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Although Thanksgiving is supposed to be about giving thanks for all of our blessings, to many people that takes a back seat to the gorging most of us do. Food, football, and naps highlight the day.
I’m not saying that’s a bad way to celebrate our bounty with family and friends, that’s not going to be the theme of my holiday this year.
I plan a simple day and I intend to focus on those things for which I am really grateful.
A Quiet Thanksgiving Holiday
As it turns out, I’ll be in Florida at my mom’s house this Thanksgiving and I’m grateful that I’m able to share this time with her. Her neighbor is smoking her a turkey and I’ll try my hand at making the sides. It will be a quiet day. Then I drive over to Orlando for an early flight back home.
For those of you who don’t know, I made my way to California after I graduated from college and I’ve built a life here. Lately, with her health declining, I’ve had to fly back home three times this year because I am her power of attorney for financial and health care decisions.
Twice for medical issues, once for a major sewage problem at her house. These trips were in addition to when Kim and I were there in March doing my tour, “Patrick Smith’s Florida Is A Land Remembered.”
Over a week ago, I flew cross-country again to see my mom because I was so concerned about her declining health.
Good News!
I’m happy to report she seems to have bounced back somewhat. We’re still arranging a couple of doctor visits with specialists but I think she was fighting an infection and has responded well to the antibiotic she was prescribed. She seems so relieved to have me here, so I’ll take a little credit for that. Her full-time caretakers do an excellent job but there’s nothing like family.
This unexpected trip also allowed me to take care of some big financial tasks, do a lot of chores, make sure she has alert systems in place for potential falls, have some good conversations with her, and spend time with my sister and nephew who are having some challenges at the moment. For that, I am thankful as well.
And now I get to make her Thanksgiving dinner and we’ll hopefully eat it on her special china, like the old days.
I feel guilty flying home the day after Thanksgiving but I have things I need to do at home. Christmas is only weeks away, we have a lot of great deals we want to offer you for the holidays.
I’ll be back again as soon as I’m needed.
With this latest trip, I learned that I can get a call from Florida at 7:30 a.m. PST and be on my way in less than two hours to catch a plane and be in Florida the same day. So I’m thankful that through doing all this travel, from the tours to mom visits, I’ve learned how to pack light. (I love my new eBags TLS Mother Lode Weekender Carry-On Travel Backpack. If luggage is on your Christmas list, I highly recommend it. Kim has one too and it’s all we are taking on a two-week trip to Asia next year.)
Upcoming A Land Remembered Tour
At this time I have 28 confirmed shows just in March and early April and that’s going to be grueling. That’s nearly a show (or two) a day for a month. I’ve done a lot to make myself ready for that.
I hope you may be able to attend one of my shows. You can see the tour schedule here. Just click the calendar to March to see where I’ll be.
A Special Thank You This Thanksgiving
I am also grateful and humbled beyond words that I’ve been able to become so involved in continuing my father’s legacy with these tours. His best-known novel, A Land Remembered, just keeps growing in popularity 38 years after it was first published. That is amazing for any novel. They should just go ahead and make it the official book of Florida, hand it out to everyone who crosses the Florida state line (and charge them for it).
This leads me to another thing I’m grateful for.
You.
Thank you for following my posts on Facebook and for staying on my mailing list. It truly gives me the motivation I need to keep spreading the word about A Land Remembered and Dad’s other books through my tours and various websites.
I hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving and Holiday Season. And I hope to see you in a couple of months at one of my shows!
What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving? Please share in the comments below.
Always great to hear from you, Rick, and especially to get details which we Florida fans NEARLY invariably find fascinating. All Best and Feliz “ThanksLiving” to all ya’ll.
I’m thankful for your father’s continuing legacy and for you and Kim as you take on the wearying task of spreading the word that Florida does, indeed, have a history. Some of our “snowbirds” don’t know this. I hope that your mother will continue to improve. Caring for a loved one from afar is difficult and I know she is so glad to have you at Thanksgiving. Have a great visit and a successful tour this year. Maybe I’ll catch up with you. Thanks again, Susan