Thankful Thursday | a snowy edition
This week, I'm thankful:
that we got snow!
The last few years have been pretty light on the snow end of things, and I felt a little sad about that. Snow is rare enough here in the mid-Atlantic that it feels like a treat to me when it does happen.
that we did not lose power when it snowed
Much as I dislike sweating, I still think losing power in the winter is worse than losing it in the summer. It hasn't happened often, but the winter power losses we've had have been terrible since we have no alternate form of heat, such as a fireplace.
I am super grateful for a running heat pump and a running water heater!
that the snow has stuck around for a couple of days
A lot of times our snow disappears the same day, or within 24 hours, so I am enjoying the beauty for a few days.
for how bright my house is when there's snow on the ground
There's so much more light reflected into my windows when the ground is snowy white instead of dirty brown!
that I'm making progress on getting the girls signed up for college classes
The high school dual enrollment program is awesome (50% off!), but it does require some extra steps and paperwork for the parents.
And to add to this, it'll be Zoe's first semester, so we are having to jump through hoops like placement tests, introductory modules, required orientation, and such.
But I am all done with Sonia's registration (woohoo!), and we are making progress on Zoe's.
Luckily, my own school registration is extremely simple. My courses are already chosen for me (no decision-making required!), and I just go in and pay full price, with no extra paperwork.
Expensive, but simple. Everything has trade-offs. 😉
for the friendly cats at my shift last night
There were only four cats at the adoption center last night, but my goodness, two of them were so, so snuggly. It made my heart happy.
that we are all still healthy
Most of the world seems to be calling in sick at the moment, but mercifully, the four of us here are all still good.
I am thankful that the house is 98% packed & the muscle crew arrives tomorrow to load it into the storage containers & then my friends we will be DONE. While this is only one leg of the journey I am celebrating the little things.
Thankful that we were able to quarantine at my Aunt's house this past week while my hubby had COVid so that all of us didn't get sick.
Thankful for paper plates & cups....something I usually don't buy but when you are moving and have a family member who is sick they are a great help.
Thankful that my hubby has recovered very quickly and only ever had mild cold symptoms that we treated with OTC meds. Hooray for a vaccine and booster that kept him out of the hospital!
Thankful for family. Full stop.
@Angie, Congrats on crossing the finish line on the first leg of your moving journey. It's a huge job!
@Angie, my husband had covid over the holidays, too. But thanks to his vaccines, my vaccines, and our ability to isolate from each other-- he had a mild illness and no one in our house caught covid from him.
The one house we had without a woodstove was very nerve-wracking, because it was on the VERY COLD Canadian border, and it made us nervous to be dependent on an electric furnace for whole-house heating. We did have a small propane stove downstairs, but it was only enough to keep us from literally freezing.
Thankfuls this week . . .
For the opportunity to order books for the high school students for their "fun" (but still required 🙂 reading. I LOVE books, I love choosing books, I love getting kids to read, and I really love ordering books without spending any of my own money. Ha.
For the end of our Zoom school week today. My kids do not appreciate school on Zoom. I know there are some kids who do well with it (my niece is one), but it emphatically does not work for my boys.
On the other hand, I'm personally thankful to be on Zoom this week, because it means I'm not exhausted on my work days from running all over the school taking care of the many tasks that are part of my job when school is in session. And I really don't miss the bus rides.
For the Misfits Market delivery I got yesterday. I had a salad with beets and radishes and cucumbers in it last night and I did not have to drive anywhere to get those things. Amazing.
For the end of the prolonged period of illness in our family (not severe, but of an unusually long duration), which means we can FINALLY go over to our friends' new house tomorrow for a playdate. I had to rain-check it at least three times as various family members fell ill, and it was a bummer for all of us.
@kristin @ going country, I understand. I am less exhausted when I zoom teach but my right shoulder and back burn with pain when I zoom teach.
Thankful:
1) That my jury duty summons ended with me not having to report. I had to call in every night to see if my jury pool was supposed to report, but last night was told my service was ended, so huzzah! I'm good for another six years, probably. I was not looking forward to driving downtown and being away from home all day, especially with omicron being so strong in my state.
2) That my kids' college classes are (mostly) remote learning. I really wish the schools would recognize the rising rates of hospitalization and illness, but nope. At least we got them registered for remote classes last semester.
3) For a warm, cozy house as we finally get real winter weather (it's been warmer than usual lately, which I was fine with!).
