Hello Thanksgiving, you’re a little late this year, showing up at the last possible date. I don’t blame you. Just like Rodney Dangerfield, you get no respect, no respect at all. The stores have pretty much forgotten about you. The Christmas decorations were up before Halloween, as if you don’t even exist. Your once-beloved post-Thanksgiving “Black Friday” sales have been supplanted by October “Prime Days,” Target’s “Circle Week,” and other early holiday sales. With all that confusion, you can be excused for being for sliding in quietly.

Still, it’s nice having you around. Just four years ago, our Thanksgiving gatherings all but disappeared. Remember the pandemic? That’s when cardboard cut-out pictures replaced actual people at the big football games. Eventually we recovered, and returned to our normal behavior of complaining when we had to wait 3 minutes for a Big Mac. Because THAT’s a serious problem.

On November 28th, we will give thanks for our family, our faith, our health, and of course the turkey and fixin’s. As is my tradition, I must add a few other random items to my thankful list.

I am thankful we still have news outlets that strive to deliver vital information without bias. Trust me when I tell you they are an endangered species. There are forces within our nation who would prefer that all “news” be filtered through their particular agenda. Sadly, many American citizens favor that too. I never found the Russian form of journalism that appealing, but some folks do as long as it reflects their views. Personally, I’m thankful when fair journalists shine light in the dark corners of government, making the cockroaches scramble. This is why many of us have watchdogs, burglar alarms and security cameras. I don’t want to give those up.

I am thankful for our election workers. They were warned they might take some abuse. But they showed up, did their jobs quietly and efficiently, and conducted a fair election under difficult circumstances. They deserve a raise, and they deserve our praise.

I am thankful for people who still take pride in spelling and grammar. I had someone tell me the other day that “your” and “you’re” were both correct, as in “Your kidding.” No, their not.

I am thankful I overheard this conversation in the doctor’s office waiting room: “Well, I can’t see and I can’t hear, but I’m glad they still let me drive.” That should scare me, but I needed the laugh.

I am thankful for Dolly Parton. Fair warning: if you want to get on my bad side, say something negative about Dolly. To get a permanent spot on my naughty list, the same goes for Willie Nelson and Jimmy Carter.

I am thankful for Mexican Coca Cola. I’m hearing that changes may be coming with imports and tariffs. I’m a patient person, but if the Mexican Coke supply is affected, someone has gone too far.

In my 2020 Thankgiving column, I wrote this: “I should be thankful that gas prices are so low, but since I have rarely bought gas since March, it hasn’t affected me much at all. I’m all gassed up, with nowhere to go.” Yes, gas is somewhat higher in 2024, but at least I can go wherever I like.

I am thankful for battery powered leaf blowers and weed trimmers. I don’t like long cords and loud engines, and I could never figure out the right mix of gas and oil.

I am thankful the toxic election ads are gone. I will enjoy this brief respite from politicians cocking their rifles, shattering plates on the floor, and wearing plaid shirts to prove they’re just regular folks. Oh, if only they really were.

I am thankful to have friends who don’t believe every video, meme, or conspiracy theory that gets passed around on social media.

I am thankful for dress shirts with stretchy collars. Make that all stretchy clothing.

I am thankful for politicians who have picked up their signs by now.

Finally, I am thankful for your compliments and your criticism. I don’t know how much longer this ride will last, but I couldn’t do it without you. Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

David Carroll is a Chattanooga news anchor, and his new book “I Won’t Be Your Escape Goat” is available on his website, ChattanoogaRadioTV.com. You may contact him at 900 Whitehall Road, Chattanooga, TN 37405, or at RadioTV2020@yahoo.com.