Thankful Thursday | a sweatshirt in August!
This week I am thankful:
for the gorgeous weather that is here
We had a record low the other night, and it was chilly enough for me to want to wear a sweatshirt over my tank top and shorts. Yay!
I opened the windows to let the lovely air in, and Chiquita was massively gratified. She loves to sit in the windows.
(Shelley is rather scared of the outdoors, so open windows hold less appeal for her. I'm sure she's thinking things like, "What if I accidentally fall outside??" 😉 These types of things never occur to Chiquita because she would be pleased if she "fell" outdoors.)
for a fresh set of dishcloths from Sonia
When she stopped by to pick up her purple frames, she gifted me with a set of knitted purple dishcloths. It was a very purple exchange! Heh.
Since I'd just gotten my box of peaches, I gave her some and I also gave her the sour cream and onion Pringles from the Sam's Club multi-pack I'd bought (Zoe doesn't like the sour cream and onion ones, as it turns out. And I don't really like potato chips! So no one here was going to eat them.)
that I feel a little better about school starting
I was feeling a little nervous about going back to school, so I sat down with the class calendar and figured out what my life will look like for the first few weeks. It's gonna be busy, yes, but I feel a little better now that I mapped it out.
And I will feel MUCH better after the first week is done because day two of the semester is our math test (where you need to get 18/20 right or you're out for the semester) and day three is our clinical competency testing in the sim lab (which we also have to pass to stay in the semester).
I'm pretty sure I will be ok on both fronts, but still, the high stakes are anxiety-provoking.
for my little house
I know I put this on my lists all the time, but it is true: every week I feel thankful for this little house. I am so grateful to have landed here!
And I am SO HAPPY to not be living in a split-foyer house anymore.
(Otherwise known as a bi-level house.)
I vastly prefer my rancher. 🙂
for summer peaches
Oh, so good.
that I figured out free downtown parking
In the very nice parts of downtown, you have to pay even for street parking. But I realized that if I park outside of the downtown area, it's not that long of a walk to the nice historic parts.
So, I've been mixing up my trail walks with some historic downtown area walks.
I like how this tree is winning the fight against the brick sidewalk. 😉
It always makes me chuckle a little when nature pushes back against human development.
And I enjoy seeing the various flowers people have planted in their tiny plots of city ground.
for water views
I am always grateful to live in a place where water views are so plentiful.
I will feel so weird if I ever lived in a landlocked area in the future.
that I can get out of jury duty (hopefully!)
I got a summons for six months of being on call for jury duty, starting in October.
I seriously cannot do that while in nursing school (way too many mandatory lectures and clinical hours!), so I looked it up, and it sounds like you can get excused if you are a full-time student.
I sent in all the paperwork, so hopefully they will approve my exemption.
I'm happy to do my civic duty after nursing school is over. 😉
I would hate to live anywhere landlocked!
Thankful list, wisdom teeth edition:
1. I am thankful that the procedure is over. It wasn't exactly pleasant but at least it's done!
2. I am very thankful to the friend who picked me up afterwards.
3. I am thankful to be feeling better every day.
4. I am thankful that I can start eating more 'normal' food now.
5. I am thankful for such a range of things to watch! I've been incredibly bored the past few days and didn't feel like reading or going out, but I watched a lot of TV and worked on a jigsaw. Thank goodness for streaming and dvds!
@Sophie in Denmark, I will admit, moving to Wyoming wasn't what I originally expected in my life. I'm definitely more of a sand and beach girl than a mountains and rocks kinda gal. But this is the most beautiful state I've ever lived in. And you almost forget about the water views when you see the sunrises and sunsets 🙂
@reese, I'm sure! But I get sad when I'm not near water. The ocean really calms my soul.
@Sophie in Denmark,
I know what you mean! Living in landlocked Ohio was not in my plans, either (as a young person)...having lived on both US coasts and a reasonable drive to the water, the beach is my happy place. Fortunately, my DH understands this, and we try to take a beach vacation at least every other year (sometimes every year, it just depends on what else is going on). The Ohio side of Lake Erie, while not close by, is a good option if an ocean beach trip is not in the cards.
@reese,
Wyoming is exceptionally beautiful. There is so much space. One can breath there.
@Bee, I'm a surprise Ohioan too. We came from New Mexico, where the skies are breathtaking. But we appreciate big water whenever we visit it.
@reese, Wyoming is one of my favorite states! So beautiful!
@Sophie in Denmark, I take it anesthesia and the cut out all four? My dentist would not pull all four of mine at the same time. One just has to realize that the Novocaine wears off so don't overdo it when you first get home (you can drive yourself). My dad will be 85 and still has his - a few others have been pulled so go figure.
Sonia is still so creative! And the exchange of thoughtful gifts and surplus foods is so familiar 🙂
Out of curiosity: what is a ranch style house Kristen? I know your house has a basement with basement rooms, is that usual? Where I live, houses with basements like that are very rare, but houses do generally have attics where you can stand, for storage or creating a small spare bedroom/study. Also because building plots are expensive, the houses tend to be high rather than wide (not as extremely narrow+high as in our capital though), with relatively small gardens. Except if you've landed yourself an old farmhouse ofcourse or are rich enough to build yourself a "farmette" ;-). If you live in a location where there may be blizzards and tornados, lower house make a lot of sense - I was wondering and pondering on how climate influences building requirements.
Your post yesterday made me realize, again, how much we have to be thankful for. We have had difficult years with family members struggling with anxiety and depression, but we have weathered that it seems. We are mostly healthy and mostly happy and have no immediate financial concerns as long as we use our funds sensibly. We have meaningful relationships with friends and family. We can self-express through our hobbies. We can contribute to our society in a meaningful way. We can occasionally "do nothing" (I find that hard, I like to keep busy). I find great enjoyment and food for thought in your blogs and in the responses from readers, sometimes practical and sometimes in exchanges of thoughts. I greatly value that, and if I do not have the time to respond to each post, I do read them all.
@JNL,
Ranch style houses are single ground level (no upstairs/upper additional floors) that is usually rectangular shape & very popular build because cheaper. Some have basements, some don't. Basements are not a given in non coastal regions but are popular as it is additional living space underground/not seen.
I don't know of any areas that all have basement, if does happen it is coincidence. There are no laws that state your house has to have a basement, only some that say basement not realistic. Only places don't have basement is where not reasonably possible to build underground (coastal/water areas).
As far as areas with tornadoes it is very helpful to have place underground to take refuge in. But not everyone has basement in house.
@Regina, Can't get any more coastal than my house and I have a basement. Or as my parents called it, a cellar, or in schmancy expensive real estate listings, a "lower level." Lower levels are usually where the home gym, home theater and servants' quarters are now.
