Today's prompt:

What are you thankful for? Maybe it's from this year – or maybe it's something in your past that resonated with you recently. And – we hold people, places, and things in equal regard: a sense of gratefulness can take many forms.  After the Thanksgiving bandwagon on November, it seems trite to count my blessings in a blog.  However, I shouldn't disdain the concept of gratitude simply because it needed to be nudged.  Let's boil the concept down to people, places and things, just as the prompt suggests. People:  I am immensely grateful for my family, both those immediate to me by blood, and the extended clan we call ours by choice. We have our bumps, our feuds and fallings out, and our joy, sometimes all mixed together.  We may not get it right all the time, but we love each other.  We are lucky to have an extended circle to give us encouragement and advice when needed, and to share our joys. Places:  Connected with those people are the places, and we got to return to Holland, and discover Scotland this year, where we rekindled one love and found another one. Saving our pennies to return as soon as possible. Things:  Our poor old van may be on its last legs, but it has been reliable for for many years.  I'm thankful for all the use we've gotten from ol' Bessie, and hopeful she still has some time left if we can pin down her problems. Here's wishing a Merry Christmas to you and yours,