Observers of human behavior tell us that moods are catching. That’s why the whiners and glass-half-empty types are such a drain to be around. Enthusiastic, positive people are natural mood enhancers, and we definitely gravitate towards them. Then there are poodles. Mother Nature must have given them an extra sprinkling of caffeine, sugar, or whatever when she created these little curly-haired wonders. Just being around a poodle is enough to pick up your mood at least two levels.

Smart, for sure, but poodles are not always that trainable. They get so ecstatic when praised for learning a new command that they tend to go completely bonkers instead of staying in a nice, sedate sit or stay position. I tried to teach them to do the “say your prayers” trick, using a step-by-step method that rewards them for each step of the process. The first step is to get them to sit and rest their paws on a footstool or ottoman. No problem there, they love to stand on their hind legs, and picked that up right away. Then put the head down on the paws and hold it. Well, as soon as I gave them the first bit of praise for simulating that pious posture, they sprang up and bounded around, celebrating their quick-learning victory. I guess that if poodles do pray, they’d do it just that way – with lots of leaps and yaps, and joyous noises.

People who know me always comment on my upbeat, positive outlook. And truly, it is easy for me to stay on the bright side. Seeing that the glass is half-full is not difficult at all when you have two poodles praying for you.

    This year Thanksgiving it will be just the two of us, DH and I. The kids will all come home for Christmas, but have other destinations for turkey day. It crossed my mind to cook something simple, and maybe different from the traditional bird and dressing. Who needs to get up early to deal with raw poultry? The turkey itself, though, is one of the best buys of the year for the food budget, and without guests to take home leftovers, there’ll be a lots remaining for turkey sandwiches, casseroles, and all. The main reason I’m getting out the roaster and putting in a big bird, though, is for three guests who won’t be gathered around the table. They’ll enjoy the holiday repast out of sturdy crockery dishes on the floor, and probably rush through it as they do every dinner of the year.

    Our dogs love everything about Thanksgiving Day. Even the smell of chopped celery and sage catch their interest. By the time the scent of roast turkey wafts through the house, they are in high gear. All three dogs devour every morsel of meat and splash of gravy with the zeal of partygoers. So I chose a large turkey this year, knowing there’ll be enough extra to make a dozen freezer bags of dog food better than anything sold in a can. I’ll be cooking a turkey this year for Thanksgiving, stress-free and easy. I know already that the guests will give my cooking rave reviews. However you spend the time, wishing you and yours a lovely Thanksgiving Day!