Thanksgiving update

A year ago, Christine and I started a new tradition of going to a diner on Thanksgiving Eve. We had a nice evening, and I remember really enjoying last year's holiday weekend for no particular reason.

In last year's Thanksgiving post (spent mostly griping about the dearth of good football games), I briefly mentioned things to be grateful for: "family and friends, health, jobs, our successful baseball teams, etc."

Little did I suspect that my semi-successful journalism career would be over in a few days and our teams would succumb to the Yankees. Health, family and friends, thankfully, remain status quo.

Obviously, I'm doing a lot of introspection and looking back right now, and last night Christine and I found some rather amusing posts from November and December that are either ironic or just way off target.

Like when we mocked the Yankees and Mets for signing CC Sabathia and Francisco Rodriguez: "So let the New Yorkers enjoy their early Christmas presents. We at the home of the World Series Champions know that Phanta Claus delivers the real goodies in October."

Oops.

How about these bold proclamations: Signing Raul Ibanez was a mistake, and Mark Teixeira was going to join the Red Sox.

That's why you should always take my prognostications with a grain of salt.

Finally, this doesn't really fit into the category, but it was sad remembering Mike Radano's last blog post. He was never my favorite Phillies beat writer, but that could be my bias against his former newspaper. It was sad that the fans lost another connection with the team immediately after it reached the pinnacle and almost got there again this year.

Sorry to be a downer; my personality doesn't let me completely forget what was or can no longer be. I do have much to be grateful for: I'm re-employed, I'm as healthy as I can be, our family is happy, and our friends, while few, remain true.

And, most of all, I have the love and support of the best companion, editor, Phillies phan, caretaker and confidant I could imagine.