Thanksgiving came and I enjoyed it, all 24 hours of it! I smelled pies, turkey, dressing and homemade rolls baking. It started on Wednesday evening and lasted until late on Thursday. I am thankful, and I hope the many do not just use the one day to be thankful. I am so thankful all year long.

My poor old TV was rocking with the Black Friday ads all last week. We couldn’t even escape while watching the news as the anchor men also discussed the Black Day. I don’t know if any were trampled to death as the doors opened at the given hour. I suspect when the doors flew open, it was like a huge vacuumsucking in the hundreds, their fists full of green they needed to spend!

My close relative advised me that we needed to go to one of the stores to retrieve a certain gift for a certain Grand. I informed her that I had fence to fix and some other important business to take care of here on the rock pile!

A neighbor to the east came by to borrow my front-end loader blade. He was gonna blade his drive and see about getting some gravel to top it off. I’d like to have twenty loads of creek gravel to use all around the gates and the hay yards.I believe some of the tire sucking areas have had many loads applied and it just keeps sinking. Not on the home place, I have a terrible time driving in a post it is so rocky here.

I was glad to see the feller and visit a little. We talked about the weather, cattle prices, and then he told me his niece, his sister’s daughter, has been diagnosed with cancer. That little girl is four years old. He said she was being taken care of and seemed to be doing better, but they didn’t think her prognosis was very good.

When the neighbor left, I gathered up my toolsand headed for the house. I yelled at my close relative to get ready because we were going to see the Grands and take them for ice cream. I didn’t talk about the neighbor’s visit, just stored it away for the evening. I knew I’d tell the story later, in the dark, a whole lot better.

I loved the ice cream and, of course, the best part was listening to the Grands as they licked up their special treats. We always let them order whatever flavors they want and they come up with some wild ones. The trip repaired the heartache, but I still feel awful sorryfor the sick child and her family.

It is my opinion, and everyone has one, a thousand reasons listed on paper couldn’t begin to cover my blessings. You can’t count the stars, soar like the eagles or keep promises made in haste. What we can do is remember how we are blessed and be thankful to the one who provides. Take care to do just that and here’s hoping your days of flaming turkey wings are already spent!

Bill is a pen name used by the Gravette author of this weekly column.

Opinion, Pages 6 on 11/28/2012