Thanksgiving Guest

                                               Guest Fox: Laurie Ryan
                                                           By Jeff Salter 

            Have you ever been pulled over by a Police Officer when you were speeding but didn’t realize it?  Well, I wasn’t speeding and Laurie Ryan wasn’t a cop … but the imagery is appropriate.  My first encounter with Laurie could have turned out considerably less pleasant than it did.
            I had posted an invitation (to visit this blog) on one of RWA’s section mail groups.  I was unaware – my oversight – that type of ‘self-promotion’ was against that section’s rules [it relates to an issue of tax-exempt status].  Laurie – a moderator (which must be a thankless task) – intercepted my e-mail and reminded me of the rule.
            Normally, I’m not crazy about being corrected.  But Laurie was so gracious, it actually turned into a positive experience.  Imagine being pulled over by a gentle and big-hearted cop with a sense of humor!  So naturally I invited HER to visit this blog … and she did.  Then she wrote back that she was friends with one of the Resident Foxes!  Since then, Laurie has been a regular visitor here.
            So it’s wonderful to welcome Laurie as my Guest Fox for November.  Be sure to check on the new book by Laurie Ryan and Lavada Dee [at bottom, below]. 

                                                         Thanksgiving
                                                           By Laurie Ryan

             First off, I’d like to thank Jeff Salter for having me here. And for calling me a guest “fox”. I love it! Knowing how insightful and funny his blogs are, I’ll try to make this interesting.

Thanksgiving Day
            I have to wonder just how many folks will be here on Thanksgiving Day, but I’ll be checking in on this blog while visiting our godchildren for the holiday, always fun. And that’s not just because I don’t have to cook.  : )  When I thought about what to write for a Thanksgiving blog, I thought about Jeff’s ability to capture moments in time with his poetry. I wondered if maybe I should drag some of my poetry out. So I did. Lord, you do NOT want to listen to that drivel. Shades of “Stanyon Street and Other Sorrows”. [That’s one of Rod McKuen’s poetry books, by the way.] And I’m not comparing myself to the master, only saying that my words back then (post high school) were mired in what was missing in my life, instead of the good that was there for the taking.

What a Wonderful World
            As I write this blog, I’m listening to Celine Dion sing Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World”.  Is there any more perfect blending than her voice and his song? And what a great way to set the mood for today, when we reflect and give thanks for everything good in our lives.
                        I see trees of green.
                        Red roses, too.
                        I see them bloom,
                        For me and for you.
                        And I think to myself,
                        What a wonderful world.
            Okay, so it’s not Spring. In fact, I might have actually seen a snowflake last night. But the words themselves elicit a feeling of warmth and gratefulness.  I, for one, am thankful for a lot of things.

Memories and Blessings
            For Thanksgiving at my Grandma’s home as I was growing up. I remember: more cousins than I can count, card tables everywhere for a sit down dinner, homemade rolls from a “pinch of this” recipe no one could ever duplicate, and Grandpa’s slide show afterwards where we cousins snickered at each other’s baby pictures.
            For the family I’ve been blessed with, including my children and grandchildren.
            For a husband who is doing dishes at the moment to give me time to write this blog.
            And for the opportunities to meet people that writing has given me (and that I’ve finally managed, I think, to figure Tweetdeck out).

Things to be Thankful For
            I hope you have as many things to be thankful for as I do. I’ll leave you with a good reason to give thanks…the great Satchmo.

                        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5TwT69i1lU

            Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

 Laurie Ryan
www.laurieryanauthor.com
Twitter: lryanauthor 

            Laurie Ryan writes sensual stories of real-life characters thrust into extraordinary situations. Her love for happily-ever-after endings made the romance genre an easy choice. At home in the Pacific Northwest with her he-can-fix-anything hero and their gray tabby, Dude, she enjoys each season of the year and, especially, curling up with a cup of cocoa and a good story on a cold winter’s day.

 Holiday Magic, The Gift of Love—Available 12/1/2011
            A Two-story anthology by Lavada Dee and Laurie Ryan

            Healing Love, by Laurie Ryan
                          “In Sickness and in Health.”
            Nicole Milbourne’s single-minded focus on a medical research career is thrown for a loop when charismatic Dr. Damien Reed shows her there’s more to life than studying diseases. Will an unplanned, unexpected Christmas fill Nicole’s lonely heart and show her the healing power of love? 
            Here’s the ‘buy link’ —
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006896AQ0

 Question:
            Anything in particular that YOU are thankful for today?