Thankful Thursday
Looking for the good is especially important at a time when the discouraging things can start to drown out the encouraging things. So, during these unusual times, I've been doing a weekly post where we share some bright and sunny things in our lives.
This week, I am thankful:
that even when I can't control my circumstances, there are still things I can control.
Like my attitude. It would be terrible it would be to have no choice in that.
for the many things that my body does well.
It's easy to focus on the aches and pains and problems, but as I watched a cut heal this week, I thought about how amazing it is that my body closes up wounds and makes new skin, all with no conscious input from me.
that Zoe and I finished Algebra 1!
It's my fourth and final time through this book as a homeschool mom, and lemme tell you, I am feeling massively competent at algebra right about now.
If you need someone to factor trinomials, I AM YOUR GIRL.
that we can do curbside pickup again at Jo-Ann's.
This is going to make it much easier to keep Sonia sufficiently supplied with sewing materials.
that Lisey's two online summer college classes are going well.
Lisey's got a fire under her to get her degree done, so she's taking some summer classes to get more credits knocked out.
that Lisey will be able to go back to work part time soon.
She works at a drive-thru oil change place, so it's pretty easy to keep social distancing in place.
for all the joy the cat brings to my girls.
She makes all three of them seriously happy, and them being happy makes me happy! And we do not have to distance ourselves from the cat. Whew.
for the $300 check from our car insurance company.
I know it's a small fraction of what they've saved in expenses over the past few months, but hey, I'm happy to get $300. It's more than $0. 😉
that Zoe will be able to get her braces on.
The orthodontist now has their office set up for social distancing, so Zoe can finally get started (she was scheduled to begin in March, so obviously things got delayed a bit.)
that doctor's offices/businesses are figuring out new ways to operate.
A complete shut-down can't go on forever, so I am encouraged to see that people are coming up with ways to open but still keep people safe (telehealth consults, mask wearing, waiting in the car instead of the waiting room, etc.)
for free Rosetta Stone through the library.
I've never done more than dabble in a language, and after writing this post, I decided to give Spanish a try. Lisey, who is seriously fluent in Spanish, is enthusiastically cheering me on.
For growing things everywhere, hooray! It makes me so happy to go around the gardens every day and see how things are coming up and growing. Thankful, as well, for the peace of mind seeing my food growing gives me.
For incredible neighbors. I've been lucky to always have good neighbors, but this community is something else.
For the guy in the village who runs the tiny convenience store. It can't be profitable--especially now, with no tourist traffic on the main road--but he's still there every day and is always willing to order things for us if he can.
I'm thankful for the beautiful spring we've had since walking outdoors has become my main exercise. Also thankful for audiobooks to listen to on those walks.
I am also learning Spanish. I've done Duolingo for a month. My library has Rosetta Stone so I think I will look into that too. Muy bien! 🙂
My gym opened on Tuesday! This makes me happy, even first thing in the morning, it can be very warm and humid in central Florida, so I am glad it is open again. All the same employees are there and it almost feels "normal!"
Cherries are in the ALDI ad, so summer fruits are here! Those are the best!
I'm thankful that we have not been hard hit by this virus in our area even though we have a HUGE population of high risk individuals!
I'm thankful for grandchildren!
I'm thankful that I have been given opportunity to teach this summer and to receive training on how to be a real online instructor.
I'm thankful for my mom and dad who are medical fragile but remain healthy despite the pandemic.
I'm thankful that I see some evidence that people are starting to think about what information is trustworthy and what information is not and there is some calling out of that at the highest levels.
I'm thankful that the owner of my rental has reliable yard service even though they are already mowing and it is only 7:30 a.m.! I guess I can add to my thankfulness list that I am thankful that I am naturally an early riser so the noise is no problem for me! I do wonder what my neighbors feel.
I'm thankful to see your beautiful cat today. Have you ever shared her name? What kind of personality does she have? I love her.
So, Lisey named our cat Shelley when we adopted her. But oddly enough, almost no one ever calls her Shelley! We call her cat-cat or baby or kitty-cat or just "the cat".
So her name really is only her name in an official sense. lol
I'm so glad your parents are still healthy. Yay!
