Thanksgiving Weekends

Sitting outside with the dogs on a 'crisp' fall afternoon.

Yellow and orange leaves that lay around the yard dance in little circles as the breeze that rushes through kissing my cheeks sings it's song of shorter days and cooler nights.

I feel very much alive surrounded by my wonderful fur kids who each come to me to give little wet kisses on my chin and rub themselves against my legs looking for a cuddle, sharing their love.  I smell the air which reminds me of pumpkin pies and childhood visions of being  buried in piles of dry brittle leaves.
I also feel that scratchy sore throat feeling of the onset of a cold.

*sigh*

I hate colds.  Was really hoping to avoid one.  I rarely get them.

As I sit here I think to myself, "that's okay this fresh air will do it wonders" when, Whomp! I am struck with an incredibly clear memory of a Thanksgiving weekend 37 years ago.

Grade 6 and Mr. Thompson standing over my desk telling me that he did not agree that I should be allowed to go camping as I was too sick with a cold to do anything but lay around cuddled under a blanket.  He was so believing of this that he wrote a note home to my mother.
Sorry Mr. Thompson but I had been looking forward to this weekend which consisted of just me and my Nana and Grandad in their little blue and white trailer.

It was my alone time with them and I was so excited to be going.
It was glorious.  So much so that my memories are so very vivid.

Camping amongst the falling leaves of yellows, oranges and reds and the cold crisp air very much like today.  Wearing a big woolly sweater and rubber boots as I played in the surrounding woods.  Sitting around the fire with sing songs.
A gather of my grandparents friends as we pot luck a turkey dinner. Picnic tables lined up in one long row covered in checkered plastic table coverings.  Blue melamine dishes.

Forgetting about my cold.

Feeling warm and loved and special.

I miss my grandparents deeply.
What I wouldn't give to be transported back to this time even for just 1 day.

I suppose I have been.
It is what I am most thankful for right now.

Thankful for the memories that I have been left with.  Memories that I hold close to my heart