PIZZA, PARANOIA, & PINEAPPLE

365 DAYS OF THANKSLIVING — DAY 173

Thank Goodness It’s Friday! Would you agree? Sometimes, it’s just one of those weeks. This one hasn't been bad, not by any means. I t ’ s j u s t f e l t k i n d a l o n g. Know what I mean there, Vern?

Since it’s been a marathon, let’s set a timer, shall we? Seventeen minutes on the clock. Besides, the pizza just went in the oven—a good ol' take-n-bake Pescara with spicy Italian snausage and pineapple. Yes, pineapple. Deal with it. We pineapple lovers already won the argument.

Here’s the deal: if you don’t like that perfectly innocent tropical fruit on your za-za, then you’re just fruity loops. Pick it off, for Pete’s sake. Why do all y’all non-pineapple eaters feel the need to start a holy war over it? You's guys are probably the exact same people who put the toilet paper roll on backward. Seriously, about that tropical fruit... just pick it off, man. Okay, enough of my snarky rant. I’m kinda feisty tonight. Could you tell?

Anyway, with the zaza baking away, smelling like sweet victory, and me blathering on, the tick-tock already has 10 minutes left. So, I’d better just get on with it and bang out this piece so I can actually get it posted and enjoy my Friday night.

My title kinda says it all; tonight I’m thankful for a random assortment of things. I want to give a quick nod to my AI partner who acts as my proverbial English teacher and constantly corrects my unintentionally bad grammar and horrendous spelling. Here’s to you, G!

This evening, I’m incredibly grateful for my wife’s safe arrival home after a full day of driving around shopping in the rain. She’s one of the most cautious drivers I know; it’s just everyone else on the road that gives me pause. I’ve had this strange phobia for years that one day a pair of police officers will knock on my door with bad news that she didn’t make it home. I guess I fear being without her more than anything else. Thankfully, God heard my prayers and put my irrational fear to rest.

I’m also thankful for the rain that’s been steadily falling most of the day. Our yard has been dreadfully dry. Last fall, being so dry with new seed in the ground, and probably a bad batch of fertilizer, it burned. Again, the gents at the church reseeded. Praying this time it takes root, grows, and becomes healthy again.

I’m eternally grateful, too, for a member of our church who’s a saint of all saints. I’m not gonna call her out by name; she’d probably hate me bragging on her and all. That said, her pastoral heart for others is mind-blowingly astounding. The Holy Spirit works through this one, I tell ya!

I’m thankful for a good night’s sleep last night, and all the fill of “my daily bread” the Lord has graciously given (including the Italian za-za kind).

I’m grateful for life and breath in my lungs, especially after hearing about Kyle Busch’s untimely and all-too-young death.

And, because I called it out earlier, I’m thankful for the artificial brain that helps me bring this blog to you nightly. Most of those images are AI creations. It’s not conscious, nor does it have a soul, or feelings, or anything else that makes us human. That said, it can be used for good, for things exactly like this.

Okay, the timer’s down to one minute. With that, I’m also grateful for all of you who continue to read these posts night after night. Thank you to all of you. Your reading is keeping me going.

Okay, the pizza is done. That’s my cue. Time to chow down on that delicious pineapple, then post this and chill out for the night. Blessings my friends, I’ll see ya tomorrow.