There's always some horrible person out there telling you that there are people who are worse off than you in the world and that you shouldn't complain.
I don't think that's fair.
We all endure our own struggles through life, and the pain is unique to each individual. So weighing that pain against other people's pain is pointless.
To that end, I want to say that there has been very little that I am thankful for in 2023. Oh sure! There are the typical things that I am grateful for such as having my husband by my side and our slutty chicken (I'll explain that a little later).
But this year has hit me hard.
Really hard.
My dad developed dementia this year and has gone off the rails. It's gotten so bad that he has threatened to kill people, including my mom. He has been emotionally abusive with her, too. Well, more than usual.
To make things worse, the properties my family owns are in danger thanks to my father's unruly behavior. He has managed to royally upset both the renters and the realty company with his constant threats and harassment.
In fact, it has gotten so bad that I recently received a WhatsApp message from the realtor letting me know that they were filing a lawsuit against our family for defamation.
But to add the proverbial cherry on top, I've discovered a lump which I am seeing a doctor for very soon. Since there's no history of cancer in my family, I'm hopeful that it turns out to be nothing. But I'll feel a lot better once the doctor gives me the all clear.
What will happen next is anyone's guess.
Still I am hopeful that I will find a way out of this for my husband's sake and mine.
Now, I'm going to share a couple of photos of our Thanksgiving meal. It wasn't anything too elaborate as you'll see.
The menu included:
- Mashed potatoes
- Stuffing
- Gravy
- Macaroni salad
- Biscuits
- But no turkey!
I know. Thanksgiving without a turkey seems insane, but our oven is busted and the only way it stays on is if one of us is holding the knob to keep the gas going. (Don't go there!) But it takes several hours to cook a turkey and there was no way either of us wanted to stand in front of a hot oven in the middle of the Argentine spring.
So, we bought a chicken instead and seasoned it ourselves because Argentine seasoning is often too bland for our taste.
As you'll see from the photos, our chicken is leaning side ways, almost like it's posing in a provocative way, hence why I called it our slutty chicken.
All I can say is that we did our best. I give extra brownie points to my husband who had to endure a lot of pain and discomfort brought on by his skin disease. Sadly, his medication was nearly impossible to find in recent weeks.
Luckily, we found his meds but not in time to save Thanksgiving.
When all was set and done, we managed to sit in front of the TV and watch a downloaded version of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
With Christmas right around the corner, we are doing our best to keep our heads up.
I'm sorry that this post is not more uplifting, but I have always been brutally honest in my posts. And unlike some expats and travelers who have chosen to focus only on the positive things to get clicks and views, my blog has always been about showing what life abroad is really like, both the good and the bad.
The fact is that the truth isn't always pretty, so there you go.
Until next time.
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