my group of student volunteers went Christmas shopping for foster kids at a group home, with money donated by a local rotary club. As the sponsor, I prepared index cards that had the name, age, interests, and a budget for each foster child. My volunteers drew cards at random and then off we went to Walmart on a day after school. While my students were shopping, I bought gift wrap with our club funds and snacks with my own money. The volunteers were putting so much thought and effort into shopping that many surpassed their 30 minute time limit and I eventually had to announce over the PA system that they'd better be at the cash register in five minutes or so help them. Once we got back to school, I put on some Christmas music and we set out to wrap everything we'd bought -- what would eventually be two carloads. Now to the first part that made me realize how lucky I am: a lot of my students had no idea how to wrap a gift because they'd never given one before. How was it possible that juniors and seniors in high school had never given gifts? Some never had the money; others didn't have anyone to give gifts to. As time passes, I find myself feeling luckier and luckier about the opportunity to give. As a kid, I used to pick my prized stuffed animals to give as gifts (only to reclaim them a few days later). While I didn't understand the mechanics of gift giving, I did understand the inherent joy of giving someone you love something that you think will make them happy. The second part that made this event so memorable was the actual delivery of the gifts. We attended the Christmas party at the home: my volunteers made gingerbread men with the kids, we had lunch, and then Santa appeared to dole out the gifts his elves had brought earlier in the day. Those kids were so grateful for each and every item. The budget for each child had been $35 at most, so most of the gifts were very simple, usually a toy and a shirt for each one. While some kids might think a shoddily wrapped basketball was garbage, I saw these kids rocketing outside to play with the new treasure. One of the foster kids was a middle school aged girl with special needs. The student volunteer who had drawn her card had remembered she liked Justin Bieber, and got her a poster, a notebook, and the latest CD. The look on her face when she opened each gift was one I'll never forget -- it was as if all the birthdays and Christmases in the world had all come at once. But even more memorable? Seeing my student -- a scrappy Hispanic kid who didn't know how to wrap gifts -- lean over to his friends and whisper with tears in his eyes, "That's the girl I shopped for! She likes it!"

11-22-2012, 07:15 AM	#11
infinite monkey Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 13,002	Oh my...brought tears to my eyes. YOU are a special person. Thanks for a lovely story.

11-22-2012, 07:44 AM	#12
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	Jeez Choc, that'll start the waterworks. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

11-22-2012, 07:45 AM	#13
jimhelm a beautiful fool Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: 39.939705 Posts: 4,504	Happy Thanksgiving, friends! __________________ There's a Shadow just behind me. Shrouding every step I take. Making every promise empty, pointing every finger at me. _tool

11-22-2012, 07:53 AM	#14
infinite monkey Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 13,002	I was just thinking about you jim. Really, thinking about cellar folks and wondered how you're doing. Have a great day!

11-22-2012, 07:55 AM	#15
Lamplighter Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Bottom lands of the Missoula floods Posts: 6,402	Choc, Thank You... that was nice.

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