Thanksgiving 2025 By J.E. Dean

 

Happy Thanksgiving and thank you for reading The Spy today.

We live in troubled times, but there is much to be thankful for, especially on the Eastern Shore. 

I am grateful for my wonderful wife, Maria, who learned how to run a boat this year. I can hardly wait until Spring.

I’m also fortunate to have many friends, near and far. I’m sending them notes thanking them for being good friends. 

Music. Talbot County is blessed with rich opportunities to hear music live. I am grateful for Chesapeake Music’s fantastic June chamber music festival, for the Avalon Theater, and for the Gabriela Montero exceptional concerts held at the Ebenezer Theater. I love the Mid-Shore Atlantic Symphony. When Maria and I moved to the Eastern Shore many years ago, we didn’t realize we had arrived at a cultural mecca.

Speaking of friends, I must mention the birds. They’re magical. The Eastern Shore is blessed with herons, egrets, osprey, eagles, ducks, and, of course, Canada geese. 

Lucca. A 15-year-old goldendoodle–the best goldendoodle on the planet

Genuine Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs. There is no substitute. I’d like to see the “Maryland-Style” crabcakes peddled in Florida banned.

Rockfish. Don’t tell my friends, but I prefer it over grouper, Chilean sea bass, salmon, and walleye.

 No catastrophic hurricane damage on the Eastern Shore this year. Tropical Storm Chantal visited in July and Hurricane Erin passed offshore in August, but there were no direct hits. My fingers are already crossed for 2026.

The reopening of the federal government. The federal government should never have been closed. Now, with a little luck, families and friends travelling this Thanksgiving will be spared the nightmare of cancelled flights. And, more importantly, federal workers may be able to salvage the holidays. 

A short note to Congress and the President:  Please don’t close the government down again in January. Please. It’s harmful and it’s counterproductive.

Democracy. Given our political divide and the events of the past year, I’m more grateful than ever for Democracy. 

The Spy. I look forward to the Spy Daily Intelligencer arriving in my email box at 3 p.m. There is always something interesting to read. Thank you, Spy, for being our spy. Your insights and information about the Eastern Shore help make us a thriving community.

One last thing. Thank you for those of you who read my editorials, even those of you who disagree with my points of view. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to share my perspective on politics with you this past year.

That’s it. Happy Thanksgiving!

J.E. Dean writes on politics, government, goldendoodles, and other subjects. A former counsel on Capitol Hill and public affairs consultant, Dean is an advocate for democracy and the rule of law.