After last week's column was written and ready to be read, I began my annual November vacation. I used to take vacations in the 11th month of the year because I used to coach basketball at my alma mater, Boothbay Region High School, and the season would begin the second or third week of the month. I do miss the sound of the bouncing balls and the teaching end of the sport but not the long bus rides to the nether regions of the state (Rumford, North Anson, Bethel, etc.). Hopefully the coaches of today will soon enjoy shorter bus rides with changes in schedules within the Mountain Valley Conference and Class C.

I now use my November vacation to get the leaves gathered up around my house and dump them in a gulley at the property line. It takes me longer to do that job after 33 years of living in this spot on Back Narrows Road, so I am glad that I don't have to leave for basketball practice. However, this year, the temperatures have been below normal and the wind hasn't helped the process of laying down a tarp and quickly raking the leaves onto the tarp. As I write this on Monday morning, the wind chill is in the single digits so I am waiting until Tuesday and Wednesday to finish the job. I have got about nine hours of work to do to complete my goal before the rain comes on Saturday. Raking wet leaves is not fun at all.

Yes, there will be another break in the week before my yard looks like summer again. Thanksgiving is a day that I hope you all enjoy with family and friends. I hope it is full of good thoughts, delicious food and lots of laughter. Our family will remember one person who will not be at the table after 40 years, my father-in-law, Marlyn "Gus" Schopper, who died this summer. He loved family gatherings, especially Thanksgiving when he and my mother-in-law Marie would host.

If you have lost a loved one in the past year, make it a point on Thursday to be thankful that you were blessed to have that person in your life for years.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.