Happy Thanksgiving!
🐇
Today I am thankful for this man, and for others who jumped in. Their actions saved a lot of people.
Wow pic.twitter.com/83FWrLVcQK
— Acyn (@Acyn) November 22, 2022
I am thankful for the new life we gave to van Helsig with our donations to Walter’s Fund. This is part of his therapy!
I am thankful for John Cole, for being himself, a guy who buys a house without ever seeing the inside, finds an abandoned dog who is barely clinging to life, and happens to have created an amazing community, all of whom instantly love him, and one of whom takes him in and gives him a happy new life.
And I am thankful for all of you, especially for everything we were all able to do this year to help shore up our democracy. (That includes the lurkers, and I surely owe you guys a lurker’s post, which I will remedy soon.)
Kristine
I am thankful for this place. I get so much background related to various news stories. Also pet pics and rescue tales. Postcard camaraderie. ❤️Walter.
and WaterGirl, you rock. Completely and totally.
eclare
What are you doing for Thanksgiving, WaterGirl?
WaterGirl
@eclare: I have a friend coming over later today.
Old School
Happy Thanksgiving!
Crimson Pimpernel
Even though we didn’t accomplish all we hoped to, I thank you, WaterGirl, for opening up involvement in the “Join the Fight” effort. It was great meeting everyone and learning more about effective use of social media.
Raoul Paste
WG, you have a heart of gold
Layer8Problem
I am thankful for the approximately fourteen hours of peace and quiet left here in Eastern Standard Land before every establishment I walk into lards the air with the traditional Annual Mandated Commercial Holiday fare of “All I Want for Christmas is You” and “Wonderful Christmas Time”.
Poe Larity
I’m grateful I only had to walk 12 blocks in the rain to find a latte this morning because running the conical burr grinder would have woken the clan.
Now that the universe is semi-normal I’m grateful for everyone, but I still won’t vote for Baud.
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
I am thankful for this blog and the good people here who I’ve had the pleasure and privilege to talk to and get to know. Lots of great insights on the news and the real issues that affect all of us, unlike much of the MSM.
It’s amazing, as evidenced by the midterm itself, and your fundraising review post from the other day WG, what we’ve been able to accomplish together. I firmly believe that our targeted fundraising efforts with Four Directions, Work Power, etc as well as postcard writing made a decisive difference in close elections in states like Arizona, Georgia, Wisconsin, etc. Close House races, too. All of the competitive Ohio House seats were won by Dems, too.
I’m grateful as well for my family and having today off from work
I wish everyone and their families a Happy Thanksgiving
Chief Oshkosh
I am thankful for my wife. :)
And and the rest of my family.
And Cole and the front-pagers. And the commentators. All but one, anyway…
You know who you are…
And what you did…
Last summer…
Spanky
It may be heresy around here, but I’m thankful for pants. Particularly the fleece-lined variety that are now derigueur around here now that the seasons have turned.
Also for this blog that John Cole had the wisdom to open up to a great group of frontpagers.
Amir Khalid
I’m grateful that Malaysia’s first hung Parliament was resolved in less than a week, and we have a government again.
RandomMonster
@Layer8Problem: Then there’s the Little Drummer Boy Challenge: https://littledrummerboychallenge.com
mrmoshpotato
@Spanky: Forty-six degrees in Chicago right now. (Insane!)
But hooray for fleece-lined jeans in colder temps.
mrmoshpotato
@Amir Khalid: Well-hung?
cope
We bid our daughter and her hubby and kids and a friend acting as a driver a sad farewell as they left Central Florida for Vermont yesterday afternoon so today will not be particularly festive for us. An F-150 pulling a 12 foot U Haul trailer, a 26 foot U Haul moving truck and their new (used) 1995 Winnebago Itasca rolled down the street and turned the corner about 2 PM yesterday.
They and their three big dogs and three cats and gerbils came on Monday after closing on their house so we had what we called a Thanksgivingish Meal. My wife made Sweet Potato Casserole, Green Bean Casserole and Ina Garten’s Leek and Mushroom Bread Pudding. I grilled steaks and chicken and those leftovers will feed my wife and me today as well.
My wife and I and I hope to leave this increasingly nasty part of the country (sorry, Betty) as well for Colorado in the next several weeks. We are going to be close to all my brothers and sisters and their families out there and are anxious to leave. We close on a house out there on 12/15 and have our current home under contract so things are in place for this to happen. Just waiting to hear from our homeowner’s insurance company about replacing our roof which we have to do with or without their assistance.