@Karen, I just got another summons. My last one was 24 months ago!
@Karen, My jury "duty" consists of checking in every Friday to find out if I am required to show up on Monday, for 3 months. It has been a challenge in terms of thinking how to schedule things.
@Karen, I got a summons last month, but got a deferral because I wasn't going to be in town on the selection day. I don't mind jury duty, but this time it just wasn't going to work
I am grateful for this post, it made me smile and be appreciative of the snow around my house.I am a little sad about my daughter going back to college, but I am grateful she did go back. I am grateful for my dog who is my little buddy. I am grateful for being able to do some self-love like making hot coffee, turning on YouTube with fireplace videos and soothing music to start my morning as well as our little electric fireplace. I am grateful for the hot shower before going into work and probably that gallon of lotion I will need to bring moisture back to my skin, lol. I am grateful my old furnace keeps on working - it feels like temperature of 5° outside is sure challenging it to keep the house warm. I’m looking forward to my daughters winter break in February and contemplating fun things we can do besides the two scheduled doctors appointments I made for her , lol.
Kristen, perhaps you ought to invest in a portable propane heater. Even if you feel your chances of ever needing it are slim, it would give you peace of mind to know it's sitting in the garage.
@Anne, or possibly even consider a generator. They are definitely expensive but when we've had occasion to use ours, I've been thankful that we invested in one. It's not only helpful for heat, but also for your fridge/freezer should you lose power in warm weather.
Yes, we do have a small generator which we have used to run the fridge and freezer when we lose power in the summer. It also can power our internet and charge phones/computers.
We have a propane heater as well, but it is only so useful as it cannot be used in a totally closed-up space. Having to vent by opening up a window made it colder in here than it was without the heater!
Snow is a rare thing in Alabama so when it snows, I love it!
This week I am thankful that
1) Our snow day this week was gorgeous and since it had been almost 80 degrees the day before so the roads stayed totally clear
2) Our son is finally over his Covid symptoms and was able to go back to work today
3) My husband, daughter, son-in-law, and I did not get Covid from our son. We had all had the booster shot so it worked great for us
4) I am able to work from home the rest of the week. The second round of winter weather is rolling in this afternoon and our roads will become unsafe. Since snow is such a rare thing here, our infrastructure is not set up to handle icy roads
5) Our power is on and our house is nice and warm
The snow is beautiful. I think there is more on the way. In 1989, North Florida experienced a White Christmas. The snow stayed on the ground for two days. It was amazing and unforgettable.
• I’m thankful for the beginning of a New Year. I love the feeling of each year being a new beginning and anything is possible.
• I’m happy that my son completed his application to enter a research program that will allow him to do field work in his highly specialized field. He found this opportunity by chance when chatting with a stranger in a coffee shop. Serendipity.
• I’m grateful that my husband took my car in for service when I was unable to. It has 170k miles on it. I have taken very good care of it and hope to get many more.
• I am thankful that Rescue Pup had some playtime with the dog down the street. He was not home over the Christmas holidays. She is now snoring next to me. I love soft doggie snores!
I'm hugely thankful the latest strain of Covid has not touched our household. The first couple of rounds of the virus seemed far away and I didn't actually know anyone who was sickened. But for some reason Omicron seems to be around like a common winter cold. I know a number of people who have/had it. I don't know why this is.
@Anne, Same here. My understanding is that it IS more like a "common cold" (some of which are actually corona viruses), i.e., more contagious but less severe. Which is trajectory of most viruses.
Both my kids had it over Christmas. My son just had a scratchy throat and a little runny nose. My daughter basically had a bad cold. They're both fine now.
I got my booster so I didn't catch it. (I was in the hospital for over a week with pneumonia and Covid in November 2020 so I will be annoyed if I get it again.)
Thankful: I was able to track down my deadbeat former tenant online. MUAHAHAHAHA! I hate to brag but I am really really good at researching and finding things online. Deadbeat has a Persian/Iranian name and usually goes by an anglicized version. Once I figured out his real name.....yep, you're gonna get served with a lawsuit soon, sucka.
Thankful II: my former tenants might be taking the guest cottage. They always pay promptly and incidentally own the house right behind me.
Oh, I'm glad that you are on the way to getting your back rent paid. Whew.
Right? I knew maybe a handful of people who got Covid before Omicron got here and now there are dozens of people I know who have it!
