My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.
1. Buying my first bunch of mid-fall Southern fresh collards at our favorite little neighborhood grocer here in Savannah, The Red and White.
With hog jowls, adding the flavor of yesteryear and Granny. Dinner tonight with Beef Brisket and my jalapeño cornbread.
2. Napping with Benny.
3. The ability to REMEMBER.
What is something you remember with fondness this Friday?
Right now I’m remembering how excited Robert was last Christmas sitting between Santa and Mrs. Claus.
And I realize I’ve had almost a year now to tell HR that there is no real Santa, but with that smile, I just can’t quite bring myself to do it.
4. Pain medication when we need it.
5. The glorious Introduction to the Holidays Robert and I experienced today at the annual Holly Days Luncheon and Bazaar hosted by the incredible women of St. John’s Church here in Savannah.
We’ve been walking across the Historic District for years now to experience this delicious snd elegantly festive day.
The lunch was held at the church’s beautifully historic Green-Meldrim House, which …
I opted for the BBQ plate, HR the salad trio.
We were GREATLY distracted while eating our lunch because of the Huge Dessert Table right next to us.
I chose the Red Velvet Cake with homemade whipped cream, while Robert got the Guinness Chocolate Cake with whipped cream and fruit compote. (He’s fancy.). He asked for a tall glass of glass of Guinness to go along with it, but he did not get what he asked for.
And post-lunch we loved walking through the Silent Auction area.
Look! A Nanny Bench! (Truthfully, I had never heard of such a thing before.)
See that little railing on the left side. That’s where Nanny plops down Baby so she can snooze a bit while rocking the bench.
Speaking of sitting, check out this beautiful little window alcove.
Let’s get closer and into the light.
Do you think it would be okay if I sat down for just a sec on that gigantic comfy- and angelic-looking pillow?
By the way, it was the golden mirror for sale, not the pretty pillow. My silent offer of $4.99 didn’t get very far, darn it.
But we did pick up a couple of books …
… and some homemade vegetable soup for another day …
We were certainly Well Fed in Every Way at this year’s fun-filled Holly Days.
May you have a healthy weekend and be Fed with a substantial Serving of Joy.
NealEnJoy 
I loved everything about this post … once I got past the collard greens that were making me feel … well, I will only say that you can keep those all for yourself 🤢. That said, the rest of the post is great … love all the sweets at Holly Days, and my very favourite is the picture of Robert with Mr. & Ms. Santa last year! No, don’t ruin it for him … let him keep believing another year or two!
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Lol about collard greens! Okay, I won’t tell him about Santa this year, but I can make no promise for the next
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😉
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What a beautiful gratitude journal—each moment feels like a little treasure gently held and lovingly shared. From the comforting nostalgia of fresh collards and family recipes, to the tenderness of napping with Benny, to the gift of remembering with a full heart… every line radiates warmth and sincerity.
Your reflections about Robert and the magic of Santa are especially touching—there’s something precious about choosing wonder over practicality, even just for a little while longer.
And the way you describe Savannah’s Holly Days and the charm of the Green-Meldrim House brings the whole scene to life—festive, elegant, and joyously human.
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I love your comments! They are always so very beautifully sincere. Thank you so much.
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Thank you so much for your beautiful and heartfelt reflection. I truly appreciate the depth with which you connected to the poem. Your words add even more meaning to the journey it describes, and I’m grateful for your thoughtful encouragement.
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