Sharing special memories of Thanksgiving: The smell of food, football games, laughing and so much more, but also remembering not everyone has these times. For those who don't, Ebenezer will invite you to our table and ask that you call Ebenezer to learn about a caring Ebenezer community near you.
 
For me, and possibly you, there's something very hopeful, hope-filled, exciting and energizing about this time of year. The anticipation of the pending traditional major holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day) is electrifying and energizing, knowing, for many of us, annual gatherings with people we don't see very much during the preceding months, are the proverbial frosting on the calendar's "cake." As is frequently the content in these blogs, I'll share a personal memory or two about Thanksgivings, past and present, as follows:
 
I mostly remember how special Thanksgiving was in the early to mid-1940s in Pittsburgh (my birthplace), when I was very much a pre-teenager. During those years of wonderment, observation and learning, my mother, grandfather and I were invited, for at least seven years, to shamelessly devour every Thanksgiving dinner with a huge and happy Italian family whose last name was Armocida. The number of dishes prepared, mostly by the female Armocidas, numbered at least 15, to serve at least 20 guests. The mouth-watering smells wafting from the kitchen into the adjacent huge dining room made the anticipation grow to maximum levels for at least an hour and then it was time to begin the annual attack on the fantastic food choices. The choices included the traditional fare such as roast turkey, sage stuffing and so forth. The non-traditional dishes included Italian favorites such as spaghetti, lasagna and Italian desserts. All of it was devoured over the period of at least a half-hour, with the senior Armocidas using whiskey and other liquors as "chasers". Those of us too young or not into alcoholic beverages were very happy to "chase" the solid food with hot chocolate, milk or carbonated soft drinks. Even though it's obviously best to pay attention to healthier eating, the Thanksgiving dinners at the Armocidas in those days paid no attention to healthy eating, but rather paid all the attention to being able to enjoy such happy gluttony and warm togetherness, even if only once a year. (Those visits also included playing board games and LISTENING to football games on the radio, until 1948, when televised games allowed us to listen and WATCH, which we did.) 
 
In subsequent years, Thanksgiving for my family and me has been less raucous, but always observed gratefully for the blessings we have and share with one another. The cuisine consists of traditional turkey, stuffing, vegetables and pumpkin pie. Those of us blessed enough to enjoy the tradition that began in the 1620s are VERY blessed indeed
 
We are truly so blessed for all we have and should never take our happiness for granted, but especially so on the one day set aside to remember how fortunate we are in this country. As was noted in the headline, if you don’t have a Thanksgiving to attend, Ebenezer invites you to the table at one of our communities. Please call Ebenezer to learn more (612) 874-3422. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
 
Thank you for reading, as always.

There should always be times for family, friends and loved ones to gather. Unfortunately, those times aren't always made available, even for those of us who have more additional time than those who are still working full time. We need to set aside (frequently, in my opinion) times to reflect on our health, happiness and being grateful for what we have in life.
 
This is the time of the year when our natural instincts direct us to want to be with family and friends. It's not only comforting to have the warmth of those relationships combat the cold of winter, but also a reflection that most of us need each other. Family and friends truly are major contributors to having and maintaining our good health. 
 
Partially following through on that part of the subject described in the headline, I'm reminded of the lyrics to a popular song that debuted in the 1960s addressing gratitude for what we have, or even don't have. You may remember the artist who made it popular and is still alive, thank goodness. He was and still is my friend, singer and actor, Ed Ames. The lyrics to The Other Man's Grass Is Always Greener, are as follows and very thoughtfully composed, in my opinion:
“Life is never what it seems; we're always searching in our dreams, trying to build some castles in the air. When worry starts to cloud the mind, never mind, you haven't got a care. There's someone else in your imagination. You wish that you were standing in their shoes. You know you would without much hesitation, but would you if you really had to choose? So don't look around, plant your feet on the ground. It's much better by far, to be just who you are. The other man's grass is always greener; the sun shines brighter on the other side. The other man's grass is always greener. Some are lucky, some are not. I'm so thankful for what I've got”.
 
