I had a nice Thanksgiving, including a trip to a well-stocked buffet at St. Clair Winery and Bistro and a beautiful afternoon at White Sands National Monument. I skipped Black Friday and instead did a short hike at Soledad Canyon, a part of Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, and took a lovely drive through the pecan tree groves that surround Las Cruces to Chope’s Bar and Grill in La Mesa, a restaurant that has been feeding hungry New Mexico residents for around 100 years. It was kitschy and delicious.

I always like to think I have so many reasons to be grateful, but this year has been especially full of gifts from the world and people who surround me. I am grateful for the many wonderful friends, family, and coworkers in my life. Although I am far away from most of you right now, your help and love has been and continues to be heartwarming and amazing. Whether you purchased one of the many household items I hocked on Facebook, offered me a place to sleep, bought my artwork, said a kind word of encouragement, or supported me with any number of other gestures, I appreciate it more than you know. I absolutely would not be where I am now doing what I was doing without all of you fabulous people.

I’m thankful to have had safe and fun travels, to have good health, a strong body (at least for a 40-year-old), little desire or need for material things, and an adventurous spirit. I know that when the time comes for me to settle down again, this disposition will take care of me as much as it does now. 

Last but not least, I’m a little nervous, a little sad, and the tiniest bit grateful to be leaving Las Cruces on Thursday and heading to Austin, Texas, where I will spend the month of December. I’ve really enjoyed this city and the many wonderful sites that surround it in southern New Mexico. The mountains, the desert, the food, and the people have been delightful, warm, and welcoming. I can see why Las Cruces has doubled in population since 1990, and I look forward to this not being my last visit to the “City of the Crosses.”