@Rose, no basements in most of the SE Coastal US. The water table is too high.
@Bee, I know--the water table is about two feet where I am. But we still all have basements. It's not just about water, but also the kind of soil (sandy here), bedrock etc.
@Regina,
Basements are a rarity here, and with good reason. We have limestone deposits underground and there is a lot of groundwater. The one ranch house I ever saw with a basement had water leaking into it, and this made a mess. It was going to cost the family a ton of money to fix. Instead of underground storage, most people have outdoor storage sheds in their backyards, or they use the attic or garage. (Or both!)
People usually run into their bathrooms during tornadoes and jump into the tub. If you have time, you grab a mattress off the bed and put it over you. The bathtub and the pipes in the wall are supposed to protect you. (However, the best place to be if a tornado is coming is....someplace else!!!)
@Fru-gal Lisa, yeah, I've been through a tornado in a bathroom since no basement & never again wanted to go through that! I swore I would have access to a basement after that. I didn't always have a basement but had access to one for that purpose only.
@JNL, I grew up in a 3 bedroom 1 bath ranch with 7 rooms (including the bath room) and no basement. My parents were thrilled to be able to afford this $13,000 house in 1955 with a VA loan. They paid off the mortgage too, before retirement.
@Rose, in Michigan cellars are not considered a basement in real estate. Most cellars here are about the size of a small bedroom & has no windows, which I believe are now a mandatory for a basement. Here cellars are used to be used for mostly food storage especially in winter.
@Regina, I think they're dirt, too? My parents both grew up in NYC and they had some unusual terms for common stuff. A root cellar with dirt is a very good way to store potatoes etc.
@Fru-gal Lisa,
Lol, a lot of house in the neighborhoods in my area have basements, attics, AND sheds in the back yard. My house included. 🙂 The shed is to store the riding lawn mower we have for DH to mow our rather large lawn (we have a corner lot with a "wraparound" lawn. DH would just as soon we create more gardens and less lawn). Our attic is not very easily accessible, so we don't store much up there.
@Regina,
I believe you're right about a window being mandatory in a basement.
@Regina,
That's what a cellar is to me - a door and some steps to what is basically a good sized cupboard below the stairs into the ground, with a tiled floor. The 60's house I grew up in had one of those, they were built at the time when fridges were not yet common in all households and people would store dairy and produce there (and milkmen had a daily round!)
The first time I saw a basement was in the 70's in a sea side town. The basement was a modestly fitted out apartment below the actual house, rented out to summer guests.
I would dread tornados. The awareness of the "water wolf" ( we live below sea level) is enough for me.
@Liz B., to quote our office building manager after 9/11, you need your means of egress or you're toast.
@JNL, Regina, Rose,
Here in eastern PA houses such as ours have a full basement the runs the entire length and width of your house. Most people make it into multiple rooms. Windows on all four sides. And use it for tornadoes now as the windows are of the eyebrow variety.
Split-level homes, like Kristen’s former one, can have no basement and are then called slab houses.
@Rose, In Ohio most older houses have basements or cellars. They were cool and insulated places to store potatoes, onions, and coal for the furnace. Now they can add a lot of $$$ to the cost of building a house, but they are still very common, even for Habitat houses. We use our basement (1898 vintage) for the furnace, laundry, DH's work bench, and storage. It was accessible through an outside door before the back porch was enclosed, so it is also a tornado shelter. In a local grand mansion, the basement or cellar level held a giant kitchen with a spit for roasting whole oxen, and all the equipment for cooking banquets. It also has a delivery ramp for the hundreds of pounds of foods to be carried into the basement all year. The "regular" dining table seats 28! And it has a dumb waiter to help the permanent serving staff.
@Kristina, Coool!
On LI, a ranch like Kristen's is called a high ranch. My brother's first house was called a splanch, for split ranch (which is different from split level).
@Regina, In the most northern part of our state, where it is permafrost, you can't build into the iced ground because the heat from the house will melt more of the permafrost and your house will heave and shift. Our house, like virtually all of the other buildings was built on metal pilings that were jack-hammered into the ground. The stairs to the front door are made of metal grids so the snow will fall through and less ice will develop--so you have air space between the staircase and the house itself. No basements or attics because the houses are usually single story and prefabs trucked on the one barge that arrives after the ice melts sufficiently for the landing of the barge.
@JNL, Where I live (Quebec, Canada), everyone has basements (with rooms). Personally I would rather not have any, after 3 flooding...... Water damages sucks.
The weather. Last week was nice and this week has been unbelievably pleasant. I turned off the AC and have had the windows open. I had long sleeves on much of the day yesterday and I spend most of the summer in sleeveless shirts. A friend and I were able to walk my neighborhood at 9:00 yesterday and usually we would have resorted to the shaded trail nearby. She prefers to walk my nothing to write home about neighborhood because she finds it novel.
I am still thankful for summer fruit like watermelon and peaches. Also for summer vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers that friends keep gifting me.
I am thankful smart phones. In the past week I received a picture of a nephew on his first day of school as a high school senior and also a picture of another nephew on his first day of med school orientation. They are both wonderful people.
I am thankful for my Physical Therapist. It is amazing what a difference she makes in my shoulder pain.
My sis just gave me several wash cloths she had crocheted- only in different colors since she was using up yarn. Not much going on here- GS who just turned 6 is starting soccer so guess I’ll be seeing a few of his games. My kids played Saturday mornings but his are all Friday nights. Leftovers for lunch and dinner today.
I don't know why, but the only time I have been called for jury duty was once when we had just moved and my address hadn't been changed yet. I obviously was excused from that one, since I was in the wrong state. 🙂 I suspect, however, that I would probably never be picked for a jury anyway, since my husband is a criminal defense lawyer.
Anyway. Thankfuls:
--For the support I got from our school administration when I explained to them what was going on with one of my kids, and why his schooling needed to change drastically. I was bracing myself for some pushback, but instead all I got was help and sympathy.
--For the people who made me feel seen. On that same day, I had to explain to a lot of people what had been happening with that child. I am a very private person, and don't like talking about difficulties in my life. Two of the people I had to talk to about this almost immediately asked how I'VE been doing with it and acknowledged what a hard place I've been in helping this child over the past year, even without me talking about myself at all. Acknowledging another person in this way is a tremendous gift to them, and one I am grateful to have received on a difficult day.
--That today is the last day of mid-90s temperatures. We'll be in the high 80s most of next week, and I really am looking forward to a break in the constant sweating. I have no A/C at home OR at work at the moment (because of construction at our school and because I'm a part-time employee, my "office" is the old concession kitchen), and I'm pretty active in both places and am just SO HOT all the time.