Same here. We gave our cat a name, but my husband only ever called him Buddy. So we changed his name to Buddy. But I have a feeling if we got more cats my husband would call them all Buddy.
Y daughter adopted two sister cats and we just call them “the girls”!
That would be My daughter, not Y daughter!
When I was young our mother cat had five kittens and I got to name them. My wonderful aunt sent me letters and asked what I named them. I wanted to answer quickly and still had one to name, which I named Blue Eyes (fit at the time), and it was my favorite. If I had a cat now I'd name it Kitty Cat Meow-Meow.
Ah, you are a kindred spirit with the cat naming! You would get along with my girls.
Thankful for:
1. Nice weather
2. All plants are planted
3. All perennials came back up due to mild winter
4. My animals which give me joy and unconditional comfort during quarantine.
5. Affordable VANILLA BEAN ice cream from ALDI
Just want to say how lucky you are to be in quarantine with your sweet daughters !!! My mood would be greatly improved by spending time with them each day. I always enjoy when you mention them in your posts, and to hear about all the fun and interesting things they are doing. Thanks for sharing.
We are lucky to have each other for sure! <3
I'm thankful that we are just now down to the last two rolls of TP that I bought near the beginning of the year, well before the shortages started. And thankful that I lucked onto a huge package at Costco one day in April - it was gone the next time I was there- so that I have replacement TP already. It is still hard to find in my own town.
I am thankful for the safe and uncomplicated birth of my grandson, who surprised us by being a boy after getting five female grandchildren from my children, who are also all girls. We are all adjusting to the new normal. 🙂 We are also hunting for bargains on baby clothes that aren't so girly!
I'm thankful for that big ripe blackberry that I picked off of my thornless canes this morning on my way to the car. It was so good.
I'm thankful for the rain, although I don't like the added humidity. We were very dry.
I'm thankful that I got to go to an in-person church service this past Sunday. Although we are only allowing 25% capacity and have to sit far apart, wear masks and follow some strict guidelines, it was so nice to be back.
I'm thankful that the man who did stump grinding and brush removal for us gave us a nicely discounted price, charging us for only about half of the stumps he ground. I will be recommending him to others for sure.
I'm thankful that I have the money to pay him! So many people are struggling right now, I know I am very fortunate to have kept working.
Love your tuxedo cat! Keep posting pics, please. Our cat has been so wonderful for all of us during these weeks of quarantine.
I am thankful that so far, my immediate and extended family has all stayed healthy and avoided the virus.
I am thankful that although I am missing family get togethers, eating out, etc we have found ways to make up for it. I take lunch to my grandkids every week and hand it out the car window as they wave and blow kisses.
My three oldest grandkids ( 10, 8,6) are setting up zoom meetings with their cousins ( my other grandkids) and each one will read a chapter of a book each evening. They are very close and miss playing together. First up, Charlotte’s Web, read by 8-year old Olivia.
Your grandchildren make me happy. These young people have to lead the USA and this era is preparing them, hopefully for what really matters.
My ortho finally cleared me to go back to normal life so I can mow my own yard and I'm *finally* dealing with my kitchen cabinets.
1. I am perpetually thankful that my husband and I could seamlessly transition to WFH and that our companies are doing fine. My sister wasn't as fortunate and is looking for a job under these trying circumstances.
2. My youngest kid finished sophomore year remotely yesterday (following her 2 college siblings earlier in the month). I won't say e-learning was without challenges, but I am thankful my kids demonstrated resiliency and perseverance in meeting them.
3. I am thankful for the invention of allergy shots. My older daughter has severe allergies to most environmental allergens, and they've gotten worse the last few years. Since she's home and has time, she's started 2x weekly shots so by the time she heads back to campus she'll be in maintenance mode in terms of concentration and formula. This process feels like a miracle to me. She has some other health issues, so it feels like a big win to be on the road to eliminating one set of meds (even if it will take us 3 years+ to get there)! Also thankful for the insurance that allows us to do this.
4. I am thankful my state is easing some restrictions starting tomorrow. More retail locations can open with some careful policies in place so some of my friends with small businesses can start to recover.
