Dang good day.

What made it good:

1. two workouts
2. good oatmeal for breakfast. The best, really.
3. great consults with students in the Student Writing Center. The best, really.
4. put on my new red dress. Again: the best.
5. considered what shoes to wear--and made the right call.

Then, I got to read at The King's English, and it was wonderful.

I was just about to write about how the literary reading is such a strange kind of event. But you know? I really felt so lucky tonight, lucky and happy. So whatever--the generosity and goodness and pleasure of this event--the affiliation, the kindness, the love--and if literary readings are strange, well then, so be it, because at least tonight, this one was so wonderful:

6. my mom and dad were there. Mom! Dad! I'm so glad you were there!
7. my daughter and her husband came, and brought floral good wishes from all the kids, and we went to dinner afterward--perfect.
8. so many good friends came. my friends are truly the best.
9. and acquaintances and people I didn't even know came. Thank you, everyone!
10. people I love who couldn't make it sent me kind notes, so sweet.
11. Ann Cannon the Great introduced me, especially precious to me since we have known each other forever. So good.
12. The King's English is a class joint, you guys. Let's all buy all our books there.

I'm like a bliss bomb right now. So happy.

September yada yada yada the darkest part of the year.

OR: The Year in Pictures, la troisième partie.

SEPTEMBER.

We had a last Labor Day hurrah in Idaho. Hurrah!

Huzzah!

Tiger RIP.

OCTOBER.

Ain't nothing but a beach thing. Hermosa Beach.

Possibly the raison d'etre for the L.A. Project: finding the Bartlett Motel, where my family stayed for six weeks when we moved there. I was fourteen. This motel had no swimming pool. We told the time by daytime game shows, sitcoms, and soaps, and we were damn good at it. Lomita holla!

NOVEMBER.

Risked the Continental Divide and also Rock Springs, WY, where many a better man's (and woman's) dreams have gone to die, to visit our friends George and Maureen in Clark. 'Twas swell.

I am thankful for my sisters and brother (sister E here, representing).

I am thankful for my aunts and uncles (darling Aunt Sal, also representing).

I am thankful for my whole family in all its nooks, crannies, and permutations, actually.

DECEMBER.

Events of all stripes--dutiful (finishing the semester, grading, fretting about grading), infelicitous (the sick), felicitous (I won an XBox!), and festive (tree, present-buying and -making, craftacular)--all culminated in the arrival home of this young man:

and we just couldn't be happier for him to hang up his suit and stick around for awhile.

Tomorrow: the Best of 2009. As promised.

The thankful list.

So here's what's going on, the night before T-day:

I am watching Dirty Sexy Money. We had an impromptu dinner out with running son, college daughter, singing son and his wife, me and the historian. In the oven, there are squashes and pumpkins roasting. That's all the preparation I'm doing tonight, which is possible because I'm going down to Utah Valley for dinner with my mom and dad, sisters and their families, my brother's son and daughter, and my darling auntie. So all I'm bringing is a pumpkin pie, a green salad, and a couple of vegetable dishes.

Which leaves me plenty of time to tell you some of the things and people I am thankful for. My daughter the makeup artist said she always makes a list of 100 things she's thankful for every Thanksgiving. I started my list while I was responding to portfolios on Monday, so as it turns out, I'm not finished with it, but here are some excerpts:

1. love of my husband
2. how wonderful each of my children is
9. drinking a pot of tea while working
17. happy marriages for my kids
18. good relationship with my former
29. writing group
30. bruiser
31. betty
32. a washing machine
37. farmer’s market
38. movies
39. my comfy chair
40. the end of every teaching day
41. when I see evidence that my students have learned something

Of course, I also have grandchildren and friends to list: little Miriam, Evie, and Deacon; Carter, Alex, David, Jenna, and Rachel; Mary Sue, Ann, Jill; Jen, Allison, Lynn, Melissa, Jason, Clint, Ron, Stephen, and Jennifer. I love the fact that my children have good friends that I've been allowed to know. I am grateful for my wonderful parents and my splendid siblings. Tonight, with no work tomorrow and the prospect of a lovely family day, I feel like my whole life is a blessing. My life is good.