Thanksgiving brings with it each year an opportunity for contemplation and revisiting the things, good and not so good, that have made up our lives over the past year. It has been a mixed bag for us. Earlier this year, we lost my darling Opie to a heart ailment. Every dog lover will tell you of that one special dog that changed their lives, the one they loved above every other beloved pet. For me, that dog was Opie. My heart aches each time I think of him, and I still find it hard to believe he’s gone. I am thankful Opie came into our lives, bringing with himself a lot of unpredictability, charm, sweetness, love and joy. I might never get over him, but I will never stop being grateful I had a chance to cuddle him and share my home with him for 13 years. This year, we added two new family members: Lily, a dog rescued from the streets of Puerto Rico, and Billy, a cat rescued from the streets of Norfolk, Virginia. Lily is a special needs dog who possibly faced horrible abuse on the streets in her early life (the left side of her sweet face shows signs of trauma, like a severe blow to the head), and we continue to work with her on issues that range from an extreme fear of strangers to refusing to allow even Desi and I to pick her up. It makes for some interesting times when we have to make a visit to the vet, but Lily’s slowly coming around. I am thankful she is now with us and will never again have to face a difficult life on the streets. I am thankful for Billy who is the feline version of Opie: cool as a cucumber, curious as anything, handsome, dapper and incredibly lovable. When he’s not trying to run out the front door or hunting mice in the basement, he is curled up somewhere on a blanket, fast asleep or grooming himself. There’s nothing in our home that Billy has not knocked off and tried to play with – including my computer CPU that he once managed to crash off the table and to the floor. He can be a royal pain at times, but I can’t imagine life without his purring, elegant presence around. I am thankful for Jay, our human son, who has been with us for two years now. Jay made our family complete. Our time together has not been without its struggles and difficulties, but it has also been a time of growing together and learning to love. When we brought him home from India, just days before Thanksgiving 2014, Jay was a six-year-old who could only speak Marathi, the language spoken by natives of Bombay, where the orphanage was. Now, at eight-and-a-half, he is a third grader who speaks fluent English and reads voraciously, especially non-fiction books about trains, planes and whales. He no longer talks constantly about life at the orphanage like he once did; his friends at school now occupy his mind and dominate his conversations. He even has a little crush on a girl named Maeve and will report to me each time she says hello. 🙂 For Desi, the love of my life, I am thankful every day. And I am thankful to all of you, the readers, cooks and animal lovers, who have been such an invaluable part of my life for the last nine years that I’ve been writing this blog. I am thankful for the love of cooking and eating compassionately and healthfully that we all share. And I am thankful for all those messages of love and encouragement I have received from you over the years. It is what keeps me cooking and writing late into the nights, even when I’d rather just watch TV. 🙂 Check to get new recipe updates by email.
What are you thankful for this year? I’d love to hear. A happy Thanksgiving to all! And now for that Spinach Chickpea Quiche.
More recipes to try:
Vegan Leek Quiche Vegan Sausage and Grits Quiche
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