5. I am thankful my 85 year old mom's coronavirus case was mild and didn't land her in the hospital. It has lasted a long time (testing negative now!), but her most persistent symptom has been exhaustion which could be addressed at home.
My mom has also been testing positive for a long time but thankful for no serious symptoms. She is recovering well from her neck fracture and we are praying her discharge from rehab actually happens tomorrow! I'm glad your mom is doing well. It's a surreal feeling, isn't it?
Thankful our wet basement is slowly getting better.
Thankful for better weather so I can see people outside while distancing appropriately, of course.
I’m sorry for your wet basement. I am in Chicago and many basements are flooding here too. My coworker got 5 feet! I hope your mom continues to improve and the weather dries up for a week or so!
Thanks Susan. We are in west Michigan and the flooding has been bad. At least 2 in our neighborhood now have porta-johns as their septic fields have flooded and some may lose their homes. It makes my problems seem small. Keep us posted on your mom.
Isn't it amazing that we can all rattle off our troubles quickly but it takes thought to be thankful? Or maybe it's just me. I do have lots of blessings and sometimes I'm ashamed that I always seem to take them for granted. And I also have a terrible habit of thinking how I 'could' be thankful for something 'if only' like something has to be totally perfect for me to appreciate it. For example: I'm thankful my flowers are growing but I could be much more thankful 'if only' the rabbits hadn't eaten all the blossoms! 😉
Oh, I think that's a human condition. Our brains are wired to notice what's bad, but not so much to notice what's good.
It's why all of us have to be intentional about it. Thankfulness does not just happen.
Luckily, being thankful gets easier with time. I read an article a few years back about how gratitude actually creates pathways in your brain that become strong and strong with use. So, the more you are thankful, the easier it is to be thankful!
I have been especially thankful these past months that my family is healthy and that my husband is still working.
Despite struggling with lack of alone time, I am very grateful to have my husband and kids with me during our stay at home order.
I’m thankful things are starting to grow in my garden.
I’m thankful we have continued to be able to get necessities like food and medicine, clean water, etc.
I’m thankful we have such an easy going dog, who is able to nap in the midst of kid chaos!
I’m also extremely grateful that my kids continue to enjoy independent imaginative play.
Less ticks? They have been fierce this year. I have been working in my garden. One night I removed 9 ticks! I am down to one or two a day now - I wear long rubber boots, long pants, long sleeve shirt, hat and spray everything with Deep Woods Off.
TV.
I could say I’m glad that Julia doesn’t have to put up with this, but I’m not, and I’m sure she would rather be here. I certainly wish she was here. It would be wonderful compared to this loneliness. She would smile - she couldn’t help smiling - and I would be happy.
It’s not hot, yet.
Our wonderful President - just kidding.
State Farm says they are going to cut my car insurance by 25%. Why wouldn’t they, I’ve hardly used my car in 8 weeks!
Chocolate.
Aldies.
David, I'm sorry your Julia is no longer with you. Your comments about her brought tears to my eyes. (And your other comments brought a smile to my face.) I am grateful for the reminder to be thankful for simply being alive.
Thank you MB. A word to help. Julia did all the finance. I worked at a job, she took care of the bills, the bank, booking vacations, car rental air flights etc. when she died I found I couldn’t do any of that. The last time I paid bills I used checks - remember them? Julia did everything on line.
She had all the user names and passwords IN HER HEAD!Along with everyone’s birthdays anniversary etc.
Make sure you BOTH know the passwords etc.
I wrote a letter to my daughter We had one child. That I called “ Now I am dead.” I put down everything I could think of. Bank accounts, numbers, addresses. Soc Sec numbers. Names, addresses, phone numbers, etc, etc of all our friends. Mortgage names. Etc.There were seven typed pages! If Julia had done that it would have been such a help. It took weeks and months for me just to access our bank accounts!
David, I'm sorry you had to deal with all of that on top of your grief. The volume of important information is overwhelming, and you've given your daughter an incredible gift with your "Now I am dead" document. I prepared the same document for my husband (in case I go first) and for our executor (to whom we've also given powers for both financial and health care decisions) with the intro "If you are reading this, we have become incompetent, incapacitated, or dead."