So I guess my gratitude is for the fact that though our family may be headed in different directions, we are all going where we want to be.
mrmoshpotato
I’m thankful for all of you, and this place, and my happy, healthy family.
Ceci n est pas mon nym
Going over to visit younger daughter and family shortly. Older daughter has rarely participated in Turkey Day festivities and we thought she was pushing us away for reasons we couldn’t even guess. But we had a really wonderful visit with her and her husband over the weekend and learned that she just really hates large gatherings, even with family.
We had a really open conversation about extreme introversion. I said to her, “you know, I don’t like having to make conversation either. In those gatherings I just like to sit quietly in a corner and enjoy everybody else’s conversation.”
She looked at me and replied, “Dad, you’re a guy. Nobody is going to let me do that.”
Layer8Problem
@RandomMonster: I like the cut of their jib.
Albatrossity
And we are thankful for you, WG, and all that you do to keep this community alive and well!
Happy Turkey Day, everyone!
WaterGirl
@Amir Khalid: Oh, yay! That had to be unsettling, glad it’s over.
eclare
@cope: Congratulations on the new house! Here’s hoping for good weather for your move.
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@Amir Khalid:
Yay! I’m reading that Anwar has been appointed prime minister but his coalition has not won the 118 seats needed to form a government. What happens next?
Very close elections have been a theme around the world this year, hasn’t it?
steppy
I join with all of you who are thankful for having this little community and all the people checking in with each other through the aether. I may never make it to being a Valued Commenter, but I utterly value every one of you. Enjoy today.
Layer8Problem
I’m considering starting a movement to switch the holiday name to Türkiye Day, but I feel that I might be muscling in on the Møøse people’s shtick.
cope
@eclare: Thanks, it certainly isn’t the best time of year to be driving cross country. When we go, my wife will fly and I will drive the car and dog, probably with one of my brothers coming out to spell my old bones at the wheel. “Our last great adventure” as my wife calls it.
Nicole
This is a beautiful post, WaterGirl; thank you for it.
Have a lovely day, Balloon-juice community, whatever you may be doing.
@Ceci n est pas mon nym: Your daughter is very insightful. It’s true we introverts of the not-male persuasion are often not given the same space to be loners that men are. It’s wonderful you took the time to really listen to her. Good job, Dad.
la caterina
I’m thankful for this place and especially you, Watergirl! You’ve steered our efforts to save democracy. With lots of fun along the way!
I’m thankful hubby and I are excused from visiting his family today, but sorry for the reason- my niece has Covid. She’s young, healthy and vaxxed so hopefully she will fight it off easily. I’ll make some beef stew and we’ll have a quiet day with a foray to feed the cat colony later.
jackmac
checking in from Palm Springs, California where we are joining a family reunion / dinner today. The sight of palm trees and mountains is surreal for this Chicago guy. Anyway, Happy Turkey Day Water Girl. Thanks for all you do!
japa21
In addition to what I mentioned earlier, I am thankful for the wonderful home we have lived in for better than 38 years. This is the last Thanksgiving here as we finally sold it and move into a new place at year’s end. Will miss so much, but as Mrs. Japa says, we are just starting on another leg of our journey together. I am specially thankful she has stuck with me all these years. She could have done so much better.
Amir Khalid
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):
His Majesty the Agong suggested a unity government with Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan, Barisan Nasional, and GPS, a collective of Sarawakian parties; and they all agreed. That will give Anwar’s lot a majority in Parliament that they can govern with.
Josie
I’m grateful for my family, for this community, for the lovely man who created it, and for WaterGirl, the untiring wrangler who pushes us to always do better. I told my son the blog is like sitting around the table with some really smart, entertaining people who have many of the same interests as I do. Thanks for the internet that makes such a gathering possible.
eclare
@japa21: Wow lots of people here are moving! Congratulations!
kalakal
I am thankful for my family & friends, for all of you here and for my life. It’s not all been wine & roses but I have really been so lucky
Here’s a group photo
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap221123.html
Miss Bianca
@cope: Where in CO? (she asked from the central mountains)
You, Major^4, others…we should do a state-wide meet-up sometime! (maybe somewhere on the Divide!)
Me, I’m grateful to be indoors on a cold snowy day, with a fire going in the woodstove, a dog snoozing gently by my side, Pal D playing video games at his desk, plenty of food for plenty of cooking and eating later, and freshly-bottled mead to wash it all down with. And all y’all of course, also, too.
cope
@Miss Bianca: Grand Junction.
WaterGirl
My friend is making the turkey and I am doing the rest. Just made the cranberry relish, and the cinnamon apples have just gone in the oven.
