Thanksgiving Day blessings with elderly mom and her confidence in doing crossword puzzles with a pen

EDGEWATER, Fla. -- This morning via emails my cousin and I were discussing what we are thankful for this Thanksgiving. At our ages we have many departed souls that we miss dearly and wish we were celebrating with here right now. But alas the older we get the less earthly relatives and friends we have and that’s sad.

But we chose to celebrate our having known them and had them in our lives for whatever time that was.

We are also thankful for having so many aunts and uncles still with us. I have two aunts, 92 and 93, a third who is 90, and a fourth who is 84. I also have two uncles, ages 85 and 86. For most of my friends, that many older relatives still alive is unheard of, but I definitely come from sturdy stock. My mom’s aunt was living on her own until she was  99, and lived to the ripe old age of 104, before she passed away.

My great-grandfather died one month short of 100 years old and he could still beat the pants off any of us playing cards.

I have the usual things to be thankful for such as a roof over my head, food to eat, enough money to pay my bills and buy my medicine, which I know many in the world do not have. I know I am blessed in many ways -- the biggest and best being my mother, who turned 89 on Oct. 27. She is healthy, still drives on her own and remains defiantly independent. She does crossword puzzles in pen and always has. I do mine in pencil since I’m not that secure.

All my blessings for which I am thankful, which include being able to have a friend like HeadlineSurfer.com Publisher Henry Frederick who gave me the opportunity to write my blogs on this award-winning 24/7 internet newspaper, and my best buddy Kelly, who I literally trust my life with, are too numerous to list here. I thank God daily for each and every one of them.

Award-winnning journalist and internet news publisher Henry Frederick / Headline Surfer®I have the usual things to be thankful for such as a roof over my head, food to eat, enough money to pay my bills and buy my medicine, which I know many in the world do not have. I know I am blessed in many ways -- the biggest and best being my mother, who turned 89 on Oct. 27. She is healthy, still drives on her own and remains defiantly independent. She does crossword puzzles in pen and always has. I do mine in pencil since I’m not that secure.

All my blessings for which I am thankful, which include being able to have a friend like HeadlineSurfer.com Publisher Henry Frederick (shown at right) who gave me the opportunity to write my blogs on this award-winning 24/7 internet newspaper, and my best buddy Kelly, who I literally trust my life with, are too numerous to list here. I thank God daily for each and every one of them.

Count your blessings for what you have and don’t grumble about what you don’t. In deference to the No. 1 acoustic song in 1989 by Bobby McFerrin,  "Don’t Worry, Be Happy." And Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!