Giving Thanks in 2020

For some reason, in my house, a shower towel is a one-use towel.

I do not get it.  I was not raised this way.  And in silent protest, I will put my damp towel back on the towel hook for me to use the next day.

Not everyone follows this routine.  In fact, TWO household members actually require two to three towels per shower.  That is a lot of towels! 

And heaven forbid these two family members partake in some activity where a second shower is required that day.  I cannot wash the towels fast enough.

This was the situation I found myself in about a week ago.  Seeing no shower towels were hanging in the bathroom, ready for use as they were all used up, I had to hit the linen closet.  

As I grabbed my towel, I saw the prong of an electrical wire hiding behind two spray bottles.  With a confused expression on my face, I moved the bottles to either side.

“What the heck is this thing?”  I wondered.  I do not have anything on a wire in the linen closet.

Or I thought I did not.  But I did.  Behind the spray bottles sat my archnemesis. 

The iron. 

Once a week, I had to meet with that awful iron and work through a pile of Bob’s work clothes.  I hate to iron.  I hate to iron so much that for years I never ironed the right sleeve of any of Bob’s shirts as it was the hidden sleeve when the clothes were all hung up. 

Bob’s new basement work attire has a “casual Friday” feel to it every day of the week.  Dress shirts and slacks no longer require my weekly (or any) attention.

I smiled when I shut the linen closet door and could not help but think,

“2020 cannot be all that bad.  I have not had to use you in nine months!”

It’s the day before Thanksgiving.  I know I am thankful for a ton.  I am thankful for good health, good kids, ok pets (just kidding…kind of), a home, a washing machine for all the towels, my family.  I am thankful that Declan’s school will stay open even though the big kids’ schools are closing, sending the learners back home.  And I am grateful that I did not overlook some of the little blessings of 2020.

No ironing. 

I will be sure to mention the iron tomorrow when we are giving thanks.

The day before Thanksgiving holds another one of our favored traditions.  Going to see Santa.

Bob and I started this tradition from the very start.  What better way to beat the Christmas crowds than to visit Santa the day before Thanksgiving?

The tradition proved to be one of the smartest things we ever did when Declan finally came along and had zero ability to wait in any line.

Santa the day before Thanksgiving = no line.  Perfect!

Visiting Santa has always been a bit of a challenge for Declan as he gets nervous around Santa and strangers in general.  We have been creative in accomplishing the Santa picture by either backing him in the last second or sitting on my lap out of the sight. 

Around June of this year, Declan began to state his trepidation in seeing ‘The Big Guy’ and asked if he could skip Santa this year.

I chalked it up to the same fears from years past, but this year the anxiety was different.

“I have not been very good this year, and Santa knows.”

Declan feared Santa saw a couple of fights with the neighbor boys.  How he yelled at his parents during virtual school.  How he fought with his siblings. 

“He saw the good too,” I reassured.

And we got the 2020 Santa picture

Thanksgiving this year will be a new experience for us all, much like Easter.  We are celebrating alone as a family of five.  Giving thanks for each other, our loved ones, and all that we are blessed with.

Including a year of no ironing. 😊

Happy Thanksgiving!