--For the water supply to shower twice a day. Our old house always had water supply issues, so that was not an option there. It is here, though, and it's such a relief to be able to shower after I run in the morning, and then at night so I don't go to bed a sweaty, sticky mess. Helps with sleeping, too.
--That our priest is willing to be flexible with the confirmation class this year. It's a two-year class that my eldest is starting next month, and the last class had their meeting time at 6:30 a.m. once a week, on one of my work days, because they all play sports after school. I was reeeally not looking forward to that, but I reached out to our priest and asked if it had to be on that day, and he responded that he's going to set up a time for all the parents (of all four kids, ha) to get together and decide what will work best for us. He's even willing to only do it every other week, or have some at-home things, or whatever. Hooray for not having to haul my high school out of bed at 6 a.m. and to an extra class every week. 🙂
@kristin@going country, high school *student*
@kristin@going country,
Hope these will be positive changes for your kid, and your family.
@kristin@going country,
I’m glad you reached out and were heard!
It’s so hard when our kids are going through something. Being private is important but I hope you can reach out and get help as needed. Prayers to you and make sure you take care of YOU too!
@kristin@going country, glad to hear that you were meet with kindness and understanding when you approached the school admin. Hoping for the best for your son!
@kristin@going country, I am with you in solidarity! My son has had an incident at school that has led to some counseling and there are a lot of negative effects stemming from it like labeling, putting my child in a box and expecting that he perform as a robot. I have not had the same experience with admin that you did and that is very, very frustrating. It is SO hard when your kid is going through something and you are riding the wave with them. You can't fix it, you can help but there is no light switch. Suffice to say I have been a wreck this week. Being an advocate is tough work but I will never give up.
@Angie, Ditto, Angie. Worst of all was the part where admin accused my son of faking his depression/anxiety but couldn't do enough for my daughter. Brought back my own school depression/anxiety issues.
@kristin@going country, Kudos to you for advocating for your child in order to mitigate his difficulties. Especially since doing so meant you had to overcome your tendency to keep family issues private. Introverts never seem to get their needs fully met since they keep to themselves a lot and standing up for one’s child is therefore harder but even more important. I’m so very impressed.
@Angie,I'm so sorry to hear that you're battling the school to get what you need for your son. We moved here to the middle of nowhere largely because of the school, and I don't take for granted what an exceptional situation it is. I hope your son starts to see some improvement in his schooling, and that you see some relief yourself. It's so hard and stressful.
@Angie, I’m so sorry that you are in this situation. I was also in that situation many years ago. I lived in what was considered one of the best school systems in the state, but my son had one of the worst teachers imaginable. It took years of counseling for my son to overcome the verbal and emotional abuse leveled on him by this individual. Mistreatment I witness firsthand. Sadly, parents have very little recourse or options back then. However, I kept pushing and advocating. It was exhausting, but there is hope. Fast forward, 25 years and DS is an accomplished individual with advanced degrees. I am very proud of him.
@Rose,
It certainly makes things more difficult when the administration does not support the child needs.
@Bee, Yeah. Those schools hated my son. Some of the teachers were pretty good, like the Latin teacher, but most teachers didn't like or understand him. I did chuckle bitterly to myself when he got the highest SAT scores in the history of the school. (wish I'd homeschooled, wish I'd homeschooled...life would be a lot easier today, even, if I had.)
@kristin@going country,
I'm sorry about your son's struggles. Please make sure you get everything he needs in writing, so everyone can be on the same page. I've done battle/looked for help with administrators and teachers before for a few of my kiddos, esp one boy, and written proof of accommodations helps considerably. It's a plan for the teachers to follow if needed, and it gives you something to point to if conflict arises.
I still can't have Gmail alerts on my phone , due to all of the emails I used to get about my son. ( Too traumatic, even though he's doing better now.)
@mbmom11, aww....I got paper mail literally every day about something my kids had done at school. I decided I didn't need the stress so threw them out unread every day. Boy, the admin was annoyed at me over that. I'm sure my kids' school records had a "MOTHER GIANT PITA" stamp on it.
@Rose, PITA can absolutely be an accolade when you stand up for something right! Just wear that crown proudly. Lol
@kristin@going country, We had a troubled foster teen. The school knew that we only worked with male sex offenders so for all 15 years we did it, our address alerted the staff that the child was an offender. This kid, who had been forced to molest his sister by his father, was still put into the system and because he also had academic issues and authority issues, the school did not want to deal with him. He would show up at school and literally 15 minutes after the day started, I would get a phone call telling me I had to pick him up due to his behavior. I stopped answering my phone until noon, to force them to deal with him. IEPs, case coordinators, his probation officer were all involved, to no avail. This was the kid where the principal told me that he was not going to take his orders "from some housewife." (I ended up getting a formal apology from him and the school superintendent. This housewife had more graduate degrees and experience with the system than he did, so she did not go quietly into the night. My complaint letter was a masterpiece, if I do say so myself.) This kid grew into a well educated adult in spite of the school system, and I am convinced that it was because he saw a number of adults battling the system on his behalf. Your kids see what you are doing for them, even if you are not always victorious.
@kristin@going country, Don't know what your child is going through, but I empathize whatever it is. I have a daughter struggling with ASD, ADHD and suspected BPD, so I know a thing or two about kids struggling and us parents being along. And society judgment. It's hard.
This week I am thankful:
* for the way the weather is cooperating with all of my final-week-of-summer-break plans. We got to go to the zoo and Greenfield Village without sweating and will get to swim this afternoon without freezing! Perfectly perfect.
* for friends to go to the zoo with year after year. Yesterday was 3 mommas and 9 kids and it was a blast! The other 2 moms are my best friends and I love that our kids are all such good friends, too.
* for the many (and surprising) ways that the Lord is being generous with us right now.
* that my husband is such a good guy and for the ways he takes care of our family.
* that it's been cool enough to wear jeans quite a bit lately! Yay!
* for my kids' school.
* for my neighbors and that they're doing a lot better after a long rough patch.
I'm thankful this week, as I so often am, for DH's and my friend who can fix almost anything. (I think I'll start calling him Mr. Fix-It, since I've used aliases for many of my other friends.) My elderly, temperamental garage door opener--it's a lot like me, actually--did a Code Blue Sunday morning, and I couldn’t resuscitate it myself despite heroic efforts. So I called Mr. Fix-It, and he outdid himself: He took the motor apart and performed open-heart surgery on it. It’s working, yet again–and bless him, yet again.
And even though this meant that we were grounded for most of Sunday, JASNA BFF had plenty to keep her busy (she’s the chair of JASNA’s annual essay contest, among other things) and didn’t mind at all that our original plans went awry. Having a visiting friend who doesn’t *have* to be entertained constantly is another blessing.
@A. Marie,
If your Mr. Fix-It ever retires to Florida, I want his address!
