Thanksgiving: Learning To Live Together

                                            Green Valley Lake Family Thanksgiving, 2005


    Thanksgiving is about family, and learning to live together and accept each other. This is a lifelong process, that changes and morphs as the shape and look of our family and friends evolve.

                                                                Thanksgiving 1995


Our family has evolved and changed a bit since the photos above were taken. We'd best do our darndest to roll with the changes, even if we mourn the old days.


   2013 was our first holiday back in SoCal after 2 years at sea. Family and friends lovingly adopted and cared for our two cats, Buddy and Smudge, while we were away.

             The first cat we reclaimed upon our return was Buddy.  As this photo shows, he's been absolutely basking in the singular love and attention that he receives from Dad since we've been back. He's grown a bit spoiled.

                                             This would not last long.


        Over Thanksgiving we helped my Mom move out of her charming little cottage and into my sister JoAnna's home.  Mom has been caring for Smudge during our travels, so it was time to bring him on home as well.

                                                 Mom and her adorable Tustin cottage

                                           My husband Chris, the handyman of the family,
                                             helped Mom with all of the moving logistics

     Smudge has grown accustomed to life in Mom's cottage. He kind of freaked out when he peered out the window and saw us carrying the kitty moving box.

        Upon returning home to Green Valley Lake, we were very curious to see how these two brothers responded to the sight of each other after 3 years apart. They had lived happily together for 9 years prior to our travels. What would happen?  We opened the cat box and watched as Buddy tentatively approached...

                                                         Oh, dear. I was afraid of that...


     We endured two sleepless nights of aggressive feline hissing, growling and crying...but I knew that eventually they would both realize that they are brothers. They are sort of stuck with each other. Like a human family, they did not choose each other, but if they want to be relatively happy they'd best come to accept each other.

     They're not exactly cuddling and playing with each other yet, but the hissing has stopped, and they now sleep on the same bed. Family...what are you gonna do?


                                                Other images from Thanksgiving 2013:

             

       

                                      So, another Thanksgiving comes and goes. Life goes on.

         Nothing else to do but break out the Christmas decorations...the biggest holiday of all is just around the corner...take a deep breath and dive in!