I love this!
I'm glad for warmer weather. Even though it went from "Why is it STILL this cold???" to "OMG, I might actually sweat to death..." within days, I'm still grateful to be wearing less clothing and to have all the windows open. That makes such a difference in my mood. I'm also thankful we're able to get outside more often these days.
I'm grateful my husband still has a job, and that my kids have been really great about this whole lockdown thing. I'm grateful that my well-stocked pantry has never left us without meals (and toilet paper!) throughout all of this.
And I'm thankful for my library's awesome selection of ebooks, which has kept me and so many people in my town reading during this strange time.
Health - Our health has always been uncertain not just during Covid times.
Job - that I've been able to continue to work during Covid times.
Minimalist/Frugal Lifestyle - that has not changed or been affected much during Covid times.
Food & Supply Stock-up - I keep stocked up of food & supplies year round so already had TP during Covid times.
My son, who has significant dyslexia, finished his Engineering degree, math mino, Magna Cum Laude. Let me tell you - this has been a journey for himself, and his father and I. We are filled with joy and gratitude.
Hooray! Such an achievement!
That is AMAZING. Yay for him!!
Congratulations to you and your son.! That is a profound achievement. One of my adult sons is dyslexic, and it can be difficult. There were some trying times throughout the years. Wishing him the best.
!Hola! I don't know how to type the upside down ! and ? marks at the start of sentences in Spanish.
We have a pinpoint leak in the copper pipe in the water line coming into our house, right below the shutoff valve. I am thankful that the after-hours city water guy was very friendly when he came to shut the water off to our house. The police dispatcher (rather a shock to find the emergency utility number goes to the police station-- small town life) was also very friendly.
I am thankful that we have time to get another opinion on the problem, as we shudder at the first advice: "Dig out the end of the driveway and re-run the water line to a new hole in the basement wall...". I am thankful it is spring and not freezing out, and that this is clean water all over the floor.
I am thankful there are professionals who make such repairs their careers and take pride in their work.
I am thankful my marriage is strong so my husband and I don't get mad at each other when something is no one's fault; my son on the autism spectrum figured out his own waterless coping methods; we can presumably afford the repairs and motel bills.
Thank you also for this Thursday to write this out! In a few weeks, I will be glad I will be able to be thankful for other things.
Oh my, I am so sorry about your water issue. That's so hard! Is it going to take a few weeks to repair?
I don't know how to do the upside down exclamation mark on my laptop either. On my phone, I can just install other keyboards and switch between them.
Thank you-- We are making progress on the plumbing work, hopefully will be much less than a week. I have great sympathy for the people in other comments who said they have wet basements. When I took Spanish in high school, I was fascinated by the punctuation and used it when I took notes in all my classes for extra emphasis.
On your laptop press ALT then 168 to make the upside down ? mark.
To make the ! turn on its head press ALT then 173.
There are literally hundreds of codes that use ALT + additional numbers to create symbols Etc in documents
I am thankful that
1. my husband can work safely from home
2. my husband that has autoimmune issues has been able to remain healthy
3. my physical therapist was able to help with the pain in my hip flexor
4. my adult daughter bought us some toilet paper when she was shopping. We are almost out of our Costco stash and we aren't shopping in stores yet and no pickup is available for TP
5. the dog we adopted in March is settling in and is keeping my husband company while he works from home
Off-topic, but, as a fellow homeschooling mom, I'm interested in which Algebra curriculum you used and liked. Thank you!
We have used Saxon almost exclusively. It's not a fun or flashy curriculum, but it is exceedingly thorough and full of review. No one in our house is a math whiz, and so I have felt like we really have needed a solid math curriculum.
My favorite part of Saxon is the systematic review. All year long, you keep doing the types of problems introduced in previous lessons, so you never are forgetting how to do the things you learned in the early lessons. As a student, I found this so much easier than topical math books, where you focus intently on one type of problem and then don't do that type again util the cumulative test.
Also, if you encounter a problem you can contact their help line as well. I used Saxon's for all eight of mine.
I am thankful that our IKEA kitchen cabinets were delivered on their estimated day!