@JD, We probably all need a friend like that!
I'm thankful for:
* the cool weather- gorgeous cool, dry mornings. Sweatshirts 4ever!
*my first day of class went off with only a few minor glitches. You'd think a seasoned teacher would have it perfectly set up for the first day- but you would be wrong! But nothing major went wrong and the students seemed to understand. Rah!
* colleagues who helped prepare for the first day- Moodle would have let me behind without their help.
*a kind PA who called my daughter in to check her out even though she was pretty sure nothing was wrong. There wasn't, but she knew with our situation I needed more reassurance. It's nice to be heard, even if there are no answers yet.
*husband finally hooked up electricity to our new garage and it passed inspection! Second fridge is back in business, even though we probably don't needed it as much as we used to.
One way to calm nerves is to sit down with the schedule and see what the future is. No use in just worrying about something you don't know about. Now you know what to expect for your semester. And you will ace those tests!
I am also thankful for the coolness this week - especially at night. Oh so nice! But it is making the trees begin to turn; which is nice, but I prefer fall in fall, not August!!!
I am thankful for a wonderful concert experience last week. I paid way too much for the tickets (not the highest price, so there's that), but I'm glad we really enjoyed ourselves. I suspect it will be the last one for a while that I spend that kind of money, so I'm glad we experienced it. And the money came from a bonus, so no spending of money I did not have.
I am thankful that a wonderful friend then invited me to a scrapbook weekend with just 7 other women. Oh it was lovely and the perfect way to crop. Unfortunately, I didn't get enough sleep (not uncommon for a crop weekend) and ended up not feeling well on Monday when I went back to work. I've run out of days off for the year so I had to work.
Thankful that my adult daughter is finally feeling better after her shoulder surgery in June. She told me she finally slept in her own bed and it was wonderful. And thankful for the physical therapists that are helping her to regain her movement. Therapists are really unsung heroes after surgery.
Thankful my neighborhood grocery is once again carrying Oikos yogurt. And not just any old variety, but a new variety called “OIKOS PRO 25g PROTEIN”, that has 25 grams of protein and 270 mg of calcium (about 20% of RDA) in a ¾ cup with no added sugar and only 160 calories.
It comes in a pitch black container which, with the OIKOS PRO! name, is probably designed to capture the manly yogurt-eating crowd.
But after our “are we all getting enough protein” discussion a while ago, it seems it’s actually pretty darn easy to find great sources of protein out there that don’t require consuming an entire cow. ¾ cup of yogurt (160 calories) and a 14 ounce Fairlife Core Power High Protein Shake (170 calories) gets you 51 grams protein, 70% of Calcium RDA, 25% of Vitamin D RDA, and no added sugar for 330 calories. And it tastes great! Add ½ cup tuna salad (10 grams protein) and a hard-boiled egg (6 grams) and you got 67 grams protein for the day.
Whatever will they think of next …
And thankful I’ll be catching up with a dear friend at lunch this afternoon at a lovely Italian restaurant for which I happen to have a gift certificate. Italian = all carbs, no protein. Gonna live dangerously. But just at lunch…
@JDinNM, I've been adding chicken to pasta dishes at restaurants (it's $3 more here, but it means I've get a solid 2 (or even 3 meals) out of it.
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea, I opted for a delicious mushroom soup and a lemon artichoke pasta. Vegetables having been lacking in my meal plan. 😉
@JDinNM, I have the opposite problem, that I have to reduce the amount of protein I eat because I have only one kidney left and it is struggling. I love, love, love fish and have had to decrease my consumption of it and meat (which I also love). It is weird in today's world to have to work to eat more healthy carbs, or even less healthy carbs instead of protein.
@Lindsey, What's the old nursery rhyme? "Jack Sprat could eat no fat. His wife could eat no lean. And so between them both, they lick the platter clean."
We have had two lovely cooler days with low humidity and it's been wonderful. The lower temp meant we could leave the door to the screened porch open so that our cautious cat who dislikes closed doors could enjoy the porch.
Thankful for our tiny but bountiful garden, my sweet family, and our herd of rescued dogs and cats, who are a constant infusion of joy.
You absolutely have beautiful water scenes around you! 😉
Thankful teen not feeling good last night is just being tired. Teen getting up on time for school but still not getting as much sleep. Saturday most likely will be sleep until noon day. 😉
Thankful that squirrel that (got/is) in house (& scared me last night by jumping out from under couch where I was sitting & then jumped between rescue dogs laying on bed on floor who didn'trealize what happening) ran (I think) into basement (door open) & hopefully out where came in from did not attack rescue dogs or myself. *Note to self---keep basement door closed!
I did go out into garage & brought in 4 live squirrel traps & set up plus put (extra) screen doors in kitchen doorways to contain open area where could go if is still upstairs.
Thankful warmer weather returning. 3 nights of low 40s overnight I'm not ready for. 🙁
Thankful for house that keeps us warm/cool & protects us from mother nature weather. Even with a squirel finding it's way inside, I do love our old house & have worked hard to get to nice looking shape (better than before but still working progress).
Thankful for free store (where we donate & occasionally pick up something). Found green long sleeve Red Cross Yeti shirt yesterday which is fitting for Michigan. And a skirt & another pair if jeans.
Thankful for catching up with old friends only see monthly & new friends building relationships with.
Thankful for Kristen's blog site where we can share & learn from each other.
Have a great weekend! 🙂
I, too, am so very thankful for the cooler weather. I've cleaned/straightened the garage and doing a bit in the attic this morning. My cat is LOVING the windows being open even if just for a few short hours in the early morning. It makes him very hyper and happy to where he just runs all over screaming and can't contain his joy.
Thankful my kids just randomly text me ridiculous stuff, but that they think to share it with me.
Thankful we live in a time where if we need help with something...anything almost...there is a resource of some type to help.
Thankful that whatever nasty bug I had this past weekend has passed and my system is getting back to normal.
Thankful that I live in a community that is still mostly very safe and has very little crime.
I'm thankful for the life of my parents' and then my sister's dog, a Great Pyrenees called Charlie. His long life (for a Pyr) is ending today. After our first dog died when I was 7, Mom refused to get another dog because it made her too sad when they passed. But 12 years ago, my sister was fostering a Pyr puppy and my parents fell in love. Mom loved to fuss over Charlie, who was slightly eccentric. If Charlie didn't feel like the arbsurdly expensive dog food that night, Mom would scramble some eggs for him or make him a burger. Now, I'm not jealous or anything but the number of times Mom made me a special dinner when I didn't like what was being served was zero. Say hi to Mom and Dad up there, Chuckles. Good boy.
The rescue puppy is also providing comic relief. He's been trying out all the garden plants; today, his breath smells all minty fresh.
