Happy Thanksgiving!

Continuing what is now a 4-year-old tradition:

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.
It's secular - religious overtones are secondary.
It's American - the rest of world goes on happily without us.

Most of all, for me the basic premise - giving thanks - is a good thing. Yes, I am thankful for my family, for my undeserved good-fortune in life, for friends.

As mentioned in previous years, most of my family & extended family is in town. None of us started out here - we all just ended up here. I've 3 sisters. 2 of 'em are in town, with their husbands. My mom is in town. My wife's folks are in town. Her sister & bro-in-law are in town. A sister's sister-in-law is in town. Our kids are in town. My daughter-in-law's folks are in town. We added a nephew this year.

Usually, some one family hosts a huge Thanksgiving spread.

This year, no.
Wife's folks are celebrating privately - my father-in-law has advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumor... a very aggressive cancer.
One brother-in-law (a sister's husband) just started heavy duty chemotherapy - they're also celebrating privately.
Another sister is celebrating more quietly with husband, son, and sister-in-law... just for the fun of it.

That leaves my wife's sister, bro-in-law, their daughters, and assorted siblings of bro-in-law; our daughter, son & daughter-in-law, & son's in-laws; and son's friends we've known since 1993, when they were students at New Mexico Tech.
Anyway - these 'kids', Scott & Beth, are hosting the large get-together this year... tho', as noted above, it'll be somewhat smaller this year than in years past.

Given the family medical soap-opera, I'm just thankful we're all alive to celebrate with loved ones - even if not all under one roof.

Happy Thanksgiving, with friends & family!