A month of gratitude

So one of my friends on Facebook reminded me today about the trend over the last couple of years of posting things we have for which to be thankful every day in November - not just one. I'm a big fan of gratitude, and I think we (or at the very least, I) take too many things for granted. So I decided to take it to the blog, where I have a few more characters with which to work. I can't guarantee that I will, of course, but, ya know. 

I have a lot to be thankful for. More than one day can hold. More than a month can hold, honestly. But I forget that sometimes. So I'm going to start off with five things today. 

And as I was typing the above, it also occurred to me that November is NaBloPoMo - National Blog Posting Month. The thing that got me started to begin with, with the daily blogging that I miss so much. So I'm all signed up. Let's get this party started. 

Day 1:

1. I am grateful to be alive. To have my house, my job, my pets, my family all intact after Hurricane Sandy. It was a non-event in North Carolina, fortunately. We lost power for a whopping hour. We got a little rain and a little wind. 

2. I am incredibly grateful that my friends up north also survived the storm. Barb came through with class and cake, fortunately. Buie wasn't so lucky. She lives on the water and ended up having to swim for her life in the middle of the night to the rescue boats. She lost everything material, but she, and her dogs, are safe and sound. Her siblings and their families are also safe. As bad as things are, I can't even imagine the alternative. Prayers, good mojo, positive energies - whatever your thing, send some her way, would you?  

3. I am grateful it's Friday eve. Today was one hell of a long day at work. 

4. I am grateful to have had the unexpected time I've had with my dad. He's still going reasonably strong. We'll take every day we're given. 

5. I am grateful for the love of a good dog - again. I was unexpectedly reminded today of my old boy Wolfie, whom I had to put down ten years ago next month. He was a special, special dog. With some special needs - unbeknownst to me, we think he had metastatic cancer when I got him, and he spent the next twelve months having seizures, needing medicine, and with a horrible bilateral ear infection he couldn't shake. Poor buddy was probably miserable, but never showed it. He was sweet and protective and just the best dog a girl could hope for. And I think he sent me Maggie. Who continues the tradition of being the best dog ever.