Thanksgiving JOW

The holidays have started especially early this year. The stores seem almost desperate to get us to spend our money for stuff that is often unwanted and seldom needed. There is an almost pleading aspect to the advertisements and sales. It is as though they think we can actually spend our way out of the current economic mess we are in.
Even so there is much to be thankful for. It is common and ancient tradition that after the harvest a feast is shared in celebration at the bounty that will sustain us through the winter. Of course, these days it is not just about the food, it is about friends and family. Even so, the food is a good thing─ no a great thing. Though I try to restrain my appetites, Thanksgiving is one day when I intend to overindulge. I am going to eat until I am sweatin' gravy. I expect to be responsible for a slight but measurable shift in the earth's axis.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all.
Remember - - - "STRESSED" spelled backward is "DESSERTS"
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A friend of mine who was a state trooper once received a call from a woman who asked him how to baste a turkey. After a stunned moment, he, being a fairly good cook, described the procedure. Then he asked, "But why would you call the state troopers to find out how to baste a turkey?"
There was only a slight hesitation before she replied, "Well, you knew, didn't you?" and hung up.
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Traditions are good, but sometimes the original meaning is lost.

A young couple got married. When the wife prepared to bake a ham to celebrate their first Thanksgiving, she carefully cut off each end before placing it in the pan.
Her husband asked her why she did that and she replied, "I don't know - it's what my mother always did. But I can ask her."
She called Mom, who responded, "I always saw your Grandma do it, so I did the same."
They decided to check further, so the young woman called Grandma, who explained, "It was the only way I could get it to fit into my pan."
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Young Bubba was sitting in his grandmother's kitchen, watching her prepare the Thanksgiving meal.
"What are you doing, Gramma?" Bubba asked.
"Oh, I'm just stuffing the turkey," his grandmother replied.
"That's cool!" Bubba said. "Are you going to hang it next to the deer?"
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A lady was picking through the frozen turkeys at the grocery store, but couldn't find one big enough for her family. She asked the stock boy, "Do these turkeys get any bigger?" The stock boy answered, "No ma'am, they're dead."
Possible new Thanksgiving-themed movies
• My Best Friend's Dressing

• The Texas Coleslaw Massacre

• Casserolablanca

• The Fabulous Baster Boys

• Silence of the Yams

• For Love of The Game Hen

• White Meat Can't Jump

• When Harry Met Salad

• The Wing and I
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A woman walks into the butcher shop just before closing. She says, "Thank Heavens I've made it in time! Do you have you any turkey?"
The butcher opens his fridge and takes out his only turkey, and plops it onto the scale. It weighs 4 1/2 pounds.

"Ah, haven't you anything bigger?" the woman inquires.

The butcher returns the turkey to the fridge, brings out the same turkey again, and plops it onto the scale, only this time, he keeps his thumb on the scale. The scale shows 7 1/4 pounds.

"Marvelous!" says the woman looking right at the butcher.
"I'll have both of them please."

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A minister was asked to dinner by one of his parishioners who had the reputation of being an unkempt housekeeper.

When he sat down at the table, he noticed that the dishes were the dirtiest that he had ever seen in his life.

"Were these dishes ever washed?" he asked his hostess, running his fingers over the grit and grime.

She replied, "They're as clean as soap and water could get them".

He felt a bit apprehensive, but blessed the food anyway and started eating.

When dinner was over, the hostess took the dishes outside and called out,
"Here Soap! Here Water!"
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And finally, a personal message from Ruth:
An affirmation for Thanksgiving:

Floating on a stream of unconditional thankfulness, I claim the stamina and tenacity of a hummingbird.
I know what I know, and I follow my divine intuitive urges with ever-flowing energy and unbounded excitement!