Usually I love summer, but I'm thankful it's coming to an end soon. This summer has just not been fun. We haven't had many good beach days. I have gotten a lot of things done at home, so that's something.
Annoyed about how heavy our piano is. I should have had the piano movers place it when they were here. Three of us together can't shift it. Sigh.
@Rose, look at the bright side about the rescue puppy: Dogs with minty fresh breath are few and far between.
@A. Marie, His teeth are so white. I guess, like people, dogs have different color teeth, too. For example, human redheads have yellower teeth. The younger pup, who is a lemon and white beagle, has much more yellow teeth than Rescue Pup. Well, whatever, he makes me laugh and we all love him.
@Rose, I am sorry about Charlie. It is so hard to lose a pet. Rescue Pup is a Pyrenees mix. She is a remarkable dog! Other than living with lots of white hair I have not a complaint.
@Bee, My sister was asked today if she wanted any of Charlie's fur (she had the vet come to her house as poor Charlie was in so much pain). She told the vet she'd be vacuuming up his hair for years to come.
https://ibb.co/LS1KVgp Dad and Charlie.
@Rose, Beautiful! Thanks for sharing Charlie and your Dad
@Rose, What a gorgeous dog! It is so hard when they have to leave, but it sounds like your mom gave him some very indulged years.
I'm also thankful for cooler weather here in West Michigan. Opening windows? Yes please!
I'm thankful that when I went to my gyno appt, she set up an ultrasound appointment after hearing my "perimenopausal symptoms" I've experienced this year. She was sure that's what was going on but "just in case". That's led to an mri and possibly a CT scan, as many cysts were found and now I have a pre-op appt next week to discuss having my tubes tied or getting a hysterectomy. Ladies, if your body starts acting all odd and different, don't wait 7 months to get it checked out like I did!
I'm thankful to have found a job with management that treats their employees well. I started in May the week my husband admitted to having an affair, so I cried a lot while cashiering at first. It was extremely embarrassing, but they are kind and supportive. I've even been promoted!
I'm thankful that my boys have grown up to be good men. They're kind and caring. I'm proud to be their mom.
I'm thankful for a podcast that gives therapy advice. I get yo skip to the episodes about broken marriages, and they helped me sort through my thoughts and give me questions to ponder about myself- in good ways.
@Lisa, Sorry about your marriage and good to hear that your managers valued you. After my brother died, I went back to work at the dry cleaner's and yes, I cried when cashiering too. But I was fired a couple months later, I'm sure because I was bringing everyone down.
@Lisa,
I want to add my voice to yours about calling the doctor right away. A couple of years ago, I had a "period" -- 15 years after my last one. I called the PCP right away. Long story short, it was uterine cancer and we got it taken care of while it was still in Stage I, but about to go into Stage II. Had I waited, it would have advanced.
You are wearing long sleeves in August?! (Don't be jealous, JD, don't be jealous, don't be jealous....) Our predicted high today is 93F, with plenty of humidity and only scattered chances of rain.
I'm still thankful, though, for:
1. The visit with DH's nephew. DH was in diapers when he first became an uncle and a pre-teen when his last nephew was born, so DH and his seven nieces and nephews were basically the same generation. He was 11 when this nephew was born. They all shared so many memories of growing up. I think the visit was as helpful and meaningful to the nephew as it was to us.
2. My widowed sister coming for another visit.
3. Having heard the warning beep on the big freezer and catching the food before it all thawed! For the freezer being back on in full force, now refilled, with the baskets re-organized and re-labeled.
4. My daughter's safe travel to D.C. this week.
5. The beauty berries weren't destroyed by Hurricane Debby. Last year, Idalia wiped all the ripening berries out. I make jelly out of them, and I've even made elderberry/beauty berry wine out of them. I may do that again this year. Plus, the berries are pretty and feed birds.
1. My husband was given a new device to track his blood sugar and regulate insulin doses to his body. This is more comfortable for him to wear, waterproof and has all the latest tech so it is helping control the spikes and lows better than the original pump he was given. Anything to keep him at a steady rate is such a blessing.
2. My son's counselor. By some miracle of God he was actually excited to go see her, received her so well and is looking forward to his time with her. I know that level of excitement may not persist on some days, but my Mama heart was grateful this week cause I just could not have stood it otherwise.
3. For eye doctors that see you when your eye literally blows up from all of the tears you have shed, work on screens you have been doing and the fan blowing in your face over the last two weeks cause highs in the mid 90's and 100% humidity are no joke. Having access to medicines when they are needed is a blessing that is not lost on me.
4. For an upcoming camping trip in the mountains with just my son and I. We are going to hike and swim and tube and I am going to hug him a lot. There will be peace for us both and time to reflect - this is something we both sorely need right now.
5. For my faith. I often wonder how people without faith of some kind navigate the craziness we are living in. It grounds me, holds me and encourages me every step of the way. I am always reminded that although I may not know the outcome, I can trust in the One who does. That is peace.
@Angie, Glad your husband got a new device to track his blood sugar and insulin doses. It's such a blessing there are now sophisticated devices to help keep blood sugar levels steady. DH's insulin pump dramatically changed our lives for the better.
@Angie, There are very few days where I don't envy people who have a deep faith. My early religious training never took, and even though I loved the nuns at my boarding high school and the really good lives they lived, I never made it onto the believers' train.
I am jealous of Kristen being able to open the windows to enjoy the cooler weather. Ragweed pollen is extremely high here and even with the windows closed, I'm struggling with my allergies.
I'm thankful that our house is officially under contract. If the inspection goes well, we will close next month and then we can be mortgage free again. 🙂
I'm thankful that DS is liking his classes at the new university. Hopefully this is the finally the right career path for him to pursue.
I'm thankful that DD, her MIL and SIL, and I all went to a consignment sale together to get items for our grandson. We had a lot of fun and now our grandson has a full wardrobe full of cool weather items. I also bought a stroller so I can take him on walks once the weather cools down more.
I'm thankful that DH's endoscopy went well yesterday, and no issues were detected.
I'm thankful our weather has been cooler than normal with low humidity levels.
Also grateful for open windows here! We've had lows in the 50s, which means mornings are open window mornings, much to Clark's delight.
Also thankful Clark is less of a "door darter" now. He got out one fateful evening when the home nurse left the front door open (WHY), but as luck would have it, that night was incredibly stormy, with lightning and thunder, and he came back in the morning very wet, very muddy, and less curious about the outside world. He doesn't even approach the front door much anymore.
I'm thankful for a very supportive DH as I dip my toes into school. Next hurdle is testing out of a math class (mathematics in health science) and while I got 94% on the math in the TEAS, I'm a bit nervous that this one will be different. DH is encouraging me to take the proficiency exam sooner, rather than later, and will stay home that day so I can go in.