I am thankful for the unexpected space planning opportunity that my volunteer organization gave me. I love helping others transform spaces both organizationally and aesthetically, especially when nothing needs to be purchased to whip everything into shape.
I am thankful I’ve had no Covid illness . I’m praying for continued escape from it. My 15 yr old great nephew positive for Covid-felt really ill for 24 hrs and my 17 yr old great niece positive but has just had low grade fever and few aches for 24 hours. I’m thankful they are doing well. I am thankful I got overpayment of 1300$ back from hospital! I am thankful that my retirement system is giving me a “bonus” in January equal to a month’s pay. (going into savings account) I am thankful for living-I’m thankful each day!!
@Nan, my 20 year old was really ill for a week. Had no taste for a month. Lost 12 pounds! This was before there was a vaccine. It was ROUGH on him and this mom worrying!
1. I am thankful that you do Thankful Thursday because it forces me to think about what I am thankful for, which I especially need this week because times are tough out in the world, for sure.
2. I am thankful that we are now a solid block of time out from Christmas and I can feel pretty certain that no family members became ill from the small family Christmas activities we decided to have.
3. I am thankful for our home, which is just right for our family, and it makes me feel good to be in it, especially with the cleaning and decluttering that my family did together over break.
4. I am thankful for the daylight beginning to get just a little bit longer each day.
5. I am thankful to be a high school teacher. This is extremely hard work these days, but I still love it and it still brings me joy. I am very lucky to consider my workplace one of my "happy places".
Your snow sure is beautiful! We've been enjoying some this week, too.
This week I'm thankful:
* that the planner I thought I would love turned out to be amazing in real life! I'm on my second week of using the Home Planner from Passionate Penny Pincher and it's really helping me with my house. I'm so, so thankful! (My husband and I jokingly refer to it as my Magic Planner. It's amazing.)
* for our warm house.
* that it's going well having our girls sleep in the basement for the time being. We just redid their floors (from carpet to hardwood) and I think we have to wait until Saturday evening before we can move any furniture back in. But they're sleeping well in their temporary spot.
* that I got to see a friend at school pick-up and I had really missed her over break! I'm thankful to have such a good friend in my life.
* that our Bible study got to meet virtually this week. I love that we have such rich discussion even over Zoom. I love the intergenerational aspect and how I can learn from such wise women week after week.
I am thankful that we were able to spend New Years Day playing games with friends and eating good food. I am also thankful the gathering wasn't on December 31st because I don't enjoy staying up until midnight.
I am thankful for good books like Jane Eyre which I am enjoying at the moment.
I am thankful that we are still moving forward on buying our first house. Today we expect to sign a rent back agreement and that the people we are buying from will open escrow on their replacement property.
I am thankful that the grocery store let me take about 20 empty boxes off of the hands.
I am thankful that my husband was able to take a Covid test yesterday. Testing appointments are hard to come by in my area and he cannot go back to work without a positive PCR test. (I am also thankful that he has a lot of sick time stored up.)
@Rebekah in SoCal, I'm reading Jane Eyre right now, too! Actually, I just finished it, but I have to backtrack to the point where it became impossible to put down so that I can take notes on it for our (my high schoolers and me) discussion. I kept telling myself, "You'll save time if you just take notes now." But then I replied to myself, "But it's important to just read for fun!"
I first read Jane Eyre when I was 10. I've read it probably 15 times in the, oops, 46 years since then. I will say my opinions have changed since I was 10! I think poor Bertha got a completely raw deal.
Also I think Jane was a little harsh to St. John. And I want to have the Rochester jewels poured in my lap. Erm, I guess I'm more of a Bertha than a Jane.
Try Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys after you're finished with good old Jane.
@Rose, Not to get into a gigantic literary debate or anything, but you're totally wrong about St. John. She was much nicer than I would have been 😉 I'm not sure about Bertha, though-- not enough information; because if Rochester was totally accurate and all she did was go around all the time trying to gnaw on people and set their beds on fire, ya gotta try to stop that somehow, and maybe being locked in the attic is better than an asylum of the day? But can we maybe both agree that we didn't like Blanche?
Blanche! Total beeyootch.
