The View From The Loft – November 2018

By Jim Coleman, View from the Loft

Here is what I’m thankful for.  The election is OVER!!!!

At this writing I don’t know the outcome, but regardless, I’m thankful that I don’t have to listen to it anymore.

Speaking of “thankful”… it’s that time of year.  I often say Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Actually, my favorite holiday is whichever one we are fixin to have.  I do, however, have a special affinity for Thanksgiving and for some very good reasons.

First of all, it’s a beautiful time of year.  The end of fall, the crispness in the air, the rustle of leaves and the smell of spices that go particularly well with our favorite autumn dishes all make it a wonderful time of year.  Lest you think I just got hit by the Hallmark bus, I will qualify that last description by pointing out that those things are true unless you live here.

In Georgia, it might be 30 degrees, it might be 80 degrees, the leaves may have all been blown away by the last tornado warning, you may need to cut the grass before the family comes and one of my fondest memories … you might even have sliced tomatoes from the back yard for Thanksgiving lunch.

Like many of you I have fond memories of Thanksgiving over the years.  I remember the extended family at my grandparent’s house in South Georgia with eight choices for dessert; hosting formal Thanksgiving with all the china, silver and crystal (including the three-day prep and the three-day clean-up); relaxed Thanksgiving at the lake where everybody was in jeans and t-shirts and the dishes were disposable;  really fancy Thanksgiving at the Ritz-Carlton with a band in the middle of the buffet table, lavender infused turkey and a bill commensurate with all those amenities; and my favorite one, being a guest at my daughter and grill-master son-in-law’s home for a meal complete with smoked quail. All I brought were the dining room chairs … and I left them there.

I can’t close without a list of things I’m thankful for.  I’m thankful for back-up cameras, non-stick cookware, khakis with elastic waistbands, computers that correct grammar and spelling (I don’t have that on this one), dogs that weigh nine pounds, people who find it necessary to fly on private jets (which keeps me employed), government checks that are automatically deposited into my account and red wine.

Take a moment and make your own list.  Happy Holidays.

(Jim Coleman is twice retired as a financial advisor and flight attendant. A theatre geek, musician, arts administrator and preservationists, he lived a relatively obscure life until he crossed paths with Corby Winters. Jm choose Newnan as his new forever home five years ago and is dedicated to making our community the best it can be.)