(Any fellow nursing students who have taken that class and have input, I welcome it!)
I'm thankful for DS#1's continued healing, and his improving spirits. He's decided to pursue a master's degree, and is even branching out of his comfort zone by choosing electrical engineering rather than cybersecurity, which he was eyeing. He's applying for scholarships and looking ahead.
@Karen A., Our indoor cat DinGus got out once. I was beside myself trying to find him, but as many people told me, indoor cats who accidentally get out are usually petrified by the outside world and don't go far. Gus was under our hedge.
@Karen A., and yeah, workers etc who come to our house leave gates or doors open as a matter of course. It's so annoying. Because having pets you want to keep contained is such a weird setup?
@Rose, The home nursing company even asked if there were any "animals to be concerned about" and of course they meant dogs, and we told them "We have a cat" but I guess some people don't think you want to keep a cat indoors? Just because some cats roam doesn't mean every owner wants their cats outside.
@Karen A., our sweet Ollie Cat was a life-long door darter until after the one time he got away and spent a rainy February night under a bush in our yard. The experience wore him out (he was about 13 years old then) and he barely got out of his bed for three days. After that, he would request to be carried around our fenced back yard, but never dashed out an open door again.
@Karen A., We told our furnace repair guy about the baby Great Dane. The guy seemed to like the dog, but Clobber Paws decided this guy needed to be watched every second. He stood close nearby the entire three hours he was here---never menacing but quietly on guard. I have to say that seeing the dog go on alert sort of weirded me out after a time, like was he sensing something I was not? As he was leaving the repairman asked me if the dog was a trained guard dog. He is not, he is stupid and gentle, but I never tell people that because you never know. I always say that he is not trained to kill but he will bite the face off anyone who come in the house unannounced.
This week I’m thankful:
The mom of one of my son’s teammates gave him a ride home from an event this week (which is enough to be thankful for) and called me later that night to let me know how kind my son was. Her youngest son made the lower team this year and was bummed at the news. My son let him know that he had also made the lower team in the past and told him everything he had to work on to move up AND that he’s a good player and will make the upper team again. She didn’t have to share, she could have kept that warm fuzzy for herself but she shared with me!
My bank refunded the fraudulent charges on my credit card without any hassle.
The weather has been just perfect for long walks, which has been giving me extra audiobook time! I love combining two activities!
School doesn’t start until after Labor Day so we still have a little summer left.
OK, Kristen, showing us your sweatshirt and talking about cool weather when it's 100+ degrees in the South is cruel and unusual punishment, LOL. Could you please send some of that nice cool air our way???
But even in a heatwave there are things to be grateful for:
1. I am thankful for Medicare! Yesterday I went for my annual checkup at my primary care physician's, and there was no copay. Medicare covered it all! But on the visits it doesn't cover 100%, PCP visits are only a $5 copay IIRC -- and specialist visits $35. My medications are usually free, as well, since I have Humana Medicare Advantage. I've been uninsured (and also insured by a horrible provider when working, so I usually ended up paying by credit card and not being reimbursed; I'm looking at you, Aetna) and I will never take health care for granted.
2. Getting to watch news events in their entirety via the internet. Instead of waiting until the network wants to start, I can get in on the beginning of a convention, in this case. Instead of having news anchors cutting in, or them going to commercial, I can listen to the speakers' entire speeches. (Or Stevie Wonder's entire song.)
3. Cool mornings. By afternoon, we're in the triple digits. Sweltering hot. Even at night, it's still in the upper 90s. Talk about hot August nights!
4. Air conditioning!!!!
5. My new Keurig. I splurged on myself and got a new (not used) mini-Keurig at Target the other day. It quickly and quietly brews me a cup of coffee and it doesn't take up much counterspace. (It's designed for dorm rooms, but useful elsewhere.) Unlike my previous ones, no grounds in the coffee, no loud grinding noises, no waiting several minutes for it to heat up, no trouble at all. Yes, it costs more, but the price is worth it. Hopefully, this one will last me for a long, long time.
I would share if I could. Sweatshirts for all!
@Fru-gal Lisa, now is a hood time to look at new smaller anything appliances & technology because of back to school sales/time if year. There are reusable K cups (brand name & off brand) that work in regular size Keurig I got for adult kids years ago (& saw in stores recently) to help with cost & extra garbage. Sam's club used to have a great K cup fall flavor cappuccino box my daughter loved!
@Fru-gal Lisa, I had Aetna at my job for awhile. I agree they're awful.
@Regina,
Aldi has Southern Pecan Flavor that's my favorite. I also have a refillable Kcup thing, and I can get a can of coffee and just spoon some in there and use in the Keurig. Saves money. Also, among my friends, we often gift one another a box of Kcup coffee pods so we can try out different flavors that way; I'll probably receive some at Christmas.
@Fru-gal Lisa, I've been watching the convention on you tube. No commercials, no commentators, no interruptions. Definitely beats the talking heads coverage.
@JDinNM, I was watching on C-SPAN and suddenly my ex (who is serving on a committee) showed up. Uh... not watching that again!
We are cooler in California, as well. Thank goodness.
I am thankful for my husband of 23 years. I married late in life as did he. We were two full grown people when we started this family. Our marriage counselor said she had never such polar opposites in a marriage: and English teacher and a farmer with a reading disability. But we have built commonalities on loyalty, faith, love of our son, and a great sense of humor. He has wonderful strengths that I have come to rely on such a fabulous head for business, old fashioned gumption and a specialty in motorized vehicles 🙂 When he dropped my soon off at the airport yesterday to go back to college he call me up and said, "I am so thankful I have you to come home to." my man of few words would NEVER have said that ten years ago. Age makes life more precious I think.
@mary ann, My husband once told me that knowing he was coming home to me was like knowing the comfortable old couch is waiting for you at the end of a long day. He thought it was quite romantic, it took me a while to see it in that light!
I have a weird desire to be called for jury duty. I have time I guess LOL.
You can come substitute for me. Ha.
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea, I've been on a jury twice and it was fascinating. I do think it's a civic duty that people should accept unless absolutely necessary. And despite what people think, attorneys do not have the time or desire to delve into your life story. It's "Are you acquainted with Person A, Person B or Person C?" They don't care about your thoughts on jury nullification, or in the case of the child sex abuse trial on which I served, if you happen to have a daughter or granddaughter about the same age as the victim, because many do. I did. I served because it was my duty and people don't get to complain about famous verdicts if they refuse to serve themselves.
I think it would be fascinating too! And I will happily serve once school is over. It's just that if I tried to say yes to the jury duty right now, I would have to defer an entire semester of nursing school. I REALLY don't want to do that.
