THANKFUL THURSDAY

 Thankful Thursday

Always thankful for the sunshine each day that I am blessed to have the sun rise and we can enjoy the warmth of it.

Yesterday was the 37th anniversary of the loss of my mom's sister Ann. She is the lady next to my mom (holding me). My poor mother. I was bigger and my mother was always so small. I feel badly, I must have been a very needy child back then. But always thankful these were some of my people. My aunt passed away 8 days after my father in 1985 and it was terrible blow to my mother. They had lost their baby sister to pancreatic cancer in 1977. Auntie Annie had ALS or Lou Gerhig's disease. My uncle Frank, her husband, and the lone fellow in this photo, took care of my aunt until the end. It stillmakes me sad that they are all gone. Auntie Elsie on the far right of this photo passed away in 1986, from liver cancer. My poor mother. She was the only one who passed peacefully from old age as all her siblings passed away from terrible diseases. Her brother Tony perished in the gold mning accident with their father in 1927 when my mother was a young girl. Life was so very hard and they all made the very best of it. I am very thankful these were my people.

Thinking of all these beautiful and handsome loved ones today on Maundy Thursday. Easter was always a big holiday and a week filled with church activities when I was growing up. I learned so very much during my upbringing and will be forever thankful for it all. My mother-in-law was a pretty lady and I love this photo of her holding a lamb on the farm. I am so thankful them all, Rita, like my own mother, was a great cook and I will forever miss all the wonderful meals they prepared for us.

Thankful always for humor, when days can be sad. The Family Circus is one of the best cartoons we would find on the "funny pages" in the daily newspaper.  Dolly showing Jeffy how to wink! Just priceless.