@Rebekah in SoCal, I too have been a Jane Eyre fan since my teens (which gets me some good-humored ribbing from the Jane Austen set, who tend not to like the Brontes). Thought I'd mention that I finally got around to watching the 2011 movie version recently; it was on Amazon Prime for free till 12/31 and I thought I'd take the opportunity. No 2-hour version will really do the novel justice, but I will say that it was better than I thought it was going to be.
I love both the Brontes and Jane.
Just want to say that if my idiot husband Edward took me away from Jamaica and locked me in an attic by myself except for Grace Poole, I'd probably get pretty bitey and stabby myself.
There's a reason one of the seminal feminist works is called The Madwoman in the Attic.
@A. Marie, Well, I love both Jane Austen and Jane Eyre. It's been so long since I've read Wuthering Heights that I don't know if I like it. I have been thinking about ordering a Jane Eyre movie from our library; what's your favorite version?
I've seen (I think) most of the Pride and Prejudice movies, and I agree with you about a 2-hour movie just not being adequate for those novels. I love the reallly long P & P with Colin Firth. I think it's about the only movie that I think it truly faithful to the book.
@Jody S.,
It is important to read just for fun!
@Rose,
I'll make a note about Wide Sargasso Sea.
@A. Marie,
I guess I understand why Austen fans might not favor the Brontes and Romance genre, but both are really good. It is nice to have more than one flavor of book.
@Rose, I think I'm kinda an anti-feminist, so maybe that's why we see poor Bertha differently. I guess I see her as somebody who truly was impaired, and her husband was just doing his pathetic best. But I think I read The Madwoman in the Attic in college, and I don't remember much about it. I've been interested in Wide Sargasso Sea for awhile, especially after I've been assured it really is a good book (nothing like Scarlett is to Gone with the Wind).
YES! Health!! We lost power for three straight days. Unlike our old home, however, we don't lose water with the power. AND we have a gas fireplace and gas stove. So I was able to boil water for coffee (and dishes), cook on the range and make tea and hot cocoa for the kids. The gas fireplace plus the solar heat helped warm our home. And we had enough blankets that my kids were piled up and warm each night. It wasn't easy, but I didn't have to worry about being shot at by militia (my friends who evacuated the DRC medical compound they serve at weren't so lucky this summer), we had food to cook and eat, and we had all the layers and blankets we needed to stay warm. Also, we had books and games and other ways to use our time productively and for enjoyment. I'm feeling extra thankful. When the power came on this morning I was even more thankful.
@Jen D., losing power is so hard!
Here in Utah, I’m very thankful for the snow we’ve had but also very grateful it melts down between storms. We’ve had at least 12 inches more than once. Our mountains are covered, which is a blessing.
Like Bee, I remember that snow in North Florida. It stopped everyone and everything - no one in my area has snow tires, and there is no way to clear the roads. People who ventured out were skidding around on slick roads, including the road in front of my house. It was something to see.
1. I'm thankful that the wild storm that came through late Sunday, dropping us from a high in the mid-eighties to a low of 32 the next morning, didn't give us a power outage or do any real damage locally, although some of the beach residents found they had docks, coolers, grills, boats, and four-wheelers that had floated off the next morning.
2. I'm thankful my sweet mutt is only mildly curious about fireworks, and went to sleep during them on New Year's Eve.
3. I'm thankful that my routine checkup today for one of my autoimmune diseases was good - no issues.
4. I'm thankful that although two of my co-workers have Omicron Covid, the rest of us, so far, don't. And that they don't feel very sick at all, and don't work close to me :). One was vaccinated and boostered, one was not. They caught it while off work and at their homes last week.
5. I'm thankful that my husband is talking more to other residents in the assisted living facility, and stopping to chat and eat with them more. He was very closed up to himself at first. It makes me feel hopeful.
@JD, Good to hear @ #5!
@JD, I second Suz on your #5. I'm glad your DH can still talk to and interact with other people.
@JD, Glad to hear that your husband is making friends. This must have been a difficult transition for you both. Wishing you love and peace during this journey.
On a lighter note - Floridans truly cannot drive in ice and snow. We are totally unprepared for that kind of weather.
I'm am grateful that, even though we are sick, we do not need to be hospitalized. We were able to secure some testing at CVS, so we also did not have to wait on line at the government sites for 4-5 hours (yes they are that long in South Florida!) We feel that we are already on the mend, so if the tests come back positive, we will still quarantine according to the CDC guidelines, but are happy that the vaccinations did their jobs. I am also lucky that I work from home and have not missed any hours at work -- see not too sick that I can still work! My husband, on the other hand, is driving me crazy!!!! Anyway, we are very thankful for not being too sick.
