Like many of you, Dawn and I will be enjoying Thanksgiving dinner with family. But this year, with our house still under renovation and with the size of our family, we collectively decided that, this year, we should let someone else cook the turkey - and do the dishes! So we’ll be among the thousands of families that, for one reason or another, will be enjoying Thanksgiving dinner at a restaurant.

Oh, I know, it’s not the same as sitting around your own dinner table and saying, “Pass the gravy.” But, except for Dawn and I, none of our family have a table that can accommodate all thirteen of us. And this year, we’ll have three additional guests! So we’ve picked a nice restaurant we know will do a first rate job and, when we’ve all eaten our fill, we’ll just push away from the table… and leave the cleanup to someone else.

Of course, the best part of the holiday for us, besides the magnificent dinner table, is having my family together. We’ll miss James this year - he’ll be celebrating with Liz and her family - but there’s always something wonderful about having family come together, give thanks and share a fine meal. I love the family part the most.

Lori introduced a new family tradition a couple years ago where we all wrote down the things we were thankful for during the year to be read aloud at the dinner table the following year. I doubt the setting this year will be conducive, but I hope we do it next year. It’s a great tradition! Dawn and I have so much to be thankful for and making “Thanks” part of our Thanksgiving is what it’s all about. And a great way to begin is to remember how it all began.

The first Thanksgiving in Plymouth, Massachusetts, starred the Pilgrims, Squanto and the friendly Wampanoag tribe led by Massasoit, who celebrated a bountiful harvest and the promise of making it through the harsh New England winter. Here are some lesser-known facts about that first Thanksgiving in 1621:

Squanto was a Patuxet Indian who almost single-handedly saved the first Pilgrims from starving to death. He taught them how to catch eels and trap fish during their spring run, plant corn and pumpkins and trap beavers. He helped the Pilgrims despite having been captured and sold into slavery by an English sea captain. According to Peter Marshall and David Manuel in The Light and the Glory, Squanto was shipped to Malaga, Spain, where he was rescued by local friars, and eventually returned to Plymouth, where he discovered not one member of his tribe was left alive.

During that first Thanksgiving celebration, the Wampanoags brought to the feast fat wild turkeys and introduced the Pilgrims to a local delicacy called popcorn. Next time you enjoy some at the movies, thank the Wampanoags, not Orville Reddenbacher.

They celebrated that first Thanksgiving in October, not November. In 1941, Congress issued a national proclamation setting our observance of Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November.

During the winter of 1621-22, an influx of new settlers eventually forced the pilgrims to live on a daily ration of five kernels of corn a piece. At the next Thanksgiving, Marshall and Manuel noted, “the first course that was served ‘…on an empty plate in front of each person were five kernels of corn… lest anyone should forget.’”

We have a lot to be thankful for, as those first pilgrims did. And for all its faults, we live in a country where we can write, speak and worship freely, and where we can attempt to right wrongs without being thrown in jail or exiled. Solomon wrote, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Well, where there is no thankfulness, people sour, slowly, like leftover cranberry sauce. We need Thanksgiving, if for no other reason than to remember that while there may be only five kernels of corn on our plate, there are still five, and that the promise of harvest is only a season or two away.

For all the blessings bestowed upon us, Thanksgiving should serve as a day of thanks and praise. But I’m afraid some of us have lost sight of the holiday’s intended purpose.

Sure, most of us will gather tomorrow and share in the “bountiful harvest” with friends and family. But too many of us will see it as what sadly has become a day dedicated to sports and retail pursuits. We’ll settle in front of the television to watch football or strategically plan Friday’s trip to the mall for the big “Day After” sales.

Now, I’ll be the first to admit that not all my Thanksgivings have resembled a Norman Rockwell painting. But I’d like to think that, as I get older, my thoughts will focus on what’s really important. So with that in mind, here are a few things I’m thankful for this year.

I have a wonderful family. I’ve been blessed with caring, honest, hard working parents, great brothers, a beautiful and loving wife, four wonderful children, four terrific grandchildren and a wonderful extended family, all of whom love me unconditionally. Yet I am mindful that there are many less fortunate.

I’m thankful for my career. Building my business has been a source of enjoyment and pride over the years and I’m thankful that I’ve been able to influence and provide a livelihood for many fine people over the last 36 years.

I’m glad I live in California. We enjoy a relatively mild climate, magnificent parks, countless pristine lakes, majestic mountains and the Pacific Ocean with some of the most beautiful coastline anywhere.

I’m thankful for the roof over my head. The recent fires in southern California were a reminder that there are people who have no permanent place to rest theirs. No one who stays warm and dry night after night should complain when there are others who have no place to sleep.

I have more than enough to eat. It’s sad to think that, while so many of us are worried about our growing waistlines, there are many who are dying of starvation or are uncertain when they’ll see their next meal.

I’m glad - and proud - I’m an American.

I’m thankful that there are men and women who have and will defend my rights as an American. You don’t have to agree with the war in Iraq, or any conflict in which the United States has ever been engaged, to know that our military will always be there to protect us. Supporting our troops is critical if we are to continue enjoying the freedoms we too often take for granted.

And I’m thankful for a lifetime of good friends. I’ve had many over the years, some who have passed on but are still with me in spirit, some with many miles between us but with whom I still enjoy a connection, and a dear few who are like family, as close as friends can be. For those I am especially thankful.

Yes, I’m indeed fortunate. Sure, I’ve been given my share of mountains, but the climb has always been worth the effort. Life is good. I’m a very thankful man.

Have a happy Thanksgiving everyone!

For her birthday, I had arranged for Dawn (and I) to participate in an authentic Japanese tea ceremony, something she has wanted to experience for many years. As a special honor, ours was overseen by Sekino-sensei, the 93-year-old teacher at Nichi Bei Kai in San Francisco, and hosted by her daughter-in-law, a master of tea ceremony. John, a senior practitioner, acted as her assistant as well as our interpreter and teacher.

Tea ceremony (茶道, chadō - “the way of tea”) is a traditional ritual based on Taoism (Daoism) and influenced by Zen Buddhism in which powdered green tea is ceremonially prepared by a skilled practitioner and served to a small group of guests in a tranquil setting, in our case a traditional tea room. Since a tea practitioner must be familiar with the production and types of tea, with kimono, calligraphy, flower arranging, ceramics, incense and a wide range of other disciplines and traditional arts in addition to his or her school’s tea practices, the study of the tea ceremony takes many years and often lasts a lifetime. Even to participate as a guest in a formal tea ceremony requires knowledge of the prescribed gestures and phrases, the proper way to take tea and sweets, and general deportment in the tea room. Although Dawn and I had done some research on the subject of tea ceremony, each of the three major schools conduct their various ceremonies differently, so we relied heavily on John for instruction and guidance.

A significant part of the experience is becoming acquainted with the tools (道具, dōgu) and components used in the ceremony. There are many, but briefly they include a large iron pot which, in winter, is set into a recessed hearth and used to heat the water; a long bamboo ladle (hishaku 柄杓) with a nodule in the approximate center of the handle, used to transfer water to and from the iron pot; the tea caddy (natsume 棗) containing powdered green tea (matcha (抹茶); the tea scoop (chashaku 茶杓), usually carved from a single piece of bamboo or ivory and used to scoop tea from the tea caddy into the tea bowl; the whisk (chasen 茶筅), carved from a single piece of bamboo and used to mix the powered tea and water; and, of course, the tea bowl (chawan 茶碗). The best bowls are thrown by hand and some are extremely valuable, even priceless. Frequently named by their creators or owners, or by a tea master, bowls over four hundred years old, like the 16th century Black Raku chawan pictured below, are in use today but are used only on unusually special occasions. We were honored to use such a bowl in our ceremony.

Integral to the Japanese tea ceremony, and by far the most difficult part for me, is seiza, the basic position from which everything begins and ends. Both the host and guests sit seiza style, basically kneeling and sitting back on one’s feet, and maintain the position during the entire ceremony. All the bows performed during tea ceremony originate in the seiza position. If one isn’t used to sitting in this position for long periods of time, it can be quite uncomfortable, even painful. It certainly was for me, although Dawn had little difficulty.

Because ours was a somewhat formal ceremony, both our host and her assistant wore kimonos and we, had we owned them, would have been expected to wear kimonos as well. Dawn was the honored guest and so sat in the first position, with me to her left. She was served first and was the one to whom fell the honor of requesting permission for us to inspect the utensils before they were put away.

Our experience was memorable, enlightening and educational, a treasured glimpse into an ancient custom and culture. We were welcomed into another world and treated as honored guests. It was a wonderful and humbling experience!

Following the ceremony, we watched a student learning the intricacies of serving “thick tea.” I took the opening photo before we departed - left to right are John, our host’s assistant and our guide; Sekino-sensei, the school’s 93-year-old teacher; Dawn, the birthday girl and guest of honor; our host, Sekino-sensei’s daughter-in-law; and a student observer.

Today is my wonderful wife’s birthday and I want it to be as special for her as she is to me. So we’ll be spending her day in San Francisco doing things that she wants to do. We’ll visit the Asian Art Museum, spend time in Golden Gate Park, and experience an authentic, private Japanese tea ceremony conducted by a teacher of the ancient art of tea. And we’ll have lunch in the City and dinner somewhere special when we return. Happy birthday, Sweetheart!

Many of you may not know Dawn, so here are a few photos (click to enlarge). World, meet Dawn. Dawn, world.

Dakota, my second grandson, is in Oregon this week visiting his other grandparents. John is a fireman there and, some years ago, revived this beautiful old fire truck. He’s taken Dakota for rides on it many times over the years but, this week, look who’s driving!

Thanks Lori!

Just had to share this cute photo from Shannon of my youngest grandson, Connor, helping pick out this year’s Halloween pumpkins…

Before the day is over, I want to thank one more veteran for her sacrifice and military service. I’ve known her for a long time and know first hand how proud she was to serve her country.

She joined the U.S. Navy after high school over the objections of her father, who wanted her to finish college before considering military service, and spent five long years away from home as a cryptographer stationed in Adak, Alaska, Pearl Harbor and at sea. She held a Top Secret security clearance and handled Top Secret intelligence on a daily basis, the same kind of sensitive classified data that landed John Walker Jr. in federal prison for selling to the Soviets.

She spent months at sea, often shadowed for days by Russian ships. She became highly proficient with 9mm handguns, M-14s and M-16s, consistently taking top honors in shooting competitions. And for a time she worked in a military correctional institute in direct contact with prisoners.

Like all our deployed service men and women, she was sometimes homesick. But she was dedicated and did her job proudly and well.

Today she sometimes jokes about her Navy days - I think all vets do that from time to time - but what she was doing was serious and necessary. This Navy veteran, this woman I’m so very proud of, if you haven’t already guessed, is my daughter. Strong, determined and now with a family of her own, she continues to make me proud. Thank you, Shannon. Happy Veterans Day.

Dawn and I visited Superman Jacob last evening and I’m happy to report that he seems to be recovering nicely from his accident. The biggest problem: He’s a 6-year-old boy, and a rambunctious one at that! He’s supposed to take it easy, rest, keep his arm elevated. But that’s all easier said than done for an active superhero!

Dawn and I drove straight from the office to Rick and Kim’s house, so we picked up pizza on the way since Eric, one of Chris’ friends, was staying over and we knew everyone would be hungry. And we brought pirate and Superman helium balloons along with some things to occupy Jacob during his convalescence - a microscope and a collection of magnets - things he could enjoy while resting on the couch. Yeah, right! Like that’s going to happen! Rick and Kim certainly have their hands full!

After dinner, we caught up with Rick who’s been working out of town so much lately we don’t see enough of him. We visited and chatted over dessert; everyone, that is, except Jacob who was constantly on the move. The evening concluded with a fashion parade of Jacob’s extensive mask collection. Oh, and Superman’s lost his two upper front teeth! Both were loose and ready to come out so the anesthesiologist finished the job at the hospital. The tooth fairy left him $20; times have sure changed since I was a kid! Here are a few snapshots (click on the thumbnails to enlarge) we grabbed with Dawn’s iPhone:

Hey, wait a minute! That last photo isn’t Jacob! It’s… It’s… Grandma Dawn!

Yesterday afternoon was pretty scary. Jacob, our six-year-old grandson (and part-time Superman) fell off the monkey bars at a park near his home and broke his arm. It was one of the worst compound fractures I’ve seen, broken in two places leaving his arm in a sort of “S” shape.

There was lots of blood, often the case with compound fractures, and he was in tremendous pain. The Fire Department responded quickly and Jacob was rushed by ambulance to Methodist Hospital where we waited for what seemed like an eternity for the orthopedic surgeon to arrive. Dawn took this iPhone image during the wait (click to enlarge.)

There aren’t many things that tear at your heart more than seeing your child or grandchild hurt. But Jacob is such a little soldier! His biggest concern, aside from the pain, was that the firemen, the first responders, had cut away his favorite “pirate” shirt! (Oh yeah, besides being Superman, he’s a pirate!)

The surgery took more than an hour, twice what the surgeon had originally estimated. There was difficulty realigning the bones, and an artery ruptured when the tourniquet was removed. The surgeon “capped” the artery and had to use a screw to reconnect one of the broken bones.

We all waited in a designated “lounge” for word of how the surgery had gone. The anesthesiologist joined us first to tell us how complex everything had been but that all had gone well. He said that the first thing Jacob had said when he awoke was, “They cut my pirate shirt!”

The surgeon brought X-rays and an assortment of ultrasound images showing how the fracture had looked before surgery and how the repair looked afterward. He said he had never before had to insert a screw on a child, but this was a particularly difficult situation. He left the ultrasound images with Jacob’s parents; I’m sure he’ll enjoy showing them to his friends.

