Thanksgiving, at least in the States but we celebrated just the same. So much to be thankful for but more on that later. I enjoyed a morning beach walk again, paddle boarding to shore and this time walking north. This direction was much slower as there were a lot, I mean a lot, of volcanic outcroppings that had to be crossed and the beaches were much shorter between them. But it was still enjoyable with a different look. And yes, of course I had to harvest and eat a coconut. The trip is winding down so I have to soak in as much as I can before I head home to winter (the resort back home opened for skiing today, crazy to think).
After some lunch we swam from the boat to a spot that Vuni had told us was the best for snorkeling. It was pretty far away but no complaints as it felt good to get the exercise. We did find the coral but if I’m being honest we were incredibly spoiled diving the Namera reef and now, try as we might, we are unable to NOT compare everything to those dives. Still there was some pretty coral, fish, and even a giant clam to watch for awhile.
Back aboard I read a bit and took a nap before starting our Thanksgiving dinner. Carl puts on some music every night while I’m cooking and a few nights ago I had mentioned the band Chicago, so guess what he played tonight? Yep, and being the tool that I am, I failed to pick up on it. Oh well. Back to cooking, the first hurdle was the chicken which I placed in the fridge three days ago was still frozen. Everything came together great and we even squeezed in a FaceTime with Roxy while everything was cooking. Due to the added cooking time, we ate at the super late time of 6:00pm. This year’s menu was roasted chicken, mashed potatoes with carrots, roasted eggplant with parmesan cheese, homemade stuffing (including the bread), butter rolls from The Bread Kitchen in Savusavu, and a salad. Carl was extremely complimentary so I guess I got it to all come together. I hope that you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
And finally, my Top 5 things I am thankful for in 2023:
1. That my body does not physically limit my activities and my mind is healthy-ish
2. That my life has provided me the ability to follow my passions and dreams
3. Of the time spent with friends and family this past year
4. That I am financially secure
5. For the freedoms I enjoy at the sacrifice of others – Thank you!
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