{"id":20321,"date":"2018-11-21T09:18:47","date_gmt":"2018-11-21T15:18:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.flovalleynews.com\/?p=20321"},"modified":"2018-11-21T09:18:47","modified_gmt":"2018-11-21T15:18:47","slug":"a-boomers-journal-giving-thanks-for","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?p=20321","title":{"rendered":"A Boomer\u2019s Journal: Giving Thanks For . . ."},"content":{"rendered":"

What Matters Most<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n

By Tom Anselm<\/span><\/h3>\n
\"Tom<\/a>
Tom Anselm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This year, Thanksgiving comes a week earlier than usual.\u00a0 It is officially held on the fourth Thursday of November, so that stays the same. But if you\u2019re like me, it just seems that Turkey Day kinda snuck up on us this time. Although after last week\u2019s freaky snowstorm, it was beginning to look like Christmas!
\nNot to worry.\u00a0 The ladies in our family, May God Bless Them, have it covered, taking care of all the arrangements, from a thorough house-cleaning to selecting the menu to buying the stuff to go into the stuffing to Pre-Cook Wednesday.\u00a0 If it were up to me, like most guys, likely, it would be Crave Cases and pizza delivery with a cooler full of beer spread out on a card table in the garage.\u00a0 Dessert would consist of Dilly Bars and Blizzards, maybe a few Slushies from the Circle K.\u00a0 Lucky for all, we will not be designated chief event planners any time soon.
\nMy major responsibility on this wonderful feasting day is\u2026 well, I guess I really don\u2019t have one. Unless it\u2019s to start the fire and keep it stoked all afternoon, something right in my wheelhouse. And carve the turkey\u2026 not a tough task. Oh, I do get to hang with the grandkids a lot, which is plenty fun, or just wandering here and there helping with this or that, as assigned by the distaff staff of the gang.
\nJill and I seem to have raised some very strong and competent young women, and they know how to throw a shindig.\u00a0 The food is magnificent, as usual. Never disappoints.\u00a0 And all throughout and after, the best thing I can do on this wonderful day is to just stay the heck out of the way.
\nNow the other guys in the clan don\u2019t get off so easily.\u00a0 For years, they have volunteered to do the dishes, which is very gallant of them, considering the gals have put in already nearly five times the effort on the front end of the feast.\u00a0 And they do it with great energy and aplomb, especially as they concoct a special cocktail each year as fuel for their journey into the soap and suds and swiping of towels.
\nAgain, my role here is also negligible. Well, that\u2019s not true\u2026 my role is nonexistent.\u00a0 I have been exempt from this duty, quite in an unspoken manner.\u00a0 Thanks, boys. I can be found adding wood to the blaze, or on the couch, a touch of\u00a0 Jack D. in my mug, holding the latest youngster.\u00a0 And honestly, that works just fine for me.
\nFor this presents the high privilege of surveying the scene.
\nOver there might be a few rugrats coloring together on the floor with their cousins.\u00a0 The boys, weather permitting, are out in the back with a soccer ball, many times joined by the older girls.\u00a0 Smaller ones likely have moved downstairs with the Barbie stuff acquired from who-knows-which older kids\u2019 stash.\u00a0 There are the guys in the kitchen, loudly \u2018ragging\u2019 on each other as they rag the dishes dry, the ladies taking a well-deserved respite on whatever chair or couch cushion they can find.\u00a0 Someone invariably has grabbed a throw-blanket and pillow and is nestled in front of the fire\u2026 the fire that I have so dutifully kept in fine form.
\nThen, Grandma Jill takes center stage with her 15-year-and-counting traditional gifts. Out come the Christmas pajamas, first-initial ornaments and candy cane filled with Hershey\u2019s Kisses.\u00a0 And, of course, there is the group picture, all donning their new \u2018jammies.
\nEleven of them this year, thanks to the newest, 5-month old Thomas Paul.
\nAnd I quietly, deeply, humbly send a prayer of thanks to The Big Provider in the Sky for yet another day of unparalleled gifts.
\nThe best one being, we get to do this all again in a month! Maybe we\u2019ll have snow then like we had in mid-November.
