Thankful Thursday | cold appreciation
This week, I am thankful:
for the joy of a cold shower
I struggle to get through outdoor walks in the summer (so muggy! so sticky! even early in the morning!), but ohhhhhhh, a cold shower feels so good afterward.
for the blast of cold A/C
After I finish working out at the gym (which is, sadly, pretty humid in the summer too), the blast of cold air from my car feels so freaking good.
When I am rich and famous, I swear I will own a summer home in Seattle. Because summer here is very not my favorite.
that I'm working during the heat wave
We are having unusually high temps right now, so this is a perfect time to be working three days in a row.
Outside weather is completely irrelevant to me when I'm working because I am never outside except to walk to and from my car!
that I can go to bed if I am tired
I took this picture last week; I'd finished shift 3/3, and I was so exhausted, I went to bed while it was still light out.
It is so nice that generally, no one needs anything pressing from me, so if I want to take my tired self to bed before 9 pm, I am completely free to do that.
for some rain in the last week
We got some nice steady rain recently, which we desperately needed. Things on my trails look less dry now!
And I even saw a few mushrooms. They've been basically non-existent since the soil has been so parched.
that I asked about the necessary references
You know how I was complaining that our introduction discussion post had reference requirements? Well, after I did my initial intro post (with three references THANKYOUVERYMUCH), I emailed the professor to check and see if this was an error.
(It is extremely unusual to have to cite sources when you introduce yourself!)
It turns out, she put the wrong rubric up. But at least I found this out before I did all of my replies, because the original rubric said each reply had to include two scholarly references.
I saved myself a little work by inquiring, and I knocked those replies out real quick since they didn't need references.
The references are always the time-consuming part.
Well, my cold self actually agrees with you about the cold. It has been HOT, and the cold feels nice. . . though I have had to put on a flannel shirt in the air-conditioning a few times recently. This week I am thankful:
*that, despite not having much time to put into the garden, all but the beans are not in danger of being completely overrun by weeds. But I'm thankful, if I had the time, I could harvest and eat those weeds! (Thanks to A. Marie for this knowledge.)
*that, while it is extremely taxing to keep up with all of the kids running about and having work drama, my work-aged kids are employed.
*for time with my baby. When she was an actual baby, she did not want to be away from me ever. Not even sleeping. Now she prefers spending quality time with her siblings. But she wanted to go somewhere with me this week, and she has an orthodontist appointment today in another town---so that's automatic time for us to be together alone.
*for the new organ at our church. I haven't actually heard it played yet, but my husband has. I think the organist is happy with it. And I'm glad she's happy because she is a wonderful organist. There are finishing touches that need to be made with the installation, but it is here. And there was a generous donor (from a different part of the country) who gave A LOT of the money to our little country church for this upgrade. I'm thankful for people like that who have extra money and a passion and are generous without having anything in it for them.
*for the coffee I'm about to drink, for the silly work stories, for the extra tip my door-dashing son got this week, for the silly kitties, for the daughter who continues to keep the mulch beds weeded, for homemade bread for work sandwiches for my kids, and for a good night's sleep. And is it wrong to put this in here?-- For the husband, always the husband. (I won't steal this one every week, I promise.)
This Thursday, I'm profoundly grateful to Willis Carrier for inventing the modern air conditioner in 1902. And equally grateful to DH for insisting that we install central AC almost two decades ago. Lord love a duck, it's hot and steamy outside!
Oh A. Marie, Pithy!
I'm thankful for my little sister's house warming gift of a window air conditioner when we first bought our house. That one unit keeps our <750 sq/ft castle surprisingly cool even on the grossest days, and the increase in our electric bill is noticeable but negligible thanks to her energy efficiency research. I'll gladly pay the extra $10/month in the summer to keep us and the cats comfortable during a 100 degree streak!
As I type this, it's only 71 (feels like 68, according to weather channel.com), with an expected high of only 101 today, here in sunny Mesa AZ. So really, rather pleasant for a 4th of July weekend. The 110's they're calling for next week, not so pleasant, but that's what AC is for. I talk to colleagues while on work calls who live out under the 'heat dome' and they are quite miserable right now. I'll take my dry heat over that humidity. It will get better, and these hot days make the appreciation of nicer weather something real.
Today I am thankful for:
The good conversation I had with my son about his mental health issues and possible causes and treatments. And for his willingness to address them.
The air conditioning that is keeping me sane during this crazy hot spell.
Cold coffee with creamer. Such a treat in the morning.
That all my little ailments seem to be improving.
For our building's maintenance man. He is tireless in taking care of the landscaping which beautifies our grounds, and so cheerful about completing his many duties. He is a gem, and I appreciate him!