Next up, breakfast! Then i just have the green beans, the stuffing, and the pumpkin pie to make.
Miss Bianca
@cope: Oh, the Western Slope. Sigh. Still miss it. Hoping to move back out that way someday.
la caterina
@WaterGirl: Cinnamon apples! Do you add any sugar, or just butter and cinnamon?
Nelle
Last year, my 74 year old sister said, “I can’t do this anymore.” Then, my son and DIL stepped in and turned it into a party in her kitchen and she revived. This year, we’re all at his house (a six hour drive for my sister and her daughter and her family). I’m grateful for an observant son who knows it is the next generation’s time to step up (her kids are in their 40’s and 50’s). All the college age kids are too sick and no one wants to expose the olds.
Thank you all for your comments and energy in working for the good on this site. I want to particularly mention Anne Laurie, especially for the Covid posts and how that enabled me early and still to inform family and friends. With science too! And to Adam Silverman for the nightly updates on the land where my father was born and spent his childhood. In both cases, neither knew they were in for such a long haul.
frosty
Thankful:
– For finding Balloon Juice and the jackaltariat.
– For two adopted sons who have grown up to be fine young men. One launched and the other working toward a career that really suits him.
– For a wife who’s stuck with me for >40 years!
– And finally, the one I gave as Cubmaster at our November pack meetings…
I’m thankful for hot showers in the morning. Most of the world doesn’t have one. Louis XIV, King and richest man in France didn’t have one!
(and now thanks to the rascists much of Ukraine is doing without too)
WaterGirl
@la caterina: It’s apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, fresh-squeezed lemon, and butter.
I started with a recipe from somewhere:
But I didn’t want it too goopy, so I left out the cornstarch. I also left out the white sugar. I doubled the apples. I use dark brown sugar not light brown, less cinnamon and less butter. They tell you to cook the shit out of the apples until they are carmelized and mushy, but I like mine crispy.
So here’s my version:
BenCisco 🇺🇸🎖️🖥️♦️
I am grateful for this blog and for the Jackalteriat. I’m home today, unable to travel, but glad to be here. I have some food and a cabinet full of Penzeys, so things should get interesting.
Have fun
Lady WereBear
Grateful to be here with so many. Some of whom I’ve known since Schiavo. When the web wind blew weird words…
Of a Republican who had escaped from the Borg.
Lady WereBear
Are you wearing sunglasses?
Lady WereBear
@Layer8Problem: Presenting me with the Solomonic dilemma of which one is worse.
Josie
@BenCisco 🇺🇸🎖️🖥️♦️: Just curious. What is your favorite Penzey’s mix. I love their sweet curry.
Layer8Problem
@frosty: This always bears repeating:
#ThingsToGiveThanksFor
Layer8Problem
@Lady WereBear: Whenever you’re in the presence of either one of those, it’s that particular one. It’s kind of like the Uncertainty Principle.
eclare
@WaterGirl: The apples look wonderful!
CaseyL
I am thankful for this place, its delightfully idiosyncratic Blog Daddy, the terrific frontpagers he has invited in over the years, and the community we’ve created with together. Balloon Juice has helped keep me sane through some very hard times (politically and personally) to the point where this is my first online stop every day.
I am thankful for my friends and family, who are my anchor points in a turbulent life.
Thankful for my current job, where my workplace is collegial and ethical, my coworkers truly wonderful, and the faculty/doctors committed to public service.
Happy Thanksgiving!
UncleEbeneezer
Today I am thankful for:
• The Covid vaccines currently protecting my infected in-laws
• The numerous doctors that I’ve seen in recent days for routine check-ups who keep me safe based on science-based, factual expertise
• The warm, sunny weather of SoCal
• The Mayans who left all these amazing pyramids and the Mexican culture, food etc., that we can’t wait to explore in January
• My wife and cats
• This community and all the great organizers, activists, feminists, anti-racists etc., who fight to make the world a better place for everyone
• The Bidens, Obamas, Pelosis, Clintons, Faucis, Garlands of the world who never stop doing the work despite being endlessly shit upon by even people on our sid
• All the wonderful musicians, artists, writers etc., who give us all the gift of beautiful, engaging, challenging art
Miss Bianca
@WaterGirl: I think I’m going to try a combo of those two apple recipes – 5 apples, rather than 10, f’rexample – to have as a side dish for the ham. Going to try a cranberry/pineapple combo for going atop the ham proper, don’t know how that’s going to work!
cope
@Miss Bianca: Well if we can make it back there after 35+ years of being away, anybody can.
eclare
@UncleEbeneezer: Very fine list.
