Lots to be thankful for this week...

• Bold blue skies every day this week
• Friends coming back into town with the change of seasons
• A new boss, beginning December 1. Just the man we had hoped the committee would select. He will be both visionary and fun to work with. I think he'll take the Foundation in some new exciting directions, and I expect to learn a great deal from him.
• Gas fireplaces. So easy, so warm.
• Pancakes.
• Friends crawling out of the woodwork. Recent facebook & blog posts have triggered responses from dear ones. I love it.
• Old photos, scanned by myself or my Mom.
• A real ski pass.
• Thick wool socks.
• An interesting lunch with my Grants Committee Chair/ Board Vice Chair. He's off to New Zealand for 3 weeks and took me out to lunch yesterday to hear about my experience there. While my time in the wilderness & water & youth hostels will be very different from his time gallavanting around, we enjoyed sharing stories and places.
• Dinner at Ken & Carol's. Enjoying soup and laughter and good company near a roaring fire. My time with them will always be at the top of my list for my life in Steamboat.
• NPR.
• Having connections with the higher-ups at the ski area.

Things that I am less thankful for include being so far from New England during a time & season when being near family means the most. I'm looking forward to Christmas in Vermont- my first holiday (Thanksgiving or Christmas) with my family since 2005.