Thanksgiving, Canadian Style

Oh, another Thanksgiving. Not another one of those. And I'm spending it alone, once again.

In years past my norm was to fire a glib global mental thank you note to the universe for everything. And then nonchalantly move on to the rest of my day.

Not this year.

Although alone, and relatively far away -- the fact of the matter is that I am surrounded by many people who take care of me. Odd as that may sound.

This thanksgiving I want to call them out.

I start with my mother Sophie Hunchak. She takes care of me.

My sister Kelly, brother-in-law Elmar Klapstein, and their children Serena, Matthew, and Mila. They take care of me.

I have four wonderful lifelong friends -- my four "horsemen" -- Darren Pentelechuk, Graham "The Weasel" Atkins, Ron Schuldhaus, and Albert Lavergne. Together with their wives Marlane, Maria, Avery, and Ingrid, they take care of me.

I also have a group of Ukrainian friends, of which Dale and Bernie Mandrusiak, and Lana and Kirk Toth are the principals. These people take care of me.

In my Nicaraguan home works a young housekeeper -- Mercedes -- who takes care of me.

As some of you know, in 2014 I lost two of my primary caregivers: my father Walter and my Godmother Rose Lunchak. They both took good care of me. Before they passed, I didn't have the opportunity to thank them for taking care of me. It is something I regret.

If you are blessed like I am and have people in your life who take care of you . . .

I am thankful.