@Kristen, [insert running emoji] omw!
@Rose, I agree, I think people with jobs that offer time off for jury duty should definitely use that opportunity. Not everyone has that luxury (such as nursing students!).
Side note, has anyone seen the Jury Duty show on Amazon Prime? It's hilarious.
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea,
I always wanted to know what it was like to be a juror. I finally got called - to a federal hate crime case that was an hour away at the federal courthouse and I had to be in the jury room no later than 8 a.m., staying until 5 p.m. each day. The courtroom was ice-cold; they actually advised us to bring lap robes and wear coats. We had cold, damp brown bag lunches provided each day, as we were kept in the courthouse until time to go home. The trial was weird, disturbing and unpleasant. One of the jurors hadn't mentioned that she had been called 3 times and had never completed her duty, because she always threw up on the day of deciding the verdict. She threw up next to me in the jury room on the day we deliberated, and we had to wait for an alternate to be picked and installed, plus, you know, cleanup. The verdict was guilty and we had to listen to the wails of the defendant's family as the verdict was read.
I am no longer interested in being a juror.
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea,
I've been on a jury, for a car accident case, and it made me want to never break a law in my life. The number of jurors who didn't seem to understand innocent until proven guilty scared me.
@JD, sounds like that juror has serious stress/anxiety, throwing up right before end of trail. I would feel bad for them. I bet that juror has notation on their file to not call again due to throwing up multiple times.
@Kristen, Wasn't picking on you! A full time student has a very valid reason to opt out.
Let's see:
1) Thankful I got to chat with my dad on his birthday yesterday, and that I'm seeing him on Sunday for brunch.
2) Grateful that I'm going to Portland with DS18 today. Even though I won't be able to do the relay we originally signed up for (I'm injured), I will be there to help load up the fan, and I will see him when he's done on Saturday. In between, I will be spending time with my mom, and helping out my sister. Bonus family time.
3) I had a great workout yesterday, and my hip pain is minimal.
4) That DS18 is excited for his senior year.
5) That I felt helpful on my call with the student I'm volunteering with. I'm a college counselor "coach", and it's so related to what I'm doing with my own child (college application process) & I really do feel like I"m adding value & helping her have the best possible chance of getting into her preferred schools. She's an awesome candidate, and I'm glad she is getting additional support.
I am thankful that my knee replacement surgery # 1 is done! I had the surgery Monday and it has not been as awful as I thought it might be.
I am thankful for such kind nurses and medical personnel. Kristen, I thought of you because I know you will be just as kind and make a difference in your patients’ lives.
I am thankful for my sweet husband who is such a wonderful caregiver during my recovery.
I am thankful for friends and family who have called, texted, sent cards and brought food. It’s so nice to know that people care!
I am thankful for the ice machine and ROM Tech that are helping with pain and swelling! So glad that we have such wonderful medical advances.
Yay! I'm so glad it went well, and I'm delighted you had kind medical care.
Hoping you get out of jury duty! I got called once. My excuse was denied and as told it was a great opportunity to learn the system.
I’m thankful …
1) For tons of vegetables harvested that was gifted to us by generous family and friends.
2) That my kids’ school is within walking distance and so close to us. Also for the wonderful hardworking teachers and staff members there.
3) For a loving and very hardworking husband. I feel very loved and cared for by him and my kids adore their father so much.
4) For the freedom to be an at home parent to my kids and have the ability to volunteer and take up hobbies if I wanted. We’re truly blessed and so thankful to God this opportunity.
5) For this house. Can’t imagine living anywhere else and will be so sad when we have to move.
I am thankful for morning coffee.
I am thankful for "cooler" weather.
I am thankful that our nectarine tree had a great year!
I am thankful for my even keeled husband who extends forgiveness when I crack up a bit under stress.
I am thankful to have a flexible job while raising a baby.
Yesterday as my husband and I were driving home from Atlantic City I was washed in gratefulness. The day was beautiful, the traffic light and the sky looked like The Simpson's sky: blue with big white puffy clouds.
As I sat there I realized how lucky I am. I had a thought that my parents never owned stocks or bonds like hubby and I do. I'm thankful for my small 1953 cape cod house that is paid off. Thankful that we have two working cars - we drove to Atlantic City (about 120 miles from home) in my 14 year old Honda CRV. Grateful that our kids are up and running on their own. Thankful that all the saving hubby and I did is giving us a nice retirement.
It is a sweatshirt morning here, too. It will make mowing the yard much easier (I have put it off for two days). It is delightful sleep weather.
I am thankful for my PCP, whom I saw yesterday. She is concerned about my blood pressure, which is a little higher than usual. I'm not quite sure why myself, as I don't have any unusual mental stressors nor physical ones that I am aware of. Will be taking my B/P a little more often to monitor.
I am thankful for tomato toast. I had never heard of such a thing and saw it in an online magazine article. My tomatoes are of good flavor anyway. I put them on sourdough bread (from Aldi!) toasted and lightly buttered, sprinkled w sea salt, fresh ground pepper, and finely chopped fresh basil. Such a simple culinary delight! The tomatoes are also good with cottage cheese and everything bagel seasoning. I do have to limit my tomato intake as they promote "seasonal GERD," as my PCP likes to call it.
I am thankful for Molly, who seems to have more vim and vinegar since her flea bath. I've perused all matter of recommendations of spray while not wanting to use anything too toxic but still be effective. I am thankful I was able to use a gift card at PetSmart yesterday that was given to me by my neighbor four years ago.
As always, thankful for this meeting place...
@Chrissy, The tomato toast sounds absolutely amazing! but the sea salt, butter ( if it's salted) and everything bagel seasoning are high in sodium. Cottage cheese is, too, I believe. I love all of these things, too, but I wonder if they could be contributing to your BP being a little higher than normal.
@Gretchen, good call. Thank you!
Loving this cooler weather also. I wore a sweatshirt on my early walk this morning.
I understand why, with school, you would want to get out of jury duty. But, I had jury duty a year or so ago, and I must say, I found it so interesting. I really recommend anyone who is summoned, not try to get out of it if there is no good reason not to serve.
It is so lovely to wear a sweatshirt and jeans in August! I'm thankful for that, too.
Also on my list...
-Three kiddos are off to school this year, and the first day went well. Related to that, I am very thankful for teachers.
-I get to have quality time with my youngest while her siblings are gone!
-My husband works hard at his job and hasn't quit yet, even though there have been many frustrating situations lately. I think I would've quit by now if in his shoes, but he won't til he has something else lined up.
-my friend had her baby yesterday!
I, too, am thankful for the cooler weather. Even though it will be creeping back up over the next few days, it won't hit 90, and the nights are getting a little cooler, too.
