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Thanksgiving is about family.  Without family Thanksgiving is just another holiday.

This year, Kim, our youngest daughter, is coordinating the Thanksgiving dinner.

She lives in Louisiana and arrived here on Monday.

Each year the menu changes a bit, depending on the collective mood in family members.

Nathan and his wife Karen will be here from Portland. He recently announced retiring from teaching at a private school in Portland. We will get to see the new book he published with pictures of all the courthouses in Oregon, about 35 of them.

The trips to do this took about 2,000 miles of travel, including camping out during a large part of the travel.

His brother Paul, who recently retired from his job as manager of the Seven Lakes water system, took time to drive Nathan over most of the more distant courthouses.

Paul will have an opportunity to tell stories of his recent two-week trip canoeing on Yellowstone Lake. It was his seventh time canoeing there.

He will also have the opportunity to talk about his plan to drive to Alaska, starting next June. His wife, Cindy, will fly up to Fairbanks to meet him there and then drive back with him.

Also from Portland, Nathan’s son William, and his guest, will be here.

Locally we are blessed with Victor and Ashley Landeros and their family.

Ashley is Kim’s daughter and our special granddaughter.  Without her, I wouldn’t be here; she tends to look after me. Her kids Kaylee, Damon, and Westlyn, will bring the touch of youth to my house.

Kaylee works for the Colville Tribes, Damon is a senior this year at Raiderland, and Westlyn is in the second grade.

Also here will be Travis Irwin, our grandson and his friend Andrea.

Our oldest daughter, Kathleen, and her husband Will, won’t be coming over this year. They live in West Seattle.

When we get together we outdo my dining room table, but 

we get by.

Here’s a Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. May your joy be as great as mine.