\nHappy Thanksgiving to you and yours, and May God Bless.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What Matters Most By Tom Anselm This year, Thanksgiving comes a week earlier than usual.\u00a0 It is officially held on the fourth Thursday of November, so that stays the same. But if you\u2019re like me, it just seems that Turkey Day kinda snuck up on us this time. Although after last week\u2019s freaky snowstorm, it […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"ocean_post_layout":"","ocean_both_sidebars_style":"","ocean_both_sidebars_content_width":0,"ocean_both_sidebars_sidebars_width":0,"ocean_sidebar":"","ocean_second_sidebar":"","ocean_disable_margins":"enable","ocean_add_body_class":"","ocean_shortcode_before_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_after_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_before_header":"","ocean_shortcode_after_header":"","ocean_has_shortcode":"","ocean_shortcode_after_title":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_bottom":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_bottom":"","ocean_display_top_bar":"default","ocean_display_header":"default","ocean_header_style":"","ocean_center_header_left_menu":"","ocean_custom_header_template":"","ocean_custom_logo":0,"ocean_custom_retina_logo":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_height":0,"ocean_header_custom_menu":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_family":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_subset":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_size":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_unit":"px","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_line_height":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_unit":"","ocean_menu_typo_spacing":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_unit":"","ocean_menu_link_color":"","ocean_menu_link_color_hover":"","ocean_menu_link_color_active":"","ocean_menu_link_background":"","ocean_menu_link_hover_background":"","ocean_menu_link_active_background":"","ocean_menu_social_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_links_color":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_color":"","ocean_disable_title":"default","ocean_disable_heading":"default","ocean_post_title":"","ocean_post_subheading":"","ocean_post_title_style":"","ocean_post_title_background_color":"","ocean_post_title_background":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_image_position":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_attachment":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_repeat":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_size":"","ocean_post_title_height":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay":0.5,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay_color":"","ocean_disable_breadcrumbs":"default","ocean_breadcrumbs_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_separator_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_hover_color":"","ocean_display_footer_widgets":"default","ocean_display_footer_bottom":"default","ocean_custom_footer_template":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"ocean_post_oembed":"","ocean_post_self_hosted_media":"","ocean_post_video_embed":"","ocean_link_format":"","ocean_link_format_target":"self","ocean_quote_format":"","ocean_quote_format_link":"post","ocean_gallery_link_images":"on","ocean_gallery_id":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,13,21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20321","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-columnists","category-entertainment-travel","category-health-seniors","entry"],"yoast_head":"\nA Boomer\u2019s Journal: Giving Thanks For . . . - flovalleynews.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?p=20321\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A Boomer\u2019s Journal: Giving Thanks For . . . - flovalleynews.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What Matters Most By Tom Anselm This year, Thanksgiving comes a week earlier than usual.\u00a0 It is officially held on the fourth Thursday of November, so that stays the same. But if you\u2019re like me, it just seems that Turkey Day kinda snuck up on us this time. Although after last week\u2019s freaky snowstorm, it […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?p=20321\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"flovalleynews.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-11-21T15:18:47+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.flovalleynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Tom-Anselm-in-suit-copy-249x300.jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"independentnws\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"independentnws\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flovalleynews.com\\\/?p=20321#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flovalleynews.com\\\/?p=20321\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"independentnws\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flovalleynews.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/7bede6d4517a6be3345b47415b09cebd\"},\"headline\":\"A Boomer\u2019s Journal: Giving Thanks For . . .\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-11-21T15:18:47+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flovalleynews.com\\\/?p=20321\"},\"wordCount\":691,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flovalleynews.com\\\/?p=20321#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.flovalleynews.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/09\\\/Tom-Anselm-in-suit-copy-249x300.jpeg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Columnists\",\"Entertainment \\\/ Travel\",\"Health \\\/ Seniors\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/flovalleynews.com\\\/?p=20321#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flovalleynews.com\\\/?p=20321\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flovalleynews.com\\\/?p=20321\",\"name\":\"A Boomer\u2019s Journal: Giving Thanks For . . . - flovalleynews.com\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flovalleynews.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flovalleynews.com\\\/?p=20321#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flovalleynews.com\\\/?p=20321#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.flovalleynews.