Good luck with the program. I'm a NP. Have you applied for FASFA? I just payed off 100,000.00 in student loans myself...nightmare!
I have not; I don't think I'd qualify for much except loans, and I have an investment account I started years ago to pay for nursing school. So, I'll tap into that and hopefully it'll cover everything.
@Kristen, If there are private scholarships or other non-government grants offered by your school, the financial aid office might use the FAFSA as a sort of baseline for applications.
But (as one of my most creative English professors used to say), don't quote me on that, because I might have made it up.
@Kristen, they strongly RN me to fill it out (FAFSA) even though I “knew” it would not benefit me! Ha! I was wtong! Go ahead and do it!
@Jenny, supposed to say “they strongly encouraged me”, and I was WRONG.
And as Kristen and many people know, but it bears repeating, there are companies out there that will ask you to pay them to do the application work for you. But the Free Application for Federal Student Aid is FREE!
Various entities-- I know my state has some kind of consortium of colleges that does so-- will have free FAFSA filing workshops in February or March to help people uncertain of the process. Financial aid offices and guidance counselors would have more information.
My thankfulness this week centers fully on both our sons and their families returning home safely after Christmas visits.
One son just landed as they returned from France having spent the last week with his wife's family after two weeks and Christmas with ours. The other son is back in Austin having driven across country to be with us.
All told we have had them with us for nearly three weeks. I’m super thankful that everyone has traveled safely but it will be empty around here!
Can I ask a random question: how do you like having a heat pump? I live in southern Californian where it’s usually quite temperate, but we do need some heat in winter and an air conditioner for very hot days in late summer and early fall. We’re considering installing a heat pump to replace our panel heaters, which could serve both purposes. I’ve read a lot of reviews online, but I don’t know anyone who has one. Any thoughts?
I had one to heat my pool. I think whether it's useful or not depends on how expensive your electricity is. I did not find a heat pump economical as electricity is ridiculous here.
I'm thankful:
1. That no one in my general vicinity that I know is sick. So far everyone's doing alright.
2. That I was able to figure out how to contribute to my Roth IRA. Every year it feels like they change the website but this year it was somewhat intuitive.
3. That we didn't get much snow and aren't expected to get a ton.
4. That my daughter is having in person schooling.
Well, I will be happy to take any snow you don't want!
When it comes to snow, I'm all about it! You sound like me, especially about the brightness factor. Everything here (Central Indiana) turns muddy gray-brown all winter - the grass, the trees, the streets, the houses, the cars, the people - EVERYTHING. Snow is a huge visual relief, and it brightens my mood as well as the landscape!
Also thankful for snow! We got quite a storm yesterday and today we continued with lake effect snow so we have a good foot of new snow out there. As Kristen says, it makes the house brighter, it gives my college son some work hours (snow removal for a condo complex while he is home on his break), gave my daughter and me a good cardio workout while shoveling today, and also gave the two of us laughs as we pelted each other with snowballs (ok, I seriously lost that snowball fight--somehow I don't have it in me to be too aggressive with my daughter, even if she is 16!).
I am thankful the meeting I had today only lasted an hour.
And now I'm thankful to be back home where it's cozy and warm and quiet!
I am very thankful for all the snow we've gotten lately as it's great for our spring/summer water supply and also helped put out that terrible fire in Boulder. PLUS it makes for great skiing.
Skiing. I'm thankful for a close local ski resort that doesn't cost a fortune and is only 45 minutes from home.
SO thankful I work from home. Did I mention that already? Haha.
I am thankful for:
1. A husband who is a straight communicator, so I never have to guess what he is thinking. Two days ago it was 47 below at our house and he said, "I am old, we have the money, and I am tired of being cold. I want to turn the heat up to 70 in the house in the winter." So we did and will continue to do so until the spring. I must confess that I like it too--when it is this cold out, even triple paned windows don't keep out the deep cold.
2. A neighbor who does odd jobs. We have had record snow and then one stinking day the temperature went up 50 degrees to above freezing and it rained! Several buildings had roofs collapse from the added weight of the ice, and with a 60 year old house we started to get a bit concerned. The neighbor and his son came over and shoveled off the roof. It cost us $300, which is fair given that they were working in below freezing temperatures again and it is dangerous work with the iced over and heavy snow. They had a busy week because at last count they have done six other houses on the block.