I’m thankful for an afternoon out at the coast yesterday.
I’m thankful for lots of things growing in my garden.
I’m thankful for my son and daughter-in-law and their 3rd anniversary yesterday.
I’m thankful for Kristen and this community.
I’m thankful for for the audiologist opening tomorrow and that I will get my new hearing aid tomorrow!
I’m thankful for my new little business and so deeply thankful for people who have bought from it. This makes a big difference for my family.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/FabricSpeaks
I’m thankful for my hardworking husband, a teacher, who is working this summer at FedEx.
I am thankful for a beautiful granddaughter who fills my world with love and delight.
I am thankful that the panic buying seems to be over for now.
I am thankful that I can now buy Australian grown clementines. How I love them.
I am thankful for the cooler temperatures and lear blue skies.
I am thankful for technology that broadens my world.
1. Online church, including sister's in Charlotte. Rather be there in person, though.
2. Open pool for grands on Memorial Day. Too cold for this "Grand".
3.Online Body & Soul exercise class. Benefit of Zoom to see other class members virtually.
4. Amazon purchases when stores don't have what you need.
5.Zoom, again, having Bible Study weekly with our group.
6. "celebrated" 42 years with hubbie this week. Ordering in just isn't the same as going somewhere nice, where you don't have to do the dishes. 🙁
I have close family members who are front line workers in the hospitals and treat Covid patients, so I'm very thankful for all the people who are taking this pandemic seriously: wearing masks, staying home when they can, and listening to our medical experts. By being careful and protecting ourselves, we're actually protecting each other. That keeps my family safe, and yours safe too. And for that I'm very grateful!
So much to be thankful for!
1. That my loved ones, including those in the health profession and those who are compromised, are healthy so far.
2. That we both have jobs and that our kids can still learn safely from home. Also that my job has flexibility that allows me to complete my work assignments but also help my kids and stay on top (sorta) of the housework.
3. That our medical professionals and first responders are willing to go out there and help people despite putting themselves at risk.
4. That my children are happy and content. They're sometimes cranky too, but it is so satisfying knowing that we can provide them with enough security to not be terribly negatively impacted by this odd situation.
5. Watermelon - this simple fruit has been bringing me so much joy.
6. Netflix, my headphones that allow me to watch netflix without disturbing my family, digital books from the library, chips and salsa, popcorn, and stretching (it feels so good).
I admit I've been struggling a lot the last few months. Some friendships have ended and I've had some health issues which now seem to be everyone else's business. So I'm trying to look for the good whenever and wherever I can.
1.) Had in-person church service on Sunday. It was different and it wasn't right but I was able to have in person service and see people I haven't seen in ages.
2.) Hearing a lot more people express a desire to forego buying Chinese made goods in favor of American products. I personally bought a hose nozzle made in the US. I paid a little more but it was worth it!
3.) Got a couple hundred dollars off my car insurance renewal this year. So that's nice.
4.) Almost everything I've planted except my cucumbers and potatoes have come up already The cucumbers should still have a few more days and we'll see about the potatoes, though two have sprouted. Hopefully I'll get lots of fruits and veggies this year. I got such a late start that I was a bit worried about it all.
Sending you lots of love from us, Battra. <3 I hope things improve for you, and I'm so sorry things have been hard!
Can you send some of your veggie magic my way? My area went from cold to hot, skipping warm entirely. Between that and not loving gardening (especially the planting part), I just planted my seeds on Tuesday.
I hope the other things get better. I feel for you and am sending hopeful thoughts your way.
I don't have any real magic with the vegetables. My wife ordered some heirloom seeds and my daughter and I planted them is all.
We too missed the warm-up period and it went to super hot but will be back to cool again this weekend, at least.
