Do you have permission to waltz?

“Please keep an eye on them. I’m going down to the beach for more water.”
“What if they try to escape?”
He handed her his stick.
“Bash their little heads, Miss Farnham. They’ll behave.”
She looked at him skeptically, but took the stick. Pompom sniffed all around the valise, then flopped down next to her, eyeing the pot with his head on his paws.
Alex returned and added water to the pot, careful not to let it fall below a boil. Eventually, after some whining (the dog) and grumbling (Miss Farnham), he pronounced the crabs ready for consumption. He extracted the crabs by using his stick to flip them into the air.
“Catch them, Daphne! Quick, before the dog grabs them!”
Holding the valise open, Miss Farnham dashed about, catching the manna as it fell from the heavens. The dog barked, and she laughed, and Alexander felt almost lighthearted.
He put it down to hunger.

--Castaway Dreams

I've always felt it's important to count your blessings as often as possible, but Thanksgiving gives us a special focus on being grateful for the little things--food, shelter, puppies, and people who love us.

I'm especially grateful for each and every one of my readers. When you take time to drop me a note saying you enjoyed my stories, it recharges my batteries and gets me back to the keyboard. Thank you. I couldn't do this without you.

As you celebrate today, remember those who do not have the blessings we all too often take for granted. Donate a book to a program for children living in a "literacy desert" (there are more than you suspect), volunteer to read to a youngster or an invalid, help your local public library when it has fundraising efforts. You're reading this because you love books (I only have the finest fans
!), so share that with those who do not have the blessings we enjoy.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!