- Pumpkin Pie
- 4 years before the next Presidential election
- A Justin Bieber poster has never been in my house.
- No weird badly-behaved fans in the stands during football games this year.
- Thanksgiving dinner – only time people tell you to “eat more”.
- Turkey sandwiches for a week.
- Only a week of turkey sandwiches.
- If I look sad enough someone will invite me for dinner.
- Sports on television. (took that for granted)
- Great time to suggest a Mossberg Silver Reserve II over/under shotgun for Christmas.
- Fun watching Uncle Phil, the expert, struggle opening a wine bottle with a table knife.
- Seeing how much fun a family can have that are not the Kardashians.
- Having someone who will give me a courtesy laugh, even if my jokes are a little “off”.
- Holiday on Thursday, the weekend is still coming.
- Only holiday the whole goal is to show up for dinner.
- Calories consumed between Thanksgiving and Christmas because they don’t count until the following year.
- I still have 5 months to think of a birthday gift for the wife. It will come down to the wire.
- After this political season it is evident that free speech is still in the Bill of Rights.
- Family dinners. Just like the old days before iPhone 5.
- No costumes to wear for this holiday.
- Using the “good” dishes and I don’t have to drink wine out of a Tupperware cup.
- Opportunity during dinner, to watch a new in-law discover the real family they married into.
- Newspapers. The internet just doesn’t suffice.
- Children who call me “Dad” or at least “Old man” instead of something more descriptive
- Very astute grandchildren. They think I should be President.
- Cows. Even the brown ones.
- George Costanza. He makes me feel very good about myself.
- Anyone that has milked a cow, planted a crop, moved livestock and fed 135 other people.
- Police, fireman, EMT’s, military and a whole bunch more. You guys get served first.
- I have the good fortune to live in a country that has a national holiday for giving thanks.
Author:
Retired from a 41-year career of growing and operating his own dairy near Wendell, Idaho, John W. now serves as the University of Idaho's CAFE Research Dairy as the project manager.