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/09\\\/Tom-Anselm-in-suit-copy-249x300.jpeg\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-11-21T15:18:47+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flovalleynews.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/7bede6d4517a6be3345b47415b09cebd\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flovalleynews.com\\\/?p=20321#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/flovalleynews.com\\\/?p=20321\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flovalleynews.com\\\/?p=20321#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.flovalleynews.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/09\\\/Tom-Anselm-in-suit-copy-249x300.jpeg\",\"contentUrl\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.flovalleynews.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/09\\\/Tom-Anselm-in-suit-copy-249x300.jpeg\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flovalleynews.com\\\/?p=20321#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flovalleynews.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"A Boomer\u2019s Journal: Giving Thanks For . . .\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flovalleynews.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flovalleynews.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"flovalleynews.com\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flovalleynews.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flovalleynews.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/7bede6d4517a6be3345b47415b09cebd\",\"name\":\"independentnws\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f76505b4d7bc95b432faea9b79d00a6abc40ba8a96aef3a5fbd567ecb14b19a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f76505b4d7bc95b432faea9b79d00a6abc40ba8a96aef3a5fbd567ecb14b19a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f76505b4d7bc95b432faea9b79d00a6abc40ba8a96aef3a5fbd567ecb14b19a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"independentnws\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flovalleynews.com\\\/?author=1\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"A Boomer\u2019s Journal: Giving Thanks For . . . - flovalleynews.com","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?p=20321","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"A Boomer\u2019s Journal: Giving Thanks For . . . - flovalleynews.com","og_description":"What Matters Most By Tom Anselm This year, Thanksgiving comes a week earlier than usual.\u00a0 It is officially held on the fourth Thursday of November, so that stays the same. But if you\u2019re like me, it just seems that Turkey Day kinda snuck up on us this time. Although after last week\u2019s freaky snowstorm, it […]","og_url":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?p=20321","og_site_name":"flovalleynews.com","article_published_time":"2018-11-21T15:18:47+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.flovalleynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Tom-Anselm-in-suit-copy-249x300.jpeg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"author":"independentnws","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"independentnws","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?p=20321#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?p=20321"},"author":{"name":"independentnws","@id":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/#\/schema\/person\/7bede6d4517a6be3345b47415b09cebd"},"headline":"A Boomer\u2019s Journal: Giving Thanks For . . .","datePublished":"2018-11-21T15:18:47+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?p=20321"},"wordCount":691,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?p=20321#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"http:\/\/www.flovalleynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Tom-Anselm-in-suit-copy-249x300.jpeg","articleSection":["Columnists","Entertainment \/ Travel","Health \/ Seniors"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?p=20321#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?p=20321","url":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?p=20321","name":"A Boomer\u2019s Journal: Giving Thanks For . . . - flovalleynews.com","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?p=20321#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?p=20321#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"http:\/\/www.flovalleynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Tom-Anselm-in-suit-copy-249x300.jpeg","datePublished":"2018-11-21T15:18:47+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/#\/schema\/person\/7bede6d4517a6be3345b47415b09cebd"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?p=20321#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?p=20321"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?p=20321#primaryimage","url":"http:\/\/www.flovalleynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Tom-Anselm-in-suit-copy-249x300.jpeg","contentUrl":"http:\/\/www.flovalleynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Tom-Anselm-in-suit-copy-249x300.jpeg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?p=20321#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"A Boomer\u2019s Journal: Giving Thanks For . . ."}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/","name":"flovalleynews.com","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/#\/schema\/person\/7bede6d4517a6be3345b47415b09cebd","name":"independentnws","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f76505b4d7bc95b432faea9b79d00a6abc40ba8a96aef3a5fbd567ecb14b19a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f76505b4d7bc95b432faea9b79d00a6abc40ba8a96aef3a5fbd567ecb14b19a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f76505b4d7bc95b432faea9b79d00a6abc40ba8a96aef3a5fbd567ecb14b19a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"independentnws"},"url":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?author=1"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20321","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=20321"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20321\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=20321"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=20321"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=20321"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}