Two doors down from us is a house that is always rented by college students and is empty over the summer. This year, they listed the house for sale and a new group of college kids/grads just moved in. While I'm disappointed to not have the summer off, here are some things I'm thankful for about the situation: 1) They were cooperative and respectful of my request that they turn their music down if it's going to contain such high amounts of particular inappropriate words since my little kids were outside. They changed their playlist and I'm grateful. I went into the request super uncomfortable and aware that they could just say no. I was hoping that my first big interaction with them would be dropping off some baked goods with my kids instead of something like this, but oh well. 2) They seem to want to have a good relationship with the neighbors. Some of them take the initiative to say hello and remember my name. 3) They appear to at least mostly have jobs. After the weekend, I was afraid that they would be unemployed (as so many are right now) and constantly partying while my kids and I are home and want to be out in our yard, but thank goodness they appear to have jobs.
Ruth: I'm glad your apprehensions were not necessary! College students, (and probably those a little bit older in their first jobs), are often very lonely for younger brothers and sisters or nieces and nephews, as well as for their pets. They thus adore interacting with anyone younger than them.
I hope they continue to be good neighbors.
Thanks for the helpful perspective! I hope so, too. I am looking forward to baking something for them this weekend and introducing my kids. My experience with the previous college guys was that homebaked goods were really appreciated.
So many things. Great post. I have been reminding my own children (daily) that even though this situation is hard we are so lucky. We are both still employed. We can afford groceries. We are safe. We are healthy. It is a very difficult situation, but it is important to try to be grateful for what you have. Thanks for the reminder!!
I'm grateful:
1. For prayer. Sometimes I feel so weighed down with worries it seems hard to breathe, then after spending some time in prayer, my heart feels lighter and so much more filled with hope.
2. For my sweet kids. They're so loving in spite of my shortcomings as their mom. Today my 8 year old climbed into my lap and stayed there a while. I do wonder how long she will continue doing that. :'-(
3. That my husband has been able to work comfortably from home during the lockdown, and his pay hasn't suffered at all.
4. For my fourth baby on the way, and that everything is going smoothly in spite of my very old age of 39. 😀
5. For the simple fun my kids love engaging in: painting with their watercolors, cooking together, going to get a decaf coffee drink together, riding their bikes, going for walks... kids don't need much, but togetherness and listening ears. <3
Your post was like looking into a mirror! I’m 36 years old and 37 weeks with baby number 4. I thank God for our sweet girls who love me despite my shortcomings as well. They’re easily entertained and rarely complain about being stuck at home. I’d be lost if I didn’t have my prayer connection to God! Blessings to you and your family and prayers for a smooth and peaceful delivery and healthy baby and momma!
I had my fourth child two months before my 39th birthday. I did not appreciate being considered a geriatric pregnancy--seriously, that was a term I heard at my doctor's office-- but that was my easiest pregnancy and birth. And my first daughter, so that was fun. 🙂
Congratulations from another mother who had her first and only at the ripe old age of 38. My chart was stamped “Advanced Maternal Age!!!”
1. That I am nearly recovered from a bout of shingles, and the rash is on an area of the body normally covered by clothes!
2. That the grocery store is fully stocked, and prices here in Texas don't seem to be higher than usual.
3. For strawberry margaritas and Tex-Mex with family on Memorial Day.
4. For friends who keep in touch and check on me now that I am on my own.
5. That my late husband's probate hearing yesterday was via Zoom so I didn't have to drive downtown, find parking and actually stand up in front of a judge a court of law! Instead my witness and I sat at the kitchen table with coffee and pastries which made a "not very nice experience" much more bearable.
Shingles are THE WORST (I speak from personal experience). So glad you're feeling better. And that no one can see the rash. 🙂
I'm so glad you didn't have to actually go to the courthouse. No one would have served you pastries there!
And it's wonderful that your community of people is taking care of you, particularly as you transition to a new way of life. <3
Thankful for...
1. A walk and yard work for exercise today
2. No cooking day and pickup food
3. Laundry finished
4. Amazon order left at the door
5. Much needed rain
I am thankful for:
-my faith in Jesus that sustains me even on the darkest days
-health for my family and friends (the chronic issues are there but managed)
-food choices at the grocery store (they were limited for quite a while there, but seem to be evening out)
-the grocery store and other service employees that are so kind and hard working
-employment that has continued
-this blog as it brings the healthy kind of distraction which is hard to find these days
-a family that gets along well (I cannot imagine this time with constant arguments))
-lots of sunshine and fair weather
-my back porch and Pandora (a life saver for this introvert with constant togetherness)
-my yard and flowers (the blooms have brought me joy and the weeds keep me busy)
My thankfulness for today: That I'm still alive today and am functional. For the past 2-1/2 mos., I struggled with a troublesome and painful medical condition and I thank God that while I'm not a 100% yet, I'm much better than I was a month ago and am live and can function.