I am thankful for many of those, and my new sweet pittie, adopted on Nov 16. She keeps wanting to play with one of my cats, doing the doggie play-bow thing. Cat will have none of it.
UncleEbeneezer
@eclare: Hopefully they get along :)
eclare
@UncleEbeneezer: The shelter recommended this dog as a good addition for a home with cats.
I have had cats and dogs, living together!, for years. Not always BFF’s, but they get along.
surfk9
I am thankful for Balloon Juice it has helped me keep my sanity for the last 15 years. I will be having 12 people for dinner including my two sons from San Diego also my grandkids. Also two very good friends from San Diego and their daughter. It should be fun.
WaterGirl
@Miss Bianca: Oh, I think the cinnamon apples would be outstanding with ham!
Jackie
I’m thankful for Balloon-Juice, my family, good health and President Biden at the helm!
BenCisco 🇺🇸🎖️🖥️♦️
@Lady WereBear: BWAHAAHAA!!
I LOVE me some Penzey’s, but I am still learning.
BenCisco 🇺🇸🎖️🖥️♦️
@Josie: Wow. So many :
Greek
Lemon Pepper
Cajun
Those top the list
Sister Golden Bear
Thankful to the Blog Father for creating this space and putting up with us, and also thankful for my fellow jackals. Both have helped me keep my sanity over the years.
mvr
I just want to chime in here with thanks directed your way, WaterGirl. You’ve been doing so much for this blog for quite some time and then recently you’ve even upped your game. Sincere thanks for all of that!
And I’ll add thanks to Cole for getting this place started and melding it into a real community for around 20 years now, and to everyone else who contributes their personalities to it.
raven
We’re especially thankful here in Athens to Cole and Water Girl for Walter’s fund.
FelonyGovt
I’m so thankful for you, WaterGirl, and for John Cole, and for our other wonderful front pagers. And for our knowledgeable and erudite commenters from all over the US and the world. This place is such a wonderful resource and community.
Also thankful for my now rather small family- my husband and daughter. We are having burgers (veggie burger for me) because daughter and I hate turkey, but we’re also having stuffing and pumpkin pie because why not?
James E Powell
Thankful for this blog & for all youse guys who know all kinds of stuff that I do not & share it freely. Special thanks for the front pagers who work hard to present interesting and informative posts every day.
J R in WV
@steppy:
Steppy, I’m thankful for you and everyone else who reads and (occasionally) comments here. And for the front-pagers with opinions and time to post. And Cole for being head-master. You are a Valued Commenter already !!!
Especially thankful to Watergirl who raised nearly a million bucks for worthy election work in close states who mostly went Democratic, also too..!!!
I’m proud to be last commenter so often, as I am often late to a set of threads, and comment often even if it is an old thread — even old threads deserve new comments…
Now I’m going to put on outdoor shoes and go see if the dogs ate the groceries I abandoned late last night beside the path up to the house from the parking spot… some cold cuts were in there.
MelissaM
Walter! Cole and Walter are the ones who learned me “summer teeth” – some are here, some are there!
Happy Thanksgiving, all! And may the assholes who leave pets like Walter behind find their turkey dry, their stuffing over salted, and drop their pie on the filthy floor before anyone has a chance to have any.
kmax
Happy Turkey Day to all.
We have a new reason to be thankful today.
Our dog is a 10yr old lab mix, about 95 pounds.
He injured a hind leg in the summer playing fetch. He hurt it worse in September. It was not healing and we were getting worried that he might have a poor future.
We had a follow-up appointment this week and it was good news, bad news.. while his hips are great and he has no arthritis, he does have a torn cruciate ligament and needs surgery soon.
A good outcome is expected for him, which means he will have a much better life in his elder years.
There are choices for surgery and we think Tightrope is the way to go.
Any juicers have experience with cruciate ligament repair in a large dog?
eclare
@kmax: Yes. My 80 pound dog had ligament surgery, but this was years ago, and I don’t remember having options. He had surgery and was 100% for the years he had left. I had also heard that if a dog injures one, he is more likely to injure the other. Never happened with Dante, I don’t know if people still say that.
David 🦃The Establishment🥧 Koch
I’m thankful the Detroit Lions🦁 are covering the point spread.
BretH
I am grateful for this lovely, wonderful, weird, calming, exasperating, altogether amazing place.
