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You are here: Home / Open Threads / I Am Thankful

I Am Thankful

by WaterGirl|  November 24, 20229:31 am| 88 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

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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.

Walter's Fund in Action! 1


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.)

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Previous Post: « Thursday World Cup Open Thread: Uruguay vs. South Korea / Portugal vs. Ghana / Brazil vs. Serbia
Next Post: Happy Thanksgiving Open Thread: The Fun, The Family, The Food »

Reader Interactions

88Comments

  1. 1.

    Kristine

    November 24, 2022 at 9:36 am

    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.

  2. 2.

    eclare

    November 24, 2022 at 9:38 am

    What are you doing for Thanksgiving, WaterGirl?

  3. 3.

    WaterGirl

    November 24, 2022 at 9:42 am

    @eclare: I have a friend coming over later today.

  4. 4.

    Old School

    November 24, 2022 at 9:44 am

    Happy Thanksgiving!

  5. 5.

    Crimson Pimpernel

    November 24, 2022 at 9:46 am

    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.

  6. 6.

    Raoul Paste

    November 24, 2022 at 9:50 am

    WG,  you have a heart of gold

  7. 7.

    Layer8Problem

    November 24, 2022 at 9:53 am

    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”.

  8. 8.

    Poe Larity

    November 24, 2022 at 9:55 am

    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.

  9. 9.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    November 24, 2022 at 9:58 am

    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

  10. 10.

    Chief Oshkosh

    November 24, 2022 at 10:00 am

    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…

  11. 11.

    Spanky

    November 24, 2022 at 10:00 am

    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.

  12. 12.

    Amir Khalid

    November 24, 2022 at 10:02 am

    I’m grateful that Malaysia’s first hung Parliament was resolved in less than a week, and we have a government again.

  13. 13.

    RandomMonster

    November 24, 2022 at 10:02 am

    @Layer8Problem: Then there’s the Little Drummer Boy Challenge: https://littledrummerboychallenge.com

  14. 14.

    mrmoshpotato

    November 24, 2022 at 10:04 am

    @Spanky: Forty-six degrees in Chicago right now.  (Insane!)

    But hooray for fleece-lined jeans in colder temps.

  15. 15.

    mrmoshpotato

    November 24, 2022 at 10:04 am

    @Amir Khalid: Well-hung?

  16. 16.

    cope

    November 24, 2022 at 10:05 am

    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.

  17. 17.

    mrmoshpotato

    November 24, 2022 at 10:06 am

    I’m thankful for all of you, and this place, and my happy, healthy family.

  18. 18.

    Ceci n est pas mon nym

    November 24, 2022 at 10:09 am

    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.”

  19. 19.

    Layer8Problem

    November 24, 2022 at 10:10 am

    @RandomMonster:  I like the cut of their jib.

  20. 20.

    Albatrossity

    November 24, 2022 at 10:10 am

    And we are thankful for you, WG, and all that you do to keep this community alive and well!

    Happy Turkey Day, everyone!

  21. 21.

    WaterGirl

    November 24, 2022 at 10:13 am

    @Amir Khalid: Oh, yay!  That had to be unsettling, glad it’s over.

  22. 22.

    eclare

    November 24, 2022 at 10:14 am

    @cope:   Congratulations on the new house!  Here’s hoping  for good weather for your move.

  23. 23.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    November 24, 2022 at 10:15 am

    @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?

  24. 24.

    steppy

    November 24, 2022 at 10:16 am

    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.

  25. 25.

    Layer8Problem

    November 24, 2022 at 10:17 am

    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.

  26. 26.

    cope

    November 24, 2022 at 10:19 am

    @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.

  27. 27.

    Nicole

    November 24, 2022 at 10:22 am

    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.

  28. 28.

    la caterina

    November 24, 2022 at 10:23 am

    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.

  29. 29.

    jackmac

    November 24, 2022 at 10:26 am

    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!

  30. 30.

    japa21

    November 24, 2022 at 10:26 am

    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.

  31. 31.

    Amir Khalid

    November 24, 2022 at 10:28 am

    @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.