I'm so glad that you are doing better now, and I'm so sorry to hear that things have been hard for you.
We use Saxon math too!
I'm thankful for patient and forgiving family members.
And a forgiving God too.
For the beautiful nature where we live.
For the delicious watermelon we had today.
For good internet.
I am thankful that my local Trader Joe has reached out to Seniors. (I am a young 66, mostly fit. Healthy, on no meds. But older..and so,at risk!) and they have an hour in the morning for us to shop.This was my FIRST DAY OUT IN A PUBLIC BUILDING since March 5 and I was scared.EVERYONE at TJ’s had masks on. The customers and the staff! There were only 8-10 of us in the whole store. They wiped down carts and handed us one as they allowed us in, one by one.Plexiglass at the checkout, markers on floor for all to distance our 6 feet. When I woke up this morning,after having decided to go to TJ’s after 82 days AT HOME (and on a few hiking trails but no public places..) I told my husband, as I got dressed, I felt like I WAS GETTING READY TO GO TO THE PROM!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL. AM SO GRATEFUL for this tiny bit of socialization.I miss my old life a lot!
2. Grateful our son has been able to be in quarantine and work at home,so we can meet for a dinner on our patio tomorrow.Salmon Caesar. WE’ll stay 6 feet apart.Weird but.. do able.
3.SOOo grateful for a comfortable home.Back yard. A pool (it’s Arizona, almost all houses have them due to our heat and climate! ) We use our pool at least 7 months of the year!
4. Grateful for my general health—I am older, 66, but have spent a lot of time on wellness.. and so,I feel strong.
5. So grateful for our natural environment..Mother Nature offers so many little respites here in Arizona..we can drive to a small swimming hole where almost no one goes (at least at 6 AM.. lol!!
6.Grateful to be alive and for all I have gotten to experience up to this point!
7.VERY grateful I love to cook, and for small simple pleasures;Chardonnay at dusk, good movies on Netflix, “The Americans “ TV series, sunshine, fresh cherries, homemade bean soup, and kisses on the neck from my husband.
So thankful for the virtual doctor's visits. I hurt my back in late January, but was able to start physical therapy remotely in early April and do my exercises at home. I feel so much better now and my therapist is so lovely, kind, and supportive!
Thankful that we are getting closer to reopening where I live, at least the initial phase may start soon. My heart has been aching for those who have lost so much, it's been hard to feel like we were helping in any way. It gives me hope that our efforts to stay home were not in vain.
Places that can safely deliver what we need. My husband and I are slightly higher risk and live where many others are older and even more vulnerable. Being able to limit our ventures outside helps everyone.
USPS Informed Delivery service. This free service lets you know what mail is arriving soon. If you live in a place where you have to pick up your mail from a central mailbox area, such as in an apartment building lobby, you can see ahead of time if it's worth taking the trip to the mailbox that day.
¡Muy bien, Kristen! Estoy feliz que aprendas español. 😉
Things I'm grateful for this week:
1) In March, I learned that I had been approved by the university Provost and President for promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure. I honestly forgot about it until some of my academic friends started posting their tenure news in May. I announced it on my social media without realizing that I had never told my family!! I had told them about the positive votes in my department and my college, but neglected to mention the official word. So...
2) My family. They love me even though I'm spacey sometimes.
3) I have summer courses to teach. I am on a 9-month contract, but I split it over 12 months to be safe. Summer teaching means we build a nice little nest egg and can hopefully pay down some debt.
4) Last night, my colleague delivered tools to help me get out of my current research/writing slump. I have a severely overdue book contract to fulfill by mid-August and I have paralyzing writer's block. She brought me a 2-year monthly planner (great for tracking projects), stickers (for rewards, obviously), and shared her Excel research/writing tracker.