3. Grocery curbside pickup. For two days after the rain, until it got cold enough that the ice got sticky again, the roads and parking lots were a nightmare of ice skating rinks. It was so wonderful to drive up, punch in a number and have an agile young person skate out to our car with the bags of food.
4. Helpful neighbors. We have had record snowfalls. The dog we are babysitting until the soldier gets back from TDY somehow found a way to get up on the roof of our house, where she sat down in terror and barked until we realized something was wrong. Then she was too afraid to jump down onto the snow bern that had launched her up there. Husband went out and fell down trying to lure her. Soon two neigbors who saw him fall appeared in our backyard (probably to make sure the old geezer was not dead) and they wrangled the dog down.
5. For Bissell rug cleaners. Last night the husband opened the back door to let the dogs out for a final pee before bed and there was a moose standing right there---the door hit the antlers as the door swung open. Moose stared at husband. Husband stared at moose. The dog we are boarding began howling and our own pound hound immediately took a fear poop on the rug. (He used to do this if any voice was raised in his proximity. Another thing I would like to club his previous abusive owner for.) And, as he stepped backwards to slam the door shut, husband stepped in the poop. After the pandemonium ended, the Bissell did an excellent job of cleaning up the mess. I was no help because I was laughing so hard.
I love that it is normal to open your door and find a moose. Ha.
@Lindsey, love the moose story. Read it to my husband.
@Lindsey, your moose story **definitely** beats my most recent deer story--and I'm glad that nothing worse happened than dog poop on the rug (and on your DH).
But I'll tell the deer story anyway: On Thanksgiving morning, I interrupted some hot and heavy romance between an 8-point buck and a mature doe at the end of our street. I waved my arms, yelled "Get a room!", and did everything else I could think of to break it up. But I'm afraid I only delayed the inevitable.
I'm trying to imagine a room for two deer. lol
@A. Marie, I love the "Get a room." But right out in the street? Couldn't they at least gone into someone's back yard?
1. A friend who tested positive never developed symptoms. Had to quarantine, but at least they never felt ill.
2. We were allowed to work remotely all this week. I sure as heck did not want to commute in the city right now. Hoping for one more week's reprieve...we'll see.
3. Finally had a couple of sunny days. I love winter but not so much when it's gloomy.
4. The chocolate covered caramels my brother gave me in my stocking for Christmas. So yummy!
5. My friend is slowly but surely recovering from major brain surgery. It's going to be a tough rehab but he survived a combined 25 hours of surgery on two consecutive days!
My goodness, that is a long time to be in surgery. Wow.
@Kristen, Yes, it was several days before he was fully conscious. A very ingrained tumor on his brain stem that had been slow growing a long time, they think for a decade. So far his prognosis is good, just a long recovery and rehabilitation.
I’m thankful for the wonderful caregiver we’ve had for our children. We first met her in the infant room at our sons daycare and she was the only reason I was ok bringing him to daycare, she seemed to care so much for all the babies and my son got attached to her right away. Then the daycare closed and she decided to just watch 2 kids at her home rather than work at another daycare so she continued to watch our son until he started preschool last year. Once he started school, she started watching our daughter and continued to be wonderful and my daughter is so attached to her. Now my daughter will be starting school next week and this wonderful caregiver is moving away so this our last week. I feel so fortunate that we found someone we could trust with our kids and that our kids loved her so much. It’s such a wonderful experience for them to have another adult in their life that cared for them too.
Also thankful that so far we are all healthy too. This is definitely the most people I’ve known that have Covid, although luckily mostly vaccinated and those too young for the vaccine who got it have also not been too sick. I still would rather myself, husband and kids don’t get it though! Especially grateful there haven’t been any cases at my son’s school, as that’s our biggest source of risk since my husband and I are back to 100% remote work for now.
Grateful for all the small comforts in my life: hot coffee with cream every day, soft blankets, good food in the house (still have some holiday treats left that I’m enjoying)
I'm thankful:
*that both my son and I were out of our appointments (orthodontic and lab bloodwork) today before our actual appointment times.
*for roasted root veggies. I've made them twice recently, and they are yummy AND healthy.
