Let's All Be Thankful

Now that the parades, parties and celebrating by the Panamanians has taken a hiatus until November 28th, it’s time for our quaint little American holiday, Thanksgiving, to insert itself into our lives down here.

The ex-pat population definitely makes a huge deal of Thanksgiving….groups of people band together for dinners at someone’s house. I mean, it’s not like anyone’s got their kids and grandkids dropping by when the game starts, right? As retirees, we’re living here apart from our families, so essentially we’re a bunch of ‘holiday orphans’, banding together to ward off the loneliness of missing our loved ones on this day.

I’m lucky — John and I have been invited to a lovely home with 6 other people and I’m excited because all I have to make is my family’s famous “Green Beans in Sour Cream” caserole. (Oh yeah, and some dinner rolls and a fresh veggie platter, but no biggie.) Problem is, all my recipes are in storage (what was I thinking?) and I cannot seem to get ahold of Mother, as she is the keeper of all famous and longstanding dishes. So, I may be winging it this year. But I’m grateful I’ve got a place to go with John.

In fact, a web site called “Second Act” contacted me to ask what I’m grateful for. You see, earlier in the year, they wrote an article on John and I retiring to Panama. To see it, click here. So now they’re doing a followup with some of their previous articles’ subjects and they called me. To see the new article, and to see what I’m most grateful for this Holiday, click here. (Horrible picture of me, BTW, but hey! “I’m grateful, right?”)

Here’s to wishing all of you and yours a fantastic 2011 Thanksgiving Holiday!

About these ads