thanks

Hey, how've you been? I missed you! But seriously, how time flies.

You KNOW that I am an extremely nice person, not one to gloat over another person's discomfort. So it will be completely out of character for me to celebrate the failure of Stephen Harper's grab for a Security Council seat. And yet, for some strange reason, I am doing a wild victory dance. WOO HOO! I guess he thought no one would notice all the retrograde stuff Canada has been doing and saying internationally for the past few years. The most disgusting part of the spectacle was our noble government snarling that their defeat was all Michael Ignatieff's fault. Like watching a schoolboy who has lost a race howl that it wasn't his fault, his competitor cheated.

I went on-line to see how the "Globe" handled this, and from what I could see, they reported it fair and square. I resubscribed. Come back to me, lovely colourful "Globe and Mail." We disagree on many things, but you have many very good columnists, who, with my dear funky juicy "Star," will keep me company through the long winter.

Had a great treat on Monday - in the morning, I stuffed the 19 pound turkey and got it into the oven, and then, when Anna and her friend Holly arrived, we all did some peeling and boiling and broiling - potatoes both orange and white, brussels sprouts, bread sauce, gravy, peas, corn bread. And then I went out for a jogette, wandering through the Farm and then the Necropolis, picking up red and yellow maple leaves for our centrepiece. Ran into a neighbour on the way home, who, when she heard we were having our Thanksgiving dinner that evening, cried, "Why aren't you at home going crazy?"

"Because," I said, "my staff is taking care of things."

And they were and did. Anna made a centrepiece of red leaves and candles and set the table with the best china and silver, on a hand-embroidered tablecloth from Zimbabwe, a 60th birthday present from Sarah Blin. The food was sublime - we tried brussels a new way, broiled then baked and tossed with balsamic vinegar, and a new sweet potato recipe, mixed with baked apples, cream and yogurt. Fab. There were ten of us, and we ate and drank vast quantities, and laughed even more, because Sam who doesn't stop with the jokes was in his usual fine form. And then the older guests drifted home, the younger guests loaded up containers with leftovers and left, and I had another little nibble of turkey and went to bed, giving thanks for healthy, hearty, happy children and friends. And, let's not forget, self. I've just heard from a beloved friend that there's a suspicious mass on one of her ovaries; she's in hospital to have it checked. And so a fresh round of prayers begins.

It's my son's 26th birthday today, and we're going to his restaurant for dinner. The sun is shining, the air is crisp and smoky, the trees are breathtaking, with leaves that have never been so richly coloured.

Thank you.

I hope you too had a great Thanksgiving, if that's what you were celebrating this past weekend. And if not, I hope you were celebrating something else.

Back to you Saturday.