The doodle notebook

 I bought a 2021 calendar with full pages for each day, and thought it would make a nice "gratitude" notebook.  However, the notebook I was using (purchased by my daughter in 2009 for my birthday) was about to run out in early November.  Yesterday I saw at Marc's a smallish notebook on a shelf where it didn't belong, so I asked about the price.  $.99.  Just my price.  So I bought it, thinking I could finish out the year with it--no great loss if I didn't use the whole thing.  When I opened it today, to start using it tomorrow, I found that it has doodles every third page.  So I'll waste fewer pages than I thought, since I don't think I'll be doodling. I'll use it November 1 - December 31, and then start the 2021 notebook. 

  

With the lockdown for the pandemic, somedays it is difficult to write down three things I'm grateful for that happened the day before. However, October 30, was an easy one.  Our friends the Cranes invited us and Bruce and Marty (we used to be in a couples group with all of them) for dinner at their home, which is on a small lake created by a railroad company back in the 19th century.  It's called Hidden Lake, I think because we certainly never knew it was there until we met the Cranes about 15 years ago. At one time it was on the outskirts of Columbus, and a fishing club owned it.  A few people built small fishing shacks for summer use.  Over the years, beautiful homes replaced the little fishing "resort." The lots are long and narrow, and you can hardly see the homes or the lake from the main road. 

 Before dinner Rod made fresh onion rings in a cooker in their marvelous garage.  It may be the cleanest garage I'd ever seen--and Bob keeps a very clean garage.  In the garage was the Chris Craft wooden boat Rod has restored.  The night was chilly so the doors were open, and we all ate hot, fresh onion rings as our pre-dinner treat.  Off their family room they have a 3 season room, all windows, that overlooks the little lake, and we could hear the trains going by.  Judi served sliced steak on a salad bed of lettuce, onions and grilled peppers. For dessert she served warm apple pie with a crumb topping and cinnamon ice cream. 

After dinner we gathered in the family room with a fire in the fireplace. Truly a lovely evening with a lot to be thankful for.  Good friends, good food, good home.  And I didn't have to do any of the preparation! Yes, a lovely evening with much gratitude even during the horrible year, 2020.