Asparagus Aspersions
I am so grateful for Balloon Juice and the wonderful community here. My days have begun with coffee and Balloon Juice for more than a decade. I’m a faithful reader of the comments, and I’m pretty sure I “know” some of you more than I know the people with whom I’ve shared an office for the past 4 years. So thanks to all of you for giving me a political home.
Other things I am grateful for (besides the biggies like family, health, and stable employment)
– the fact that I was able to re-start piano lessons this year, after a 30-year hiatus.
– telework. My god, my life is better now that I only do my two-hour round-trip office commute two to three times a week.
– losing myself in a good book. I spent about three straight weeks in October reading the Slow Horse series.
-soup weather. I loves me some soup.
I guess since this is a political blog, I should also say that I am grateful to have a place to go where I can revel every time a Democrat is victorious and gloat every time a Republican loses. I hope we all experience much schadenfreude in the years to come. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
kmax
@eclare: yes our vet wants this fixed asap before he injures the other leg
Josie
@BenCisco 🇺🇸🎖️🖥️♦️:
I agree on the Cajun and lemon pepper. Have not tried the Greek. I guess that is next.
Van Buren
@Josie: My younger son says that grilling chicken without Greek seasoning is a waste.
Can recc.
WaterGirl
@eclare:
They said that when Henry tore his ACL and had surgery. But I don’t let him on the bed anymore, very high for a little guy, and so far so good.
Beisbol Hooligan
Mostly full-time lurker here.
I’m thankful for my wife and that we managed to find each other so late in life.
For my son, and that we had him when we thought it was much too late for us to have children, especially since it happened completely naturally. We found out she was pregnant at our appointment with the doctor to consult on fertility treatments
For my cat, Gus, who is my little sweety.
For my church community, who keep me spiritually centered, and have helped keep me sane these past few years.
For having a decent president. Today Facebook showed me one of those reminders of a post from Thanksgiving 2016. It said, “Today’s grace almost became an Airing of Grievances. Luckily I controlled myself.” No fear of that happening today.
And I’m thankful for Ballon Juice and all that I learn from this wonderful group of commentators.
featheredsprite
“On this day, give thanks that you have lived to be reminded by Zelensky that some pugnacious individualism is magnificently resistant to suppression.”
George Will [!] WaPo today.
wonkie
I am thankful to the BJ community for existing. I’m mostly a lurker. I’ve been lurking since back when John was a Republican. There are so many aspects of this community to be thankful for! Special thanks to Watergirl who helped me find homes for some kittens.
zhena gogolia
I missed this entire thread today! I got stuck on the one above. Happy Thanksgiving, WaterGirl! Thanks for everything!
sherparick.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all. Especially John Cole & all the Front Pagers for keeping this menagerie together.
AJ of the Mustard Search and Rescue Team
Thankful for my health, sobriety, loved ones, fulfilling work.
Ty WG!
Ruckus
I’m thankful that I’m still here, still able to somewhat type, my lesdyxia is reasonably controlled and that computers have spellcheckers. I’m thankful that I’m still working towards 3/4 of a century (year and a half to go), and my health is reasonable. I just got off the phone with a cousin, almost 4 hr conversation about life, health and lack thereof.
This place has been a part of many of our lives for a longer time than we might think, or want to admit, we’ve had some good discussions, a lot of great front pagers, animals and get togethers and I’d like to add my thanks to John, WG, Anne Laurie, TaMara and everyone else who makes this a great place to discuss, cuss, ruminate, and just communicate. I’ve met a number of y’all and always enjoyed this place and all it represents.
I am thankful to be alive, I’d bet it’s far better than the alternative, and all the fellow travelers world wide that make life and humanity what it is/can be.
Quiltingfool
I’m very late to this thread (just got back from Kansas City, Thanksgiving with my dad), but I want to add my thanks to all the fine front-pagers and folks who comment! Such a great community!
I also want to thank WaterGirl for all the work she did on organizing the quilt donations for Ukraine! I simply could not have done it without her. I also am so thankful for all the generous people here who gave so much to help the people of Ukraine. They show us how precious democracy and freedom truly is and the sacrifices they are willing to make to have that freedom.
Blessings be upon you all!
Kayla Rudbek
I’m thankful for this community, and all y’all who supported me during my cancer treatment. Also for Mr. Rudbek and the sane Rudbek in-laws, and my sibling and his family. And for a new job that’s better suited to me!
Denali
Thank you, WaterGirl for all you do to make Balloon Juice a great place!
Thank you to our new Sheltie who has brought great happiness to our lives.
Thank you to all the commenters on Balloon Juice who bring their unique perspectives and experiences to us.
Thank you, John Cole, for putting up with us.