*that my in-laws have enough get-up-and-go to drive the long distance to see us *just* for a day to bring Christmas presents for the kids. And for us because they bought us a really cool wind chime/bell from Maine. I like wind chime sounds. Of course, the challenge for us, at the top of the hill, is to find a place where they won't be blown away entirely.
*that nobody at our Bible study on Monday thought the pot of chili I made was disgusting. I was worried that some wouldn't like the chopped up beef heart I added to it since I didn't have enough ground beef in the freezer.
*to have seen my friend who is dying of cancer one more time. It was hard, but I am glad.
@Jody S., Wishing you happy memories of your friend.
@Heidi Louise, Thank you. I think the hardest part is that she can do nothing at the point but just wait. . . .
Thankful for feeling safer despite the rising cases and so many fellow teachers and students calling in sick.
Thankful for my dear husband, who makes me eggs almost every morning, and how much I love that.
Thankful for my wonderful daughter, yes there are ups and downs, buts she's growing up and that is wonderful to watch.
Thankful for my neighborhood and neighbors, when the chips are down we help each other.
Coffee!
I'm thankful we have a garage. The house is not large but we have a two car garage and we park our vehicles in it. It's wonderful not to have to clear snow/ice after a snowstorm, not to have frost on the windows on cold days, and not to have vehicles bake in the sun on a hot summer day.
I'm thankful that despite the snowstorm we had on Monday I was able to get out of the house. I didn't get beyond the immediate neighborhood but was able to do some walking, and of course shoveling.
I'm thankful a friend, an urgent care doctor, is able to take a break from her job and also go on a long planned vacation. She often worked 14 hour days during the pandemic.
I'm grateful that the latest Covid surge has caused me to do a better job of working through the food we have in the house. It's good to take a step back and not buy groceries every week.
I'm thankful the pandemic led to virtual get togethers. While glad to shed them once in person gathering became "safe" again I'm grateful they remain an option. Monday night I Zoomed with a couple friends since the weather was bad. Early Tuesday my usual yoga class was virtual only due to icy roads. Today I Zoomed with a group that usually meets in person but not with the current surge. I appreciate the virtual option during this time.
I'm thankful we are healthy.
I’m thankful that my 6-year old grandson’s Covid caused very mild symptoms. Also thankful that his mom tested negative.
This is a good exercise for me lately, trying to think of all of the good things in the midst of the terrible.
*The weather has been beautiful the last few days and I have been outside a lot, soaking up as much sun and fresh air as I can. Today is yard work day!
*I got my pantry, fridge, and freezer all cleaned out and organized and there is enough food in there to keep my grocery bill low for the next few weeks. (yes, I tossed some things that I shouldn't be eating - caramel corn, eggnog, pumpkin pie from Thanksgiving...)
*I cleaned my car inside and out yesterday - a dirty car gives me stress. My car gets good gas mileage and gets me safely to work each day. I loaded up a bunch of stuff in it to take to Goodwill yesterday and its very convenient for stuff like that, too!
*My knee, which decided to hurt for weeks, mysteriously stopped hurting and I had completely forgotten about the pain until just now. Right now, nothing hurts me physically and I feel strong.
*My 2 oldest peeps came to eat lunch with me on New Year's Day and it was a peaceful and optimistic time together and we all enjoyed each others' company.
Not every day is sunshine and rainbows. But thankfully, not every day is grey skies and tears. Amen!
1. I am thankful for indoor plumbing and hot running water. We are on week three of very cold temperatures (-25 to -35 C), and I am so glad not to have to use an outhouse like early pioneers.
2. I am thankful for my washing machine. Most useful household appliance ever, in my opinion!
3. I am thankful that teachers have been given four extra planning days this week, since our school start was delayed. The teachers came back this week, but we'll have no students until next week. I now have two weeks of work planned/prepped in case of a functional school closure, and this gives me a little peace of mind.
4. I am thankful for my local library and all the excellent books they order. I have enjoyed my reading time this holiday.
5. I am thankful for a good landlord who keeps the house in good repair, does a great job of snow removal, and doesn't complain when we need something fixed. Such a blessing!
@Lisa K., RE: #2: I was talking with a stranger at a laundromat once, and she said she would rather have a washing machine than a refrigerator. Not sure I would go quite that far, but I quite saw her point.
