<i>Before the school year started, I alphabetized my books in my classroom to make it easier to find what I wanted for each class. </i>

<i> </i><i>Imagine my consternation when I went to pull “</i>Six Little Ducks<i>” and it was not nestled right next to “</i>Silent Night<i>” in the “</i>s<i>” section. I thought perhaps I had loaned it out and would need to track it down. </i>

<i>I chose another duck book, “</i>Little White Duck<i>,” and went on with my teaching.</i>

<i>Well yesterday, I wanted to read “</i>Ten Little Indians.<i>” It was time to start my Thanksgiving songs. It was also missing! </i>

<i>My first thought was “Now I’ve lost six little ducks and ten little Indians and the craziness of the holiday season has not even began. Not a good sign!”</i>

<i>I had to walk away from the bookshelf to collect myself. </i>

<i>Upon returning and carefully searching through the entire alphabet of books, I discovered that “</i>Ten Little Indians<i>” was actually titled “</i>One Little Indian<i>.” </i>

<i> </i><i>Silly me.</i>

<i> </i><i>Very relieved, I looked once again for “</i>Six Little Ducks<i>.” </i>

<i> </i><i>I discovered the title of that book is actually “</i>Five Little Ducks<i>,” and it was right shelved right where it was supposed to be – after “</i>Fire Truck<i>.” </i>

<i>I slept much better last night knowing that every book and everything was in their proper spot. </i>

<i>Including the black hen in the chicken yard who apparently still has flashbacks to the possum episode and tries to sleep on top of the quail cage.</i>

<i>Have a great weekend.</i>

Before anyone gets excited over CW (Chicken Wrangler) Sara using <i>Ten Little Indians </i>to kickstart Thanksgiving, I have to tell you that she grew up where Mama (me) made sure the “real” Thanksgiving celebration wasn’t forgotten.

[caption id="attachment_1804" align="aligncenter" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-1804" alt="" src="http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/1stthanksgiving.png?w=300" height="190" width="300" /> (Image from: www.azgop.org)[/caption]

The first Thanksgiving feast was to thank the Indians for their contribution to the Pilgrims’ survival.

To reinforce the concept, I wore an Indian squaw dress custom-made for me by an Apache seamstress on the White River Arizona Reservation.

I’m sure CW Sara told her young students all about a Mama’s custom.

I do wonder if she tells her classes about how I embellished the <i>Five Little Duck</i> story by having the Mama Duck (NOT the Daddy Duck) call the duckies back in the song’s punch line.

I’d tell her and her siblings that disobedience to Mama Duck meant the five little duckies might not have a happy ending.

On second thought, CW Sara probably doesn't tell that story. That would be like the black hen’s flashbacks of the possum episode—recalling unpleasant memories.

<strong>YOUR TURN TO SHARE: </strong>

Any Thanksgiving traditions?

Or unpleasant possum memories?