When they rolled him down from surgery on the way to his room (they kept him overnight) he was in much better spirits. And when the nurse told us that Jacob had said he planned to be a fireman some day, he corrected her and said he now wants to be a doctor! We all told him we could certainly use one in the family!

Rick, Jacob’s dad, spent the night at the hospital with him and if things go as planned, they’ll be taking him home sometime this afternoon. Dawn and I will visit this evening after work.

Keep the little guy in your thoughts and prayers. I’ll try to keep you all posted on Superman’s Jacob’s recovery.

Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Look, up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Superman!

Yes, it’s Superman, strange visitor from another planet who came to earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men.

Superman, who can change the course of mighty rivers, bend steel with his bare hands, and who, disguised as grandson Jacob, mild mannered kid living in a great metropolis south of Sacramento, fights a never ending battle for truth, justice and the American way.

(Cue music track)

Yes folks, you have nothing to fear this Halloween from witches, ghosts and goblins because Jacob, er, Superman is on the job! Coming Wednesday to a neighborhood near you!

Here’s grandson Dakota’s report card (click to enlarge) for the first trimester — all “A”s with a “B” in Advanced Algebra. We’re all extremely proud of him!

And did I mention he set a new school record last week in Cross Country? We’re all pretty proud of him for that, too!

Way to go, ‘Kota! Keep this up and you’ll be choosing between colleges and adding up scholarships and grants!

(Hey, I’m a Grandpa so I have bragging rights!)

Aye matey, it be…

Click on th’ image fer more information an’ t’ larn t’ talk like a buccaneer, ya scurvy cur whut deserves th’ black spot!

An’ har be some information linkin’ global warmin’ t’ th’ decreasin’ number o’ sea dogs, ya scallywag who ortin’ t’ be keel hauled!

An’ finally, har be a likeness (2005) of me very own grand-scallywag, a true buccaneer of the salty seas if ever thar was one…Cap’n Jake hisself!

Grandpa and Grandma were out of town and missed Jacob’s 6th birthday party, so we took the family to Old Sacramento August 26 for a little belated celebration. We strolled the boardwalks and explored all the little shops, had lunch at Joe’s Crab Shack on the patio overlooking the Sacramento River, opened some gifts, then explored some more. It was a beautiful day and we all had a good time. I’ve posted a few photos… Enjoy!

Grandson Dakota is pretty involved in sports, playing league soccer and basketball, and running track as well. He had a tournament weekend before last and Dawn and I attended Saturday’s game. They went on to win the tournament Sunday.

I had taken my camera and a “walk-around” lens which was, unfortunately, not quite up to the task of shooting action sports from that distance. Nonetheless, I grabbed a few descent shots (most of which required cropping) and have posted them for your perusal.

I was amazed to notice in the image below just how much Dakota (right) looks like his dad at that age! I’m also amazed that these kids are able to play in this heat - it was over 100 degrees! But it was a great game for the team and the spectators.

“American workers stay longer in the office, at the factory or on the farm than their counterparts in Europe and most other rich nations, and they produce more per person over the year. The average U.S. worker
produces $63,885 of wealth per year, more than their counterparts in all other countries…”
-International Labor Organization

Today is the first Monday in September, Labor Day, a legal holiday in the U.S. that serves as our unofficial “last gasp of summer” three-day weekend. It also marks the beginning of the season for the National Football League and NCAA College Football. The NCAA usually plays their first games the weekend of Labor Day, with the NFL playing their first game the Thursday following. Traditionally celebrated with parades, picnics, and barbecues, Labor Day also marks the date after which it is no longer appropriate to wear white. But have we forgotten what Labor Day actually celebrates?

The holiday began in 1882, originating from a desire by the Central Labor Union to create a day off for the “working man” and became a federal holiday by Act of Congress in 1894. It’s celebrated today mainly as a day of rest that marks the symbolic end of summer for many.

In keeping with tradition, Dawn and I spent the three-day weekend with family and friends. We ran a few errands, ate a few hotdogs and took Steve and Lori’s boxer dog, Jasmine, on a walk along Lake Natoma. Jas is a real sweetheart and a pleasure to take on walks. Our regular route takes about an hour, but with Jas it took two, was considerably shorter and was much more “fun.” She stayed right beside us while we walked, laid down on the grass next to us for rests in the shade, wasn’t at all bothered by other dogs or people, chased sticks at the edge of the lake (and laid down in the water while we chatted with a kayaker), and was a joy to have along. We look forward to doing it again!

Tomorrow begins a four-day work week as we head towards cooler weather and the official end of summer. I’ll miss the longer days and summer activities but, truth be told, fall and spring are my favorite seasons. Winter, well, let’s just say that cold and wet are not my friends.