Yesterday my husband and I spent the day in what have become our traditional activities for the day after Thanksgiving. They’re not common in the stereotypical sense, but they suit us and our interests and personalities to a “T.” From the early years of our marriage, Harry has been the coupon clipper and bargain hunter. He’s never been an outdoorsy kind of guy. No, the thrill of the hunt for him is played out in pursuing great deals for quality goods and working sales and coupons to maneuver costs even lower. You can imagine, then, how much my urban hunter looks forward to Black Friday each year. He’s up early on Thanksgiving morning to begin combing through all the ads. Armed with wish lists from various family members, he formulates his plan of attack. Noting which stores have prized items at the best prices and their opening hours, he determines his route and retires earlier on usual Thursday night, prepared to rise in the cold and dark of Friday morning and bring home the trophies: sought-after toys, electronics and other goodies to delight his loved ones come Christmas morning. This year he was somewhat disappointed in the Black Friday offerings, and his list was much shorter (as our daughters have grown older). He didn’t leave the house until 8 a.m. and was only out for a few hours, but he nevertheless returned with the satisfied look of a man who has bagged his limit. I, on the other hand, have never been a big shopper and would much rather spend time outside in the garden than duking it out with frenzied shoppers at some ungodly hour. Over the years, then, I have fallen into the habit of raking the copious heaps of leaves in my mother-in-law’s backyard and scooping more out of the gutters. It helps me feel less guilty about all the pie I consumed the day before, and I enjoy a sense of order and satisfaction from those clean, green lawns and free-flowing gutters. I hope you’ve enjoyed your Thanksgiving weekend in pursuit of whatever brings you joy! — Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor