Thanks

In the spirit of (American) Thanksgiving - and, really, who can't benefit from either the message of this holiday and/or online sales - I will regale you with just a few things for which I am grateful:

• I take back all the mean things I've been thinking about the Bettie Pullover. The designer is the loveliest woman, who yesterday helped me through the rough part, and gently suggested that the pattern takes a certain sort of "endurance" - well, ain't that self-aware? I still don't know if it will fit. I've decided to be surprised, kind of like having a baby. It really is a genius pattern, if totally beyond my experience. But as my father likes to say, an expert is someone who's done it once before.

• Figleaves immediately reimbursed me for the return shipping on the Fantasie bra return/resend order that it messed up, not that I'm surprised. And then today the Royce Charlotte lounge bra arrived in the right size and it's seriously comfortable, totally pointy (like I love). This thing is so supportive, it's crazy. I could do an aerobics class and nothing would budge. It's not gorgeous, by any stretch, but it's great for yoga or lounging, that's for sure. You can totally wear it outside. I just don't think it's sexy enough to be worn under clothes, in the real world.

• My online community, as I've said many times - and I just don't know how to express this adequately - is an awesome world of friendship and tremendous support. This fall has been hard for me, as you know, but your expressions of concern and optimism have braced and sustained me.

• I continue to feel better each week! I'm sleeping enough, on a regular basis, so that my health can actually improve via rest. I am now able to eat most things, even though sugar isn't optimal. And, though I seem to have developed some kind of temporary allergy to wine (?!?!), which makes my throat swell in a rather unpleasant way, I can drink a martini (or spirits having no sugar) with no ill effects. The ulcers are going away, if slowly. Coughing is less omnipresent and less violent, and I have much more energy than I have had since late August. No, I don't feel 100% and may not for a while, but I feel so much better than I did 2 weeks ago / a month ago / 2 months ago that I marvel at this whole bizarre turn of events.

A propos of this, I never realized how much energy "normal Kristin" actually expends. She veritably buzzes with enthusiasm, ideas, desires, feelings, intensity and pluck. How I have been taking this for granted. I am so grateful to be me and for my continuing return to normalcy which, let's face it, is anything but normal. It's wonderful. So thanksgiving is alive and well in my heart.