  32. 32.

    Josie

    November 24, 2022 at 10:29 am

    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.

  33. 33.

    eclare

    November 24, 2022 at 10:30 am

    @japa21:   Wow lots of people here are moving!  Congratulations!

  34. 34.

    kalakal

    November 24, 2022 at 10:44 am

    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

  35. 35.

    Miss Bianca

    November 24, 2022 at 10:49 am

    @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.

  36. 36.

    cope

    November 24, 2022 at 10:50 am

    @Miss Bianca: Grand Junction.

  37. 37.

    WaterGirl

    November 24, 2022 at 10:51 am

    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.

    I Am Thankful

    Next up, breakfast!  Then i just have the green beans, the stuffing, and the pumpkin pie to make.

  38. 38.

    Miss Bianca

    November 24, 2022 at 10:54 am

    @cope: Oh, the Western Slope. Sigh. Still miss it. Hoping to move back out that way someday.

  39. 39.

    la caterina

    November 24, 2022 at 10:55 am

    @WaterGirl: Cinnamon apples! Do you add any sugar, or just butter and cinnamon?

  40. 40.

    Nelle

    November 24, 2022 at 11:01 am

    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.

  41. 41.

    frosty

    November 24, 2022 at 11:06 am

    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)

  42. 42.

    WaterGirl

    November 24, 2022 at 11:07 am

    @la caterina: It’s apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, fresh-squeezed lemon, and butter.

    I started with a recipe from somewhere:

    5 apples, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 1/4 cup light brown sugar, 1 Tbsp granulated sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp cornstarch, 2 Tbsp butter.

    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:

    10 apples, 2+ Tbsp lemon juice, 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 Tbsp butter.

    Cover with foil and bake for maybe 25 minutes at 375.

  43. 43.

    BenCisco 🇺🇸🎖️🖥️♦️

    November 24, 2022 at 11:19 am

    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

  44. 44.

    Lady WereBear

    November 24, 2022 at 11:29 am

    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.

  45. 45.

    Lady WereBear

    November 24, 2022 at 11:31 am

    @BenCisco 🇺🇸🎖️🖥️♦️: I have some food and a cabinet full of Penzeys

    Are you wearing sunglasses?

  46. 46.

    Lady WereBear

    November 24, 2022 at 11:37 am

    @Layer8Problem: Presenting me with the Solomonic dilemma of which one is worse.

  47. 47.

    Josie

    November 24, 2022 at 11:47 am

    @BenCisco 🇺🇸🎖️🖥️♦️: Just curious. What is your favorite Penzey’s mix. I love their sweet curry.​

  48. 48.

    Layer8Problem

    November 24, 2022 at 11:48 am

    @frosty: This always bears repeating:

    We take it for granted today, but a single Dorito has more extreme nacho flavor than a peasant in the 1400s would get in his whole lifetime.

    #ThingsToGiveThanksFor

  49. 49.

    Layer8Problem

    November 24, 2022 at 11:51 am

    @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.

  50. 50.

    eclare

    November 24, 2022 at 11:56 am

    @WaterGirl:   The apples look wonderful!

  51. 51.

    CaseyL

    November 24, 2022 at 12:03 pm

    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!

  52. 52.

    UncleEbeneezer

    November 24, 2022 at 12:09 pm

    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

  53. 53.

    Miss Bianca

    November 24, 2022 at 12:09 pm

    @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!

  54. 54.

    cope

    November 24, 2022 at 12:14 pm

    @Miss Bianca: Well if we can make it back there after 35+ years of being away, anybody can.

  55. 55.

    eclare

    November 24, 2022 at 12:15 pm

    @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.

  56. 56.

    UncleEbeneezer

    November 24, 2022 at 12:18 pm

    @eclare: Hopefully they get along :)

  57. 57.

    eclare

    November 24, 2022 at 12:26 pm

    @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.

  58. 58.

    surfk9

    November 24, 2022 at 12:27 pm

    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.

  59. 59.