5) I have a virtual sewing group. In olden times, we would meet at my friend's house and work on individual projects. Now we meet on Zoom and it is so delightful to see their faces and gab.
6) The Frugal Girl. I love the sense of community that you've built here, Kristen. It's such an uplifting place and I love reading about how you manage your life so mindfully. I love reading what the other community members say, too. I have learned so much from everyone!
Although the chimney company messed up badly, they've been easy to deal with about fixing their mistakes. They've been repointing the rest of the outside of the chimney this week.
My friends S&A told me that our mutual friends A&K were passing through, so we hung out - distantly - in my backyard. So convenient that I have 6 chairs.
New office (at same employer) started this week. I'm not going to enjoy the much longer commute but my new coworkers seem nice. The only one I know is the Team Lead.
That I can give $5 to the person behind me in line, so she could tip her grocery bagger. (She had stopped carrying cash and the store doesn't do cash-back on credit cards.)
The things I've been grateful for, haven't changed: job, family, house that makes staying at home more rather than less bearable, ability to share the bounty, dog.
1. My husband, always my husband is the thing in my life I am most thankful for. After 37 years, I still think he is the finest, kindest person I have ever met.
2. Living in Alaska, where I have seen animals and scenery others pay big bucks to see. And I have lived in small villages and so been immersed in other cultures for years at a time.
3. It is early yet, but so far my garden and greenhouse are going great guns.
4. Our library, which found a way to hand out books even during the shelter in place orders.
5. My four chickens, who are so amusing and responsive.
1. I’m super thankful that I found frugal living blogs (especially The Frugal Girl and The Non-Consumer Advocate) years ago and changed how I approach finance/consumption. I developed new habits when I had a decent income coming in and now that I’m facing a layoff (find out tomorrow night), I’m obviously stressed but sitting on a rainy day fund that will keep me fed/housed/safe for several months. I will be okay!
2. My garden. It’s just a small plot in a community garden but its my happy place during the summer. I love bringing home fresh vegetables to incorporate into meals for my loved ones.
3. The little condo that my husband and I call home. It’s humble but we’re not house poor and live in a fantastic part of our city.
4. My husband who still loves me despite my stress-spins and knows how to calm me. He was also a crazy spendthrift when we met but happily followed my frugal lead and encourages me to try new ways to save money. (He just looked over my shoulder and laughed because he wasn’t the first thing on my list...oops)
1. Spring-summer weather!
2. Ability to do little bits of gardening!
3. Staying in touch with family and friends in various ways- and just having them in my life
4. Being able to support myself with two flexible jobs, both of which help others, and the flexibility and security which then allows me to volunteer at various things.
5. Pizza!
Actually I could list a thousand things without struggling. For some reason, though, I’ve felt down this week, and I REALLY needed to read this post, Kristen, and to respond, so THANK YOU!
And, of course, I’m grateful above all for God, from whom all of my blessings and help come!
While I could list a million things that have upset me this week, it has been a bad week and I need to quit watching the news.
We got to see our grandbaby first time since end of March. She has grown so much and is so much fun always has a smile on her face.
Glad our puppy who is 13 months is getting into the I don't have to destroy everything stage.
My neighbor bought the puppy a chew bone and so far he has not destroyed it. Great success! He is a super chewer.
We landscaped our son's yard with all free plants.
Our weather has been so yucky cloudy and 60. Then to 90 for a couple of day's & some sun. I get so sick of never seeing the sun. Michigan must be the cloudiest state ever.
Thankful for braces for my teen as well!
For readers who are looking in to orthodontics for their children.... there are several organizations that offer discounted braces based on family income. The two we looked into are SmileForALifetime.org and SmilesChangeLives.org.
The parent and student writes a brief essay and provides documentation of family income, and the wait time can be over a year to begin the program, but at least in our area the orthodontists who donate their time are well regarded. Our total out of pocket for treatment was under $700. So thankful for the generosity of the participating orthodontists in our city!
My insurance company gave back 20% of the premium for March and April (which means my insurance would have to be $9000/year to get back $300). Seems like your insurance company must have been more generous and included more months.
What company?