I’m in the middle of kitchen mayhem, which isn’t really mayhem, because there are fewer things I enjoy than cooking, particularly for an occasion.  I’m in charge of appetizers for Chris’s mom’s house; by request I’m making seven-layer dip.  I’m also putting together an antipasto platter with some olives, salami, toasts, and  baked Brie, because the sneaky bastards at Whole Foods put it out as a sample and triple cream=awesome.  Although not an app, I really wanted to make Smitten Kitchen’s meyer lemon and fresh cranberry scones, so I’m doing that, and finally some type of carmelized onion/parmesano reggiano/puff pastry concoction.  We’ve got a Genius playlist based on a Colin Meloy song going, Asher is chewing on a rawhide bone.  All is well.

This year, there is much to be thankful for.  As always, I’m so thankful for Chris, particularly all the support he’s provided through this year, what with unemployment and graduate school.  He’s not complained once about anything, save for maybe his long commute.  He is my best friend and a true partner and I’m blessed to have formed a family with him.

I’m thankful for my family, particularly their understanding that driving up for Thanksgiving every year is tough.  I’m thankful that my brother has found a future wife that doesn’t suck that will be a welcome addition to the family.  I’m thankful that my parents still love me even though I’m crappy about calling as much as I should.  They are kind and generous people.

I’m so freaking thankful I got a job that doesn’t cause me to pull my hair out on the daily.  I’m thankful that I could leave my previous job and survive.

I’m thankful that I have two wonderful surrogate families here in St Louis: Chris’s family and my friends.  My dinner club ladies welcomed me into their longstanding friendship even though I didn’t go to Nerinx Hall.  You do not suck at all.  I’m thankful that the first dinner club baby, Owen Dennis Carr, was born healthy.

I’m so thankful that Barack Obama is our next president.  ‘Nuff said.

I’m also thankful for the following: good coffee, television shows that I can watch online, the Arcade Fire, that I have money to go to live shows, my sweet dog and kitteh, the bountiful tomato harvest we had this year, Othello (the game, not the play), cheaper airfares, the Gap sale rack, triple-cream brie, magazines, NPR, Rachel Maddow getting her own show, Bill Maher podcasts, free downloads that come with vinyl, documentary films, RSS feeds, my new blogger friends, BlogHer ‘09 in Chicago, YOU who read my blog, Dwight Schrute, Jeff my hair guy, the Shrewsbury MetroLink extension, last week’s episode of Survivor, that I got to eat at Niche twice this year AND Mathew Rice opened a bakery, that Shannon found happiness this year, bags with pockets, plants, baking soda as a cleansing agent, jeans that fit, a soon-to-be-paid-off car, and that my neck doesn’t look like a turkey’s.