Blustery 25 mph winds and glacial air finally took its toll on me. I mustered a petite promenade and didn’t even make it to Council Point Park where the vast open spaces in some places make you a sitting duck for those cold wintry blasts. So, I took a stroll in the neighborhood, just enough to redden up my cheeks, then took the car for a much-needed spin. I hate taking the car out of the garage in the colder months, as I have nearly no room to back in and out and must hold my breath that the dual mirrors don’t get side-swiped by the garage trim. It is even dicey trying to wear a heavy coat as I must walk sideways to access the driver’s side door. After returning my car to its cozy quarters, I pulled the garage door down and figured that was good for a few days and then I’d just run it a minute or so in the garage. I was grateful to step inside the house and put the big rag rugs up at the side door to keep the extra chill out. While stripping off all my outerwear, I was anticipating wrapping my frigid fingers around a steaming mug of coffee and how fine those first few sips would be going down, when the phone rang and simultaneously I heard banging on the side storm door. I groaned. It was my handyman, Bill, who was calling with the message that he drove by and noticed a bare spot or two on the roof so “I just quickly climbed up on the roof to check the shingles and three are missing and should be replaced as soon as possible so no moisture gets underneath” … big sigh on my part because this requires not only backing the car out of the garage but moving a half-dozen yard ornaments and heavy pots that are sitting on risers atop the large package of shingles. Grrrrrrrrr. Not to mention tendering $40.00 to Bill for the repair job. Well, on this day before you should take stock of your blessings, I shall have a glass-half-full attitude and admit that for me this fractious weather has not created any other damage than lost shingles and I did not lose power. I will suck it up, and concede that I am blessed and I will just be thankful for the roof over my head and a warm house, having virtually escaped unscathed from Mother Nature’s most-recent wrath. May you, too, find your troubles are few and your blessings are plenty on this cold and windy Thanksgiving Eve.