I am thankful for the Occupational Therapists and Physical Therapists who have been working with my husband since discharge from rehab. The old stroke that made his whole left side non-functional except for his hip, has been a challenge, but they have been so creative in finding new ways to do things. He's been doing things certain ways for 45 years, and that's not possible for now, and they have been so patient with him.
I'm SOOO grateful for friends who have brought meals for us. The first week home was such a challenge, as he was still weak and required so much assistance. Everything I did was interrupted, even sleeping. Just having someone else decide what we were going to have for dinner, and some leftovers took a load off my mind. I always thought that, since I don't like to cook, bringing someone a meal was just not my talent. But one person brought take-out from a deli I've never been to, and one person brought some fruit and snacks, and we really appreciated that. I can do that!
I am grateful for WalMart Plus. I'd never fully taken advantage of it, but ordering groceries that are a little less expensive than my closest grocery store has been great, and the fact that they will deliver to my house 8 miles away, makes it easier for me. I still haven't left the house in almost 2 weeks, because he is even more at risk for falls, so delivery is a godsend.
I'm thankful for my sun porch. It's a deck that was enclosed before we bought the house, and it's so calming to sit out there in my glider rocker, drink my coffee, listen to and watch the birds and squirrels and have morning devotions. I actually had to take a throw blanket out there this week because it was 48 degrees at 6 am, and that just made it a little cozier while I watched the sky lighten. Morning prayer time makes the rest of my day go more smoothly.
I'm thankful that my dog is such a people dog. There have been a lot of different and new folks coming through, and it's so nice not to have to worry about a barking, misbehaving
little critter. She's such a quirky little soul, she makes us laugh daily.
@StephanieLD, I’ll be praying for you and your husband as you are navigating all the care necessary for your husband’s rehabilitation.
My older brother’s wife has had 2 strokes in the past 4 years. Hearing accounts from my brother, I understand some of the challenges you may be facing. I’m glad you have a strong support team to help you.
I remember cooking for my mom in 2015 when she was out of rehab for her 2014 stroke but my dad was in the hospital for a minor operation. I made Kristen's Swiss Mushroom Chicken for her and me and she absolutely loved it. (I too didn't get enough sleep because I got called 2-3 times a night to bring her a bedpan and I didn't do it correctly and I hated every minute of it.)
Trees Always Win!
@Grandma Bev, That sidewalk is practically begging for a lawsuit though.
Like you, I am so thankful for cooler weather. It’s typically in the triple digits in August. UGH I’m also thankful for my puppy who is making my retirement so enjoyable. 😉
I live in a mountainous area, and feel lost if I am traveling somewhere "flat". There is (for me) an "anchored" feeling by being able to tell roughly where I am when I see which mountain I am facing. I imagine it must feel similar to how you feel about the water.
I am so thankful for a great camping trip with friends last weekend. The weather was amazing and so much fun and laughter was shared by our group!
Thankful our oldest child was in town for training, and got to stay the week with us.
Thankful that temps are gradually dropping here, and the heat is much more tolerable!
Thankful that meds are keeping our dog comfortable. She has inoperable cancer (and she is 12), so when the meds stop working, we will help/let her move on to the rainbow bridge. It's always hard to let them go, but it's harder this time, since we lost another pup not even a year ago. Just trying to be grateful for whatever time we have left.
Thankful for all that can easily be taken for granted; health, food, housing, employment, family, etc. I am incredibly blessed.
I'm echoing your thankfulness for cooler temps as well as for peaches. Thankful for a good meeting with my boss at work today, for my boss (he's awesome!), and for the opportunity to plan a trip with my husband this fall.
Nice photos! I am a little confused whether you live on the East coast or the West coast?
My thankfuls:
My DH's colonoscopy showed no new problems.
Church choir starts up again tonight with a new director!
Our freezer is a wonderful place to rustle up dinner from.
My piano studies are progressing well.
The cat who adopted us is loving her prescription food, so helping her manage her pancreatitis turns out to be not hard, just inconvenient as we have to buy her food from the vet.
And a bonus: Finally finished a pile of mending and a new summer outfit. I always sew something summery new at the end of the summer, to unpack it first next summer.
@Kristina, Kristen is on the east coast, the BEST coast, and the most rockin time zone of all, Eastern! SORRY NOT SORRY JEALOUS WEST COASTERS
1. Everything I need within 5 minutes of our home (except work, but that's only 15 minutes)
2. kittens 🙂
3. 3 happy, healthy young adults who all have homes of their own now
4. my retired husband who has lots of projects keeping him busy
5. and the beautifully cooler weather we've had recently (and I'll remember to be thankful we had it when it's 85 again in a few days)
Also LOVE the cooler temps!
That scrunchy face is so cute!
1. That late July/August is almost over. It’s was always going to be complicated time. It became more complicated, then even more complicated, and then much more unpleasant. I’m hoping the last, complicated week will go to plan. Nonetheless, there’s the voice in the back of my head reminding me that optimists are never pleasantly surprised.
2. That today is over and was more useful (and long) than anticipated. I didn’t have to make it Ten Hours of Stuff outside the house but it was worth it to so many things taken care of. One of which was find the exact right knitting needle at a yarn shop I’ve never been to before.
3. For finding a non-cheap-looking messenger-type bag for travel. Even more so, for finding it at 1/3 the original price.
4. That I do not, and never have, lived in a split-level house.
* Also thankful for the weather being a little cooler. We had temperatures in the 110 Fahrenheit this summer, that's too much for comfort.
* Very (very!) thankful to be in a good place with my teen struggling with various conditions (ASD, ADHD, depression, anxiety and suspected BPD. Anything else...??) for the past 4 months or so. She left the house for 2 weeks back in march (she wanted to run away from home but agreed to go to a youth house with professional supervision instead, then got kicked-out for not wanting to do the work (psychology)). She's an amazingly smart girl and a good person, but those struggles are no joke. So, yes, now she is smiling again, talking to us, and she stopped cutting. I even got a couple hugs since then (she does not like to be touched). She has a recent girlfriend that is a good influence (yay!) and trying to make new friends, so fingers cross.
* Thankful that my youngest daughter is easy to live with and still wants to spend time with us and loves to cuddle 🙂 I'll take all the cuddles
* Thankful to be in a good place with my hubby. We had rough years but it's getting better and better as we age
* Thankful to have had bariatric surgery 1 year ago and lose 65 pounds since. It changed my life all for the better, physically and emotionally.
@Isa, Aw, Isa, I'm so sorry. I went through the wringer with both my kids and I know how hard and lonely it is. I hope your girl is going to have an easier time in the future.
I didn't realize you lived near the water. What city/state? I love your content. TYSM!!
Thankful that I too will be able to wear a sweat shirt over my shorts in Florida sometime in December! Hahaha