Thanksgiving 2016

Thanksgiving post. Probably every blog writer and his dog are going to punish the readers with a sappy thankful turkey day missive today, and I am no exception.

Sort of.

You already know I'm thankful surviving my crash and remaining alive and able to be a productive member of society. 

I have been reflecting a bit on the past, and came up with a few things....

• if I had to have a divorce, I'm thankful that it was amicable and she was generous enough to let me keep the house and all of my stuff. 
• I've got a few good friends that (maybe they don't know it) have stimulated my creativity and helped me to be a better woodworker 
• I like pie

Everyone has a holiday tradition, right? Some sit home alone moping and resentful. Some that are alone make the best of it, and do something to ensure they're not alone for the holiday. Some overdo everything, causing themselves and everyone around them so much stress and anxiety....trying to make everything perfect, trying to do everything just right, just like the way they have always done it. 

And there's some comfort in that. I wish I could go to Grandma's on Christmas eve to eat chili and marvel at the greasy milk with lumps of snot ("oyster stew"). I miss Grandpa asking every time I'd see him the last week of June and until his birthday "did you get it yet?". 

But life changes, and circumstances change, and therefore traditions change. The last few years I've spent several holidays alone. Home alone, just George and I. 

So I created a new tradition. On holidays I find something I want to make and I make it. One year on Independence day, I made a pallet flag. I thought I had made a post about that, but I can't find it. I took step by step pics with the intention. 

Yes, I know, it only has 48 stars. 

Just this last New Years day I made a shelf for my kitchen. I can't find the pic, come visit. 

Today, thanks to Kelly for the inspiration: 

 Susie painted and took home these next 2:

 and here's mine. Instead of just painting on eyes, nose, buttons and mouth, I cut slices of wood to give it depth, texture, excitement. Those that know me well may recognize the scarf as one of the striped shirts that I wore often, but reluctantly. Often in hopes of wearing it out, reluctantly because fat guys shouldn't wear horizontal stripes according to the experts. I don't think the shirt was ever going to wear out, so I cut it up so I could quit wearing it.

The wood came from the Stewartville brush dump, in March. It's been laying next to my driveway since then, and is getting a little rotten. I like the colours of the maple, even though it's not traditional for a snowman. Of course, it's not traditional for a snowman to be made from wood. 

Why does a snowman have buttons? I think I'm going to add some arms.

Friends, be thankful for what you have, and make the best of it. If you don't have what you want, do what you need to do to get it. If you don't know what you need to do, ask me for advice. 

edit: I'm thankful for being able to realize my limitations. Some friends have sent pics of things they want, and I'm able to make those things. I'd never have thought to make these things without the inspiration. I guess what I'm saying and started to say above: I'm thankful for the friends that provide the inspiration, the challenges. And I'm thankful for the ability to figure out how to make these things. To gauge size by a pic, etc. And being able to get over the lack of initial creativity. 

If you look closely, you can see that the snowman has 3d eyes, nose, mouth and buttons. I added arms, but not symmetrical arms. Don't judge.....LOL