@Heidi Louise, Yes, I suppose a refrigerator is probably better than a washing machine, since without it you would have more daily shopping, cooking, etc. However, for sheer alleviation of hard physical labour, I think a washing machine wins. Imagine how hard to wash things like sheets, quilts, work clothes, etc. in the old days when one had to haul water, boil clothes, and wring things out by hand!
It was really a "look for the silver lining" few weeks, as my husband quarantined alone over the holidays. But, always positives to find:
1) Incredibly grateful that my husband was asymptomatic (vaccinated & boosted) & we would have never known he had COVID, if we hadn't tested ahead of visiting my parents for the holidays.
2) Thankful for my parents & sister, for making the holidays as great as we could for the kids, despite not having my husband
3) Grateful for all of the things my husband does, that i must not notice regularly. For example, drives the car in the snow, navigates the airport with a ton of luggage, makes the prime rib on Christmas eve, preps all of the fun drinks, keeps us all laughing...
4) Thankful that we had plenty of food in the house, so he was able to stay well fed when he had to stay home
5) Thankful that no one else in our family got COVID
So thankful for heAlth. So many people are struggling.
I am fifty!! And I am thankful for some young!!! Coworkers who make me lAugh daily. We laugh together !
So thankful for grocery pick up. WhAt a concept! Best ever.
Hope your new year is going well!!
Ok, so, give me some feedback here. I do have enough money to pay for nursing school, so if I apply for scholarships, do you think I'm taking money out of the hands of people who need it more? For instance, for kids in Lisey's stage of life, scholarships are life-changing. For me, it would be more like, "well, this is nice that I don't have to pay as much" but it wouldn't be earth-shaking.
What do you guys think?
@Kristen, I have no objection to people applying for scholarships they are qualified for. In fact, some scholarships exist to incent people to enter difficult fields, and financial qualifications are not at all/or significantly less relevant. Never has this been more true than during COVID. Your contribution as a nurse will benefit many people. If you earn any scholarships & are conflicted, you can always pay it forward - additional donations, helping out friends.
@Kristen, I wondered if you were thinking in those terms, and I think either decision you choose is appropriate.
As an older student, parent, working parent (if homeschooling and blogging are defined that way!), going in to health care, returning to school after time away, with high grades, you are probably eligible for more than you realize, as well as possible specialized or quirky scholarships like resident of your county or spouse of someone who works for your husband's company, etc.
Would it take stress off of you and your family? Would it save money you might later use for one of your kids' schooling or for career-starting expenses? Could it be used to reward yourself and your family when you finish the program?
If you think of tuition as a commodity just like anything else you pay for, would you expect someone with lots of money to never buy anything on sale? I do not like to think of schools as businesses, but in some respects they are, and they build in to their model that some students will pay less, and some students will get money from other funding sources.
I like what Hawaii Planner said, that if this concerns you, you might later pay some money forward to someone else or some other cause.
@Heidi Louise, I agree with you. My son is a senior this year, and I've noticed that some of the college scholarships out there are not geared toward high school students. Some are definitely for "non-traditional" students. It's worth looking into, right?
Thankful for:
*Acces to N95 at work (hospital)
* Paid lunch everyday in january+free onsite parking, from work
* Being able to book myself a week off since I'm on call, something my colleagues are not allowed to do at the moment. And not having to do mandatory double-shifts, for the same reason.
* Finally getting a cardiology appointment after a one-year wait time
* No debts
I am thankful for air conditioning. It hasn't been overly hot but very humid.
I am thankful that I found meat on great reductions as the next day the supermarket started to ration meat and things like toilet paper. We are being told it isn't a result of panic buying but having opened up to the world the workforce in Australia is being decimated by COVID illness. No staff to pack the food etc.
I am thankful that some very pretty fabric I bought before the year's end arrived. IT cheered me immensely.
I am thankful as my granddaughter's fill my heart with joy. The youngest is now learning to eat and her mother is using the child led weaning method. Most night's I am sent a clip of her latest food antics. We live in an incredible age where we can share such moments easily and fairly cheaply.
Lastly during the first two years of the pandemic our state has had quite strict rules but opened up during December. With the the of Omicron we have seen the numbers grow from very low or even zero cases to 18000 plus today. We have had some cases close to home but no-one has spread it to their other members of their household and my four year old darling has not caught it either. So while I wouldn't wish it on anyone I am pleased that those who have been ill have managed to contain their illness.
We are having a lot of staffing problems over here in the U.S. as well. My Aldi had a lot of empty shelves when I went last week!