    WaterGirl

    November 24, 2022 at 12:29 pm

    @Miss Bianca: Oh, I think the cinnamon apples would be outstanding with ham!

  60. 60.

    Jackie

    November 24, 2022 at 12:30 pm

    I’m thankful for Balloon-Juice, my family, good health and President Biden at the helm!

  61. 61.

    BenCisco 🇺🇸🎖️🖥️♦️

    November 24, 2022 at 12:34 pm

    @Lady WereBear: BWAHAAHAA!!

    I LOVE me some Penzey’s, but I am still learning.

  62. 62.

    BenCisco 🇺🇸🎖️🖥️♦️

    November 24, 2022 at 12:36 pm

    @Josie: Wow. So many :

    Greek

    Lemon Pepper

    Cajun

    Those top the list

  63. 63.

    Sister Golden Bear

    November 24, 2022 at 12:51 pm

    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.

  64. 64.

    mvr

    November 24, 2022 at 12:54 pm

    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.

  65. 65.

    raven

    November 24, 2022 at 1:03 pm

    We’re especially thankful here in Athens to Cole and Water Girl for Walter’s fund.

  66. 66.

    FelonyGovt

    November 24, 2022 at 1:23 pm

    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?

  67. 67.

    James E Powell

    November 24, 2022 at 1:27 pm

    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.

  68. 68.

    J R in WV

    November 24, 2022 at 1:28 pm

    @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.

    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.

  69. 69.

    MelissaM

    November 24, 2022 at 1:42 pm

    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.

  70. 70.

    kmax

    November 24, 2022 at 1:46 pm

    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?

  71. 71.

    eclare

    November 24, 2022 at 1:52 pm

    @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.

  72. 72.

    David 🦃The Establishment🥧 Koch

    November 24, 2022 at 2:05 pm

    I’m thankful the Detroit Lions🦁 are covering the point spread.

  73. 73.

    BretH

    November 24, 2022 at 2:29 pm

    I am grateful for this lovely, wonderful, weird, calming, exasperating, altogether amazing place.

  74. 74.

    Asparagus Aspersions

    November 24, 2022 at 2:31 pm

    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!

  75. 75.

    kmax

    November 24, 2022 at 2:41 pm

    @eclare: yes our vet wants this fixed asap before he injures the other leg

  76. 76.

    Josie

    November 24, 2022 at 3:01 pm

    @BenCisco 🇺🇸🎖️🖥️♦️: ​
     I agree on the Cajun and lemon pepper. Have not tried the Greek. I guess that is next.

  77. 77.

    Van Buren

    November 24, 2022 at 3:27 pm

    @Josie: My younger son says that grilling chicken without Greek seasoning is a waste.

    Can recc.

  78. 78.

    WaterGirl

    November 24, 2022 at 3:36 pm

    @eclare:

    I don’t know if people still say that.

    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.

  79. 79.

    Beisbol Hooligan

    November 24, 2022 at 3:45 pm

    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.

  80. 80.

    featheredsprite

    November 24, 2022 at 4:00 pm

    “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.

  81. 81.

    wonkie

    November 24, 2022 at 4:36 pm

    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.

  82. 82.

    zhena gogolia

    November 24, 2022 at 4:43 pm

    I missed this entire thread today! I got stuck on the one above. Happy Thanksgiving, WaterGirl! Thanks for everything!

  83. 83.

    sherparick.

    November 24, 2022 at 5:01 pm

    Happy Thanksgiving to you all. Especially John Cole & all the Front Pagers for keeping this menagerie together.

  84. 84.

    AJ of the Mustard Search and Rescue Team

    November 24, 2022 at 5:36 pm

    Thankful for my health, sobriety, loved ones, fulfilling work.

    Ty WG!

  85. 85.

    Ruckus

    November 24, 2022 at 5:55 pm

    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.

  86. 86.

    Quiltingfool

    November 24, 2022 at 7:14 pm

    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!

  87. 87.

    Kayla Rudbek

    November 24, 2022 at 9:36 pm

    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!

  88. 88.

    Denali

    November 24, 2022 at 10:02 pm

    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.

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