For this month’s blog post, I reached out to University Woman’s Club member Linda Haac and asked her to share her thoughts on Thanksgiving with our readers. What she shared will make you smile, chuckle, and maybe even laugh out loud. I am always grateful for Linda’s perspective and humor, as well as the crisp writing she shares to deliver both.
Enjoy the read. Then find us (and friend us!) on Facebook, and tell us what you are thankful for in this month of gratitude.
Thanksgiving in Our Pandemic Times
By Linda Haac
I’m thinking about what to be thankful for as our season of turkey and stuffing and cranberry sauce will soon be upon us. I know I should be practicing being grateful, but really, in so many ways, you’ve got to be kidding!
Yet here goes: Most of my writing deadlines have gone away. I’m not rushing around. I go to church while sitting at our breakfast table. For the life of me, I can’t use up a tank of gas, no matter how cheap. Plus, all my library books have extended due dates or none at all.
Now, my husband cleans our bathrooms and does all our grocery shopping. I’m working tirelessly to get the rest of our house clean. I’m going through stacks of papers. I’ve managed even to sew a few missing buttons onto my clothes, clothes way out-of-style as they’ve been sitting inside a sewing basket for years now. But what the heck, I never have to get out of my pajamas.
Almost every day, we get little presents left on our front porch. My husband orders these presents, of course, from Amazon. There’s no end to what you can find if you have the time.
Meanwhile, our garden has never looked better. My husband has purchased an outdoor heater for the deck overlooking this garden. I hope we don’t burn the house down.
I’ve refrained even from having my hair cut for eight months. My older daughter says on our video calls how she likes it shoulder length, “Makes you look younger.” I haven’t had my hair dyed, either, and can see it growing back almost black with gray frost. I’ve always wanted salt-and-pepper hair. I don’t wear make-up or use nightly anti-wrinkle cream.
Every day, we talk with our grandchildren by video using various technological devices. These grandchildren make some calls themselves. Meanwhile, we’ve reconnected virtually with friends living miles away. Together, we have a drink. We laugh.
Finally, I’ve learned how to plan ahead, make a list for nearly everything needed in a weekly trip to the grocery store, put three square meals on the table each day. I expect my husband to treat me to culinary school once the pandemic ends.