My Birth Daughter's Annual Thanksgiving Letter

Nov. 21, 2012

Dear McKenna:

We have circled another year again and you have a new Thanksgiving letter to add to the pile.

I can't believe you're going to be 13 next year!

I love hearing you play piano and I smile in my heart when I see you cheer. You're so cute with your little moves!

You have accomplished so much this past year and I'm so very proud of you.

Your drum teacher says for your small size, you make up for it with a big personality. I think that's so very cool!

There are many times throughout the day that I think about you and smile, wondering what you're doing at that moment and marvel at how nothing slows you down.

One of my favorite movies about Thanksgiving is on right now, “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles” with Steve Martin and John Candy. When you're older you will enjoy it. When it came out in 1987, my sister Cindy and I went to see it. It's hilarious and they always have it on TV this time of year. Cindy and I will still talk about that movie and know all the lines. Every time it's on, I tell her. It always puts me in a good mood. Whenever they show it on TV I'll leave it on just to make me happy.

Cindy and I saw the movie when it came out at our hometown theater, Cobb Center Theater. We saw a ton of movies there, in Smyrna, Georgia. We had a lot of good memories there. These two guys in this movie are total opposites, hysterical.

Humor is great to get you through tough times. That's one of the things I've learned. Cindy has taught me that, too.

Some of the people I've known who have gone through a lot more than me have learned to cope with it through laughter. They say laughter can heal a lot.

My Great Grandma Minnie Hooker was a very positive, funny, uplifting person who lived to be 102 and I think one reason why was because of her personality. I can still picture her eyes lighting up when she would laugh or smile. On visits she would put her hand over yours and look deep into your eyes as if she were looking into your soul. She was a very special person. I wish you could meet her. But I can tell you one thing. She was full of spunk, just like you! And your Aunt Cindy, my sister.

I have a lot of good Thanksgiving memories. Homemade collard greens. Maybe you'll try them some time. This is Southern cooking from where I grew up. Dressing that would melt in your mouth. Homegrown vegetables.

I remember in college when I would come home to visit we all would go see a movie after dinner. Now I watch a DVD though I still love going to the movies. We'd take walks around the neighborhood to walk off our dinner also. I remember swinging on the tire swing in the backyard when I was your age for what seemed like hours. I just loved it! There's lots more I'll share with you as I think of it.

You will make your own memories, too and you will share them with your children and grandchildren.

I love you and hope you have a very special Thanksgiving!

Love,

Terri

Feral Friends Needs Volunteers for Holidays - TX

http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=vfs86rbab&v=001UIzoyTILna3Kl28y6w_f-5vPjna1mGIIx_uU5X5u30brGaeMhiHPM7Kxq5JS91XStJPM2itdILSC4WPFdllpqqHDDxx8tiDIBx4SZdY2E_kxikuZ3ASeqMPQ17FJmG5MTFkWgWJPHlc%3D

Food Park Fund-raiser - Fort Worth

Help provide a unique camping experience for children with special needs by simply having an awesome gustatory experience. From 6:30pm 'til close this Thursday at Fort Worth Food Park (2509 Weisenberger St, W 7th corridor, 817-862-7289), a percentage of all sales (including alcohol) will go toward Camp John Marc, a nonprofit group devoted to bringing together the great outdoors and special-needs children. There'll also be live music, games, and more.

Zio Carlo Fund-raiser - Fort Worth

 To benefit the Brooklyn victims of Superstorm Sandy, the good folks at Zio Carlo Magnolia Brew Pub (1001 W Magnolia Av, Near Southside, 817-923-8000) are hosting a fund-raiser on Saturday at 8pm. Proceeds from a raffle and 10 percent of Zio Carlo's sales will be donated to the Brooklyn Community Foundation, a nonprofit agency dedicated to the New York City borough. 

Me as an octopus, 10-27-12

Me as an octopus, 10-27-12:

Posting for someone (dog found running loose)

Female
Maybe 6 months old according to teeth
8-10 pounds
Chocolate brown with green eyes

Might be a mixture of dachshund/chi but hard to tell.
Looks to be in good health.
A little timid but warms up nicely to people.
No collar and doubtful in the area she was found there is any chip info. Strays run rampant there.
From: Karen McCarley [mailto:karen@wme.org]

Tex-Toberfest

From now through Sunday, The Live Oak Music Hall & Lounge (1311 Lipscomb St, Near Southside, 817-926-0968) will be the site of German food, Texas craft beers, and rollicking tunes. Tickets to The Live Oak's inaugural Tex-Toberfest are $10-15.

Open Streets

The Near Southside's West Magnolia Avenue will be shut off from vehicular traffic and turn into a bicycling, skateboarding haven noon-4pm Sunday as part of the neighborhood's regular Open Streets celebration. Food trucks, face painting, yoga classes, live music, and art activities will round out this family-friendly event. Admission is free.

SMALL DOGS NEED HOME - VERY VERY BONDED - VERY VERY SWEET‏

This email was sent to me Wed.: From: Debbie Danilow  (debdanilow@sbcglobal.net) Subject: SMALL DOGS NEED HOME - VERY VERY BONDED - VERY VERY SWEET (This email was sent to me Wed.): Yesterday saw three dogs coming down the street from Taco Bueno in my neighborhood. Stopped and they all ran to me. Another woman stopped to help and then they slipped into a fence on the back side of the first row of houses. I thought they lived there and all was well. I made  note of the house so I could tell the owner to fix the fence hole. Tonight I saw them running down the middle of the main street in the midst of heavy traffic. I turned and headed for the house on the corner. I rang the doorbell. Nope..not her dogs...talk to the neighbor. Rang his doorbell. Nope..not his dogs..but he has seen them running in the street for four days he says. We see them running down the block and I say 'there were three yesterday'. I follow them down the block. A woman and her husband are sitting on their porch with their schnauzer. The little maltipoo runs up to her porch wagging its whole body. She throws her schnauzer into the house, slams the door and starts trying to kick the little maltipoo. I ask why. She says they have been running on the street for a week. I say 'there were three yesterday'. She says 'there were four last week'. My heart sinks. I put the two dogs in my car. I begin talking to my neighbors about the dogs. I am told they have been following everyone for days. I am told someone in the neighborhood located the owners and the owners came to get them (they originally had tags) and the next day the dogs were loose again. I am told this time the owners never showed up again. The tags are now gone. These are very very very sweet dogs and VERY BONDED TO ONE ANOTHER. I did the best I could for photos; they are wiggly and curious. I must find a place for them to go. I am full and have rescues already. I will not take them to the shelter; they are euthanizing everything because of a distemper outbreak. Do you know anyone who would want these babies? They need a rescue or home ASAP.

Mom's looking to buy porch swing - Atlantic Beach, FL

My mom's looking for 5 ft. cedar porch swing for yard. Please email me phone number to wordtrix@hotmail.com. Price range $50.00-$100.00.