Hello November

I know we all say it a lot it is amazing and unbelievable that we are in November already. Another year is about to finish and we will be moving to 2016.

This time of the year we look forward to the holidays. We began with Halloween to end October and Thanksgiving in November and finish off with Christmas or Hanukah in December.

Here in Gig Harbor there are several bazaars happening where you can buy presents throughout the month.  I like bazaars because the makers of the gifts make them like they are homemade. I know that not everyone has the time to make them, or like me has no talent. I always like getting gifts like that instead of what you find in a store.

Christmas season always seems to come earlier each year. The stores I found this year they not only had Halloween candy but decorations for Christmas. Personally I wish they would wait until Thanksgiving were open; however, I do understand for many businesses it the busiest time of the year and the most profitable.

I look forward to hearing music as well this time of the year. The one thing though just like stores beginning early shopping sales Christmas music seems to start earlier each year. I know some people like it that way because they can get into the spirit. Personally I prefer waiting until the last two weeks of December. I am sure some will say humbug Herb. I would not mind so much if the same songs were not repeated over and over again.

When I was growing up I always look forward to Thanksgiving. Our cousins from Seattle would come along with my father’s business partner. Later on when my sister got married than her in-laws would come for Thanksgiving. We would go to their place for Christmas.

What made Thanksgiving interesting because of the amount of adults they would eat at the big table and we would eat in our entertaining room for dinner. Every year I could not wait until I was old enough to be invited to the big table. I was so excited when that day finally arrived. I really felt all grown up. Eventually everyone was at the big table. It was not long after my first year because they couldn’t leave my younger brother at the little peoples table by himself. He was the youngest even among the cousins.

What we welcome in November is a lot of rain and winds. This year it started with Halloween having over an inch of rain and winds up to around 35 miles an hour. Fortunately though some tree limbs came down the electricity did not go out. Where I live the power lines are underground so less chance of power failure now unless a transformer goes out. I am not sure what year it was but I do remember there was a Thanksgiving where the power went out. It was such a power outage that Vancouver, British Columbia was out as well. My sister was living there at the time and my older brother Dick was spending Thanksgiving with them. He was not a very happy camper because they did not have Thanksgiving Dinner. We had the dinner that night though it was delayed because of power outage. We have had some other close calls over the years at Thanksgiving as well.

Another tradition for us who like professional football is having the Dallas Cowboys and the Detroit Lions having home games each year. Also, the National Basketball Association has some games played that day too. I remember the Seattle Supersonics had a big game against the Boston Celtics on Thanksgiving in 1967 the very first year of the Sonics existence. I don’t remember the final score though I am sure I find it by searching on line but I do remember the Sonics were leading by a very large margin. I was so excited that I had to tell others who were over for Thanksgiving what the Sonics were doing to the Celtics that day. I am not sure any of them really believed me since the Sonics were an expansion team and the Celtics were the World Champions. What a great day for young fan like me. I listen to every word and action that day.

Now that most of those adults back in those days are gone I find it so sad. I am though happy to have the memories of Thanksgiving. Since my sister and younger brother are living on the east coast Thanksgiving certainly is not the same as back then though I am thankful for all of our blessings.

I am sure we will continue with a lot of raining days and winds in November it will be joyful when the sun comes out as well. Right now we are three weeks away from Thanksgiving we can look forward to the turkey and stuffing although I have to watch what I eat these days. Welcome November we are glad you are here and we can think about the memories of the past and making new ones. Happy Holidays everyone.