Day #253 Writing Through COVID-19: Thankful for a Good Enough Day

I spent the morning preparing a traditional Thanksgiving meal that I then divided into thirds and delivered around the neighborhood: to my mother-in-law, still living independently at 91; and to Harrison and Maria in the old house. 

The tastes and smells felt like Thanksgiving, even if not much else did.
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Five of our six children made it to the family 11 a.m. Zoom call. (It was 6 a.m. in NZ, so Max and his little family slept through it.) 

Eloise and John in Florida Zoomed in from their kitchen where they were thankful to be back in the U.S. after John's deployment to Spain last year. 

Brigham and Cameron Zoomed from the sunny east side of their Des Moines home, thankful for their dogs and cats, including S'more, who made a dramatic upsidedown appearance climbing the window screen.

Harrison and Maria were thankful to have so far avoided COVID, Zooming in from 1/2 mile down the road. 

Palmer joined us from Denver where she was making dinner for a friend. She is thankful for the self-awareness and self-care that have her feeling healthy and capable. 

Stuart called in from his pickup in Montana where he was pheasant hunting with his lab Nali this morning. He said he is thankful for Wolf, a sentiment we all embraced. Stuart had planned to come back to Iowa for the holiday until last week when I put the kibosh on that idea. He said his Thanksgiving meal would be more pheasant. 

It is said that a mother is only as happy as her least happy child. I was sorry he was alone today.

Dan is thankful for his lovely wife (well, he should be). I'm thankful I learned to play Bridge and rediscovered running this year. 
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In the afternoon my siblings and I Zoomed with our parents. I'm sure my mom and dad enjoyed seeing us, but as we logged off, I was sorry we hadn't engaged them in the conversation very much. Instead, we talked among ourselves. 

Then I think about how much I enjoy listening from the sidelines as my kids talk among themselves.
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It was a pleasant day.

That's good enough.

Be well.
Write.

Allison

2020 Hoegh Distanced Thanksgiving