Once again, it is time for my annual column of thanks.

We should be grateful every day, but I like the idea of a time to collect those eggs of thanks and put them in one basket.

I’m thankful for a very tolerant wife who rides with me daily on life’s roller coaster and adjusts to all the twists and turns.

I’m thankful for four grown children, who each call me by a different name. Whether I’m Daddy, Pops, Papa or Pa, I love them all. Occasionally, I don’t like them, but love them, yes.

I’m thankful for my in-laws. I have visited the Commonwealth of Kentucky several times and brought a little produce home for my pa-in-law. I’m thankful for the way he smiles about that.

I’m thankful for the surrogates in my life. I’ve buried both of my folks and my only brother, but I have been blessed with folks who fill in some of those gaps.

I’m thankful more than ever for public safety professionals. I have come to know so many fine men and women who put their lives on the line every day. If I need to call 911 on Thanksgiving Day, I know I will get an answer and a response.

I’m thankful to families who must forego some of their holiday time because a loved one is on duty for all of us. God bless them all.

I’m thankful for Thanksgiving foods, such as the old recipe for Sen. Dick Russell’s sweet potato souffle. I don’t know if the late senator actually made this or someone just gave him a recipe to share. A friend of mine typed it up for me this year.

I’m thankful for people who still have typewriters.

I’m thankful for recipes written in the handwriting of someone who is no longer here. I like old recipes calling for things like sweet milk.

I am thankful for people who had good handwriting and could make pretty letters on a page. Good penmanship is about as sweet as you can get.

I’m thankful for people who are now Googling to see what sweet milk is.

I’m thankful for stores and shopping venues that choose to close on Thanksgiving. I’ll try to show my thanks by putting a little extra in your cash register.

I’m thankful for Thanksgiving hymns such as, “We Gather Together” and “Come, Ye Thankful People, Come” and “Count Your Blessings.”

I’m thankful for people who are humming or singing of those songs right now.

I’m thankful for people who say please, thank you and you’re welcomed.

By the way, I’ll be thankful when the corporate folks at Chick-fil-A have determined “my pleasure” has run its course. I am thankful that they close on Sundays.

I’m thankful for conversation that does not involve a text message, email or some other electronic means. I want to hear the words you say when you say them.

I’m thankful for people that you like enough to hug their neck the first time you meet them. They make you feel good. It’s their way of saying “my pleasure” without saying it and really meaning it.

I’m thankful Thanksgiving gives way to the Christmas season. The two holidays seem to be the bookends of a time of kindness. I wish we could bottle that up and take a swig regularly.

And finally, I’m thankful for people who regularly read my diatribe either in the paper or online. Your affirmation of my feeble thoughts makes an old fat guy feel good.