Your dream Seattle vacation home reminded me of the time I visited there, stayed with friends of family, arrived in July during a heat wave - high temps over 90*F and I was sleeping in an attic room. Oh, the humidity! Kristen would also veto that situation as a comfortable experience 😉 Nowhere is it always rain and roses, I guess. I also visited Houston in June one year. Texas summer weather gets zero stars for sure. Maybe I need to work on timing trips better (these were for specific family reasons).
Thankful this week:
- For a new friend. We met over a year ago but were in a phase too busy to connect. Glad we tried again! She lives just over a mile from me, which in my world is a pretty close neighbor.
- For a visit with another good friend.
- For almond flax bread that is actually so good and makes good breakfast sandwiches.
- That I have a lot of white space in my schedule this week since I have been extra tired and craving naps.
- For the FG community! Love you, dears!
I am very thankful for blood donors this week, and for the wonderful staff at the infusion center where DS#3 finally got a blood transfusion. He is a hard stick, and they brought out their best IV "queen" to get his IV started.
Thankful for AC. I would be almost literally melting onto the floor right now.
Thankful for my DH, who is so supportive and excited about retiring and being a "househusband" so I can go back to school. He has so many plans for running the house, and we've already started some of his ideas and it's so much easier on me.
So thankful we did not catch the virus that DH was exposed to at a meeting last week--the AC was on the fritz in the room, and even when he pointed out that the windows in the room opened, nobody sitting near them would open them, and people were coughing...he felt off for a few days, but fasted and quarantined himself, and none of us caught it.
Thankful that there is an end in sight to the heat dome, and again, thankful for AC and working utilities. And iced tea!
Thankful:
-- That I could open the doors and windows and hear the birds singing and the neighbor kids playing before the next round of heat and humidity set in
-- For our new dehumidifier that is pulling gallons of moisture out of our basement
-- That the bear that walked 20 feet in front of our house didn't linger! Didn't expect to see that in a suburb of Saint Paul. Uffda.
As so many of us today are writing our thanks for A/C, I remember that there are many folks who don't have this luxury. Yes, world-wide, but also here in the US. It's not always possible to rely on open windows when it's 100+º with crap air quality, or there are fires raging causing horrible smoke. So yes, although I'm incredibly thankful for our A/C, I worry about others and hope if they can't get to somewhere cool at least during the days that they will be safe, and that people fleeing fires get away safely. Do you live in fire area? Pack a go bag today for each family member if you don't have one. And everyone everywhere should have emergency supplies in their home for 3-5 days use.
On a happier note, I'm thankful for the many free programs provided by libraries. On this historic day, I'll be enjoying a virtual "discussion of the Declaration of Independence and the contentious debates in the Continental Congress that led to the creation of one of the world's most significant documents, on the 250th anniversary of its adoption. This "Dare to Declare" event includes a reading of the Declaration of Independence." For those who might not know, "Officially, the Continental Congress declared its freedom from Great Britain on July 2, 1776, when it voted to approve a resolution submitted by delegate Richard Henry Lee of Virginia, declaring 'That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.'”
paste this link if you want to know more:
https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/when-is-the-real-independence-day-july-2-or-july-4
Thanks to Millard & Linda Fuller for their generous work to develop Habitat for Humanity which today "more than 65 million people around the world are building their futures on their own terms thanks to access to decent housing."
“Habitat has successfully removed the stigma of charity by substituting it with a sense of partnership.”
— Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter
So lastly, I'm thankful for being able to volunteer to help others.
Before I read the accompanying words I commented to myself that the trail in your picture looked dry. But I think that’s the after picture! Trails up her are usually much wetter than that.
Thankfuls
1. Our “heatwave” (it came with official warnings and everything) only lasted a few days and my house stayed below 80 without ac.
2. We got a lot of rain earlier this week rather than days of rain. We needed the rain and we got to be outside. Earlier forecasts predicted 7 days of rain/storms and I’m glad that hasn’t happened.
3. Good sleep. Until about a year ago poor sleep was a regular part of life, and last nights poor sleep reminded me how wonderful it is that good hard sleep is my norm now.
4. The views I get every day of the lake I live near. The deep blue of the water next to the bold green of the trees are beautiful. I’m so thankful to live in such a color saturated place (until winter. Then it’s white, and I dream about the color of summer and fall!)
Grateful for my shared “birthday week” with my husband, our birthdays are just 4 days apart so we celebrate all week with homecooked meals, and a few items we get for “freebies” from local restaurants,etc. The balloons from the dollar store stay out all week!
I am grateful for my homemade iced coffee drink in the afternoons, my little P.M. pick me up.I make extra coffee in the A.M. and when ready, I add it to a large glass of ice and fill it half and half with some nice vanilla almond milk, a packed of stevia some cinnamon. YUM and refreshing on these hot days! And, of course, uber-frugal!
Grateful for my Cloud Library and my Libby account: So much lovely sumemr reading!!