I subscribe to the RushBabe49 Properly Grateful Theory of Life.  Often throughout the year, I stop and think about how fortunate I am to live in this Greatest Nation on God’s Green Earth.  By the accident of birth, I had upper-middle-class parents, in one of the most beautiful parts of this country (Pacific Northwest).  I grew up in the 1950’s and 1960’s, got a good education, and managed to make my own way in the world, even though via a somewhat twisty path.

So now I’m 65, gainfully employed at a job and a company that I like, married to a great guy who’s also a musician, own my home free and clear, have a really cute, fun kitty, and play in a community orchestra.  I have always been quite attentive to my surroundings, and like to watch the sky, and the back yard bird-feeder.  Stopping to smell the roses is second nature to me.

So, here’s what I’m especially thankful for this year:

New friends (and old) from Ricochet.  In-person meetups are just wonderful, since sometimes we conservatives feel like we’re all alone out here in the deep-blue wilderness. In my humble opinion, the people of Ricochet are simply the cream of the cream of humanity, and I am humbled to be a member.

Evergreen Community Orchestra, and our new conductor.  We have our concert next Tuesday, and our Polish conductor brought a fun Polish Christmas carol for us to play. Here it is, “Bog sie Rodzi” (God is Born)

My health.  In spite of having a chronic disease, I’m still remarkably healthy, and it’s been nearly four years since I have called in sick to work.  My wonderful doctors are a big help, too; my rheumatologist and my nephrologist both won “patients’ choice” awards at our clinic.

My husband, who supports me through thick and thin.  He also vacuums, cleans his own bathroom, and does his own laundry.  And he loves to go shopping!

My investments have done pretty well this year, in spite of the volatility in the stock market.  They tell you to sell your losers at the end of the year, so you have losses to cancel out your gains.  Well, I’m in the enviable position of having no losers!  Every single stock and mutual fund I own has gains.

Rush Limbaugh, who has again helped me to retain my sanity, in a time when average people are increasingly beleaguered by high taxes, cancelled medical insurance policies, higher deductibles on the policies you keep, government agencies thwarting an economy that should be recovering, and a president who has been acting like a king.  Listening to the daily podcast on my iPod at work goes a long way to help me understand the crap being dished out daily.

My country, which is still the very best on Earth.

And, finally, this here blog!  I have gained followers, had interesting conversations, and added some new features that have, by and large, improved the experience for me and my readers.

So when you sit down to your Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow, be sure to thank God, who motivated the Pilgrims and the Founding Fathers.  They began the most remarkable country in the entire history of humanity, founded upon an idea, the idea of individual human dignity, and Liberty.  This country has allowed its citizens to become the most prosperous and free nation ever!  Don’t ever forget that.