Gratitude for what we have, regardless of how much or how little, pales when lifelong friendships and solid family relationships are compared to material possessions. Again, especially at this time of the year when inclement weather literally clouds our happier thoughts, knowing we have family and friends who really care how we're feeling, healthfully and emotionally, and also knowing WE care about THEM, makes a life much richer with happiness and gratitude. 
 
Sadly, of course, there are too many people in the world who don't know or have the luxury of caring family or friends. In my opinion, it's precisely why those of us who DO have caring family and friends, should count our blessings every minute. Please forgive me for referencing another song lyric, but I think it also addresses the blessings we are fortunate enough to have or should have. Eddie Fisher, who I was also fortunate to know, made these words popular in the mid-1950s. Perhaps you remember them and the song, entitled Count Your Blessings: 
“When I'm worried and I can't sleep, I count my blessings instead of sheep and I fall asleep counting my blessings. When my bankroll is gettin' small, I think of when I had non e at all, and I go to sleep counting my blessings. I think about a nursery and I picture curly heads and one-by-one I count them as they slumber in their beds. So if you're worried and you can't sleep, just count your blessings instead of sheep and you'll fall asleep, counting your blessings.” 
 
I sincerely hope you are blessed during this approaching holiday season and always appreciative for what you have, especially in regard to friends and family who gather together more to extol the joy of this approaching festive season

November is National Family Caregivers Month, There are great challenges to being a caregiver for a loved-one. It can sometimes (and sometimes often) be a thankless and difficult job. We, at Ebenezer, celebrate those of you at home and in our communities and thank YOU for what you do.
 
First, more about Ebenezer's role, followed by some personal caregiving notes involving yours truly: Indeed, thank YOU for caring enough to GIVE care to loved-ones who need it and who definitely appreciate what you do. A major part of Ebenezer's mission and goal is to help caregivers achieve optimum results in their caring journey. In that regard, Ebenezer has resources that might be helpful to you in your journey. With over 100 years experience in helping people who need physical, as well as sometimes emotional and psychological, care, Ebenezer's suggestions and resources can certainly be trusted and welcomed.
 
Also, for caregivers, later this month, Thursday, November 14th from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m., you're invited to visit Stonehaven of Eagan to pick up your complimentary pie as a token of Ebenezer's appreciation for the love and care you give. Ebenezer recognizes the challenges family caregivers face and how you manage them, day and night, sometimes with little or no support. A goodie-bag of caregiver resources will also be available as you leave. Again, that's at Stonehaven of Eagan, 1000 Station Trail, Eagan, Minnesota.
 
My personal connection with caregiving, as both a caregiver and recipient, began in my pre-teens, when my maternal grandfather needed a lot of care and understanding for his increased alcoholism. My mother and I lived with him for seven years and dealing with his sometimes violent moods drove my mother to book her and me into a hotel for a weekend (many weekends throughout those years), just to get away from my grandfather, who both of us loved dearly and that made his after-drinking behavior so heart-wrenching. Then, at least four years into these less-than-pleasant living conditions, my mother decided to contact a professional caregiver who dealt with alcoholics. That was in the 1940s, when the availability of specialists was nowhere near the number available these days. The professional caregiver, along with my mother and me, eventually convinced my grandfather to not need the alcohol and life became much happier for all of us. Bottom line, in my opinion: Unless one has professional training as a caregiver, one should consult professional caregivers to know exactly what to do for any ailment that needs care. Sadly, my grandfather had consumed too much alcohol through the years and even though weaned completely away from alcohol and the errant behavior it caused, he died at age 70 from a liver disease connected to alcoholism.
 
My own personal health issues have been resolved throughout the years via the blessing of professional medicine, knowledgeable doctors who really cared, hospitalization, rehabilitation and love from so many family members and non-professional friends who cared enough to bolster my spirits via their expressions of encouragement and understanding. None of us should feel alone during times when caregiving is needed, but as recipients, we should always, in my opinion, realize caregiving, professional or not, is truly a full-time job for the caregiver, regardless of the degree of need. If you're a recipient of 24/7/365 success-oriented caregiving, please feel blessed and also know the care is being given because the persons giving the care TRULY care enough to want to make life as positive and stress-free as possible for you.
 
Again, Bravo and Brava to the caregivers not only during this annual National Family Caregivers month, but in perpetuity.
 
Thank you for reading, as always.