Let me tell you a few of the many things I’m thankful for, and it is just a few of many.

I’m thankful for turkey sandwiches on white bread with real mayonnaise, a few Frito-Lay Classic Chips and some sweet ice tea.  Perhaps a scoop or two of Blue Bell Ice Cream for ” a little something sweet” after I get through with my turkey sandwich meal.  

I’m thankful for freedom of and from religion.  I believe the Founding Fathers knew what they were doing when they inserted this in our wonderful Constitution.  Let me choose and worship as I see fit, and I won’t criticize or harass you about yours or how you choose to worship. 

I’m thankful for aspirin, neosporin, Metamucil, orange juice, cheese, cinnamon, Kelloggs and Battle Creek, Michigan, air conditioning, football, automobile tires that will get you 50,000 miles or more, flat screen televisions, warm firm beds, good bird dogs, Mr. Weir, top water plugs that big bass like, Hershey and Cloie, hot coffee on a winter morning, grandchildren, community newspapers, Dink, ample hot water, Ford F-150 pick-up trucks, Browning o/u shotguns, law partners and staff, short sermons and long naps. 

I’m thankful for freedom of speech.  You speak your mind, and let me speak mine.  Try to persuade me, but don’t try to muzzle me.  Like freedom of religion, a bedrock of our democracy is freedom of speech. 

I’m thankful for memories: of those good days in the 32 years I spent in the General Assembly; of Daddy; of those great Perry High School basketball teams; of Grandma and Pappa and Grandbuddy and Granny; of Joe Hodges and George Johnson; of Joe Grant and Frances Johnson; of Perry’s Teen Town at the National Guard Armory and Friday night dancing at the Perry High School lunchroom; of Jerry

Wilson and Jerry Horton; of Fessor, Coach St. John and Mr. Cheek; of ‘John Henry’; of Fat Cattle Shows and the Perry Pirates; of selling boiled peanuts on the streets of Perry with my partner, David; of Lewis Grizzard and Uncle Remus; and of the 1950’s and a good time to be a young boy in a small, nice southern town. 

I’m thankful for those two great institutions, Georgia Tech and UGA, and what they have become.   

I’m thankful I don’t have to pick any more cotton.

I’m thankful that Allan has been told “he’s cancer free”, a normal PSA test for me and two new working knees for Janice.   

I’m thankful for people that say “please, yes sir, no mam, I’m sorry, please forgive me, may I help you, you’re still looking good, you’re welcome (rather than no problem)”, and those waitresses that still call me “honey” or “darling.”

I’m thankful for the double on a South Georgia covey rise on a cool fall morning behind two great dogs, and with a great hunting partner and friend who says, “good shots, Larry.”

I’m thankful for Foy, Danny and Julie who let me do this column in their paper and for all of you who have ever said to me “good column”, and I can tell you meant it.  That’s what keeps me going.   

I’m also thankful for those who say to me, “God Bless You”, and really mean it, like I now say it to all of you, “God Bless You,” and I really mean it.