Thankful Thursday | for only a minor knee injury
This week, I am thankful:
that I didn't hurt my knee too badly
You know how my sister-in-law and I did a rather hurried clean-the-abandoned-house-out trip on Sunday night?
Well, I was carrying a huge bin out to my van, in the dark, and my foot had an unfortunate meeting with a cinder block in the yard and I tripped and fell forward.
Miraculously, I didn't break anything in the bin full of dishes, but I did twist my knee.
Happily, it has steadily been getting better each day, and today it feels almost normal.
So, I have been feeling thankful for a body that heals itself.
for escalators
I went to Target the other day, and while I normally opt for the stairs (faster! more exercise!), this time I happily took the escalator.
for elevators
In the same vein, I always, choose the stairs over the slow elevator at college, but this week, I was happy to have the elevator option!
for a fun night with my sister-in-law
My brother was out of town, so she texted to see if I wanted to get together.
What did we do for fun?
Well, we spent three hours washing dishes that we rescued from the abandoned house.
She is my kindred spirit, because both of us thought this was an enjoyable way to spend an evening. Ha.
for my new hoodie
I have listened to a LOT of medical podcasts and watched a lot of medical YouTube videos during my time in Anatomy and Physiology, and the ones put out by Dr. Matt and Dr. Mike are my favorites.
They are two professors from Australia who have spend their whole careers as doctors just doing education, and I am continually amazed at how much information is stored in their brains.
I love the banter between the two of them, and they often make me laugh while I'm learning.
Anyway, it occurred to me that I could support their work by buying one of their products, so now I am the proud owner of a new hoodie.
that pandemic numbers are so low here
We are almost at all-time lows (or, all-time-for-the-last-two-years-lows!)
Of course, since I've had three shots AND gotten Omicron, I am at extremely low risk of catching it again anyway. But I am still happy to see that the wave has faded so much in the last six weeks.
that my family and I are healthy, almost two years into this
I realized this morning that we are almost exactly at the two-year anniversary of when life first shut down in my state. And that is wild to think about.
I am especially thankful that my parents have made it through with their health in tact.
that I did not know what was coming
I am sure I have said this before, but my word, I am very thankful that in March 2020, I had no earthly idea what was coming down the pike. I would have been so much more depressed if I'd known!
We've had a week of illness roulette in our faily--who will wake up with what symptoms in the night? stay tuned to find out!--so I'm thankful that everyone seems to be recovering now.
Thankful for the incredibly warm and sunny weather yesterday--and no wind, which is the real news here--so that my husband could go out and sun himself. When he's sick, sun seems to have the most benefit to his immune system.
Thankful that our spring break starts after school today.
Thankful for the many seeds in my stash, so that I can dig through and start planting this year's garden without having to order anything else.
Thankful for my bed. It's just so soft and warm and comforting, and I appreciate it every single night. Maybe especially nights when I'm in and out of it with sick children.
Thankful to have gotten a random e-mail from a long-ago friend I hadn't heard from in about ten years. It was really nice to hear from her, and very amusing how similar our lives are despite the many intervening years and distance between our college selves.
@kristin @ going country,
A Conversation with a long-lost friend is such a special blessing.
I'm thankful for spring like days and lots of sunshine along with increased daylight. It feeds my soul. I'm fortunate to be able to get outside when it is warmest. I have had the front door open for light and "solar heating" since out house faces south.
I'm thankful for Driscoll strawberries. I bought some yesterday and they did not disappoint. I'm grateful for the abundance of food in the grocery store.
I'm thankful for yoga classes and the community, though still diminished, at the studio. There are some classes that are non-traditional but good for the body and brain.
I'm thankful for life being the closest to normal it has been the past two years.
I'm thankful for the ability to be grateful. I loved yesterday's post about being easily pleased as a superpower. This community and this exercise is helpful for that.
I'm thankful for friends and family to share life with. I'm thankful there are so many ways to connect these days.
First, I want to say I'd like to go to a two story Target. I've been to the largest Walmart in the world (which is in Albany NY of all places) so it'd be neat to see a Target like that too.
I'm thankful that my sister was the only person, to my knowledge, in my whole extended family to ever catch Covid. The rest of us all stayed healthy. My father had some health issues related to his age but otherwise everyone has been fine.
I'm thankful that this weekend will be warming up. We also are inching toward DST so my days won't feel so short and bleak and going out won't feel so much like a chore.
I'm thankful that I no longer have to wear a mask where I live.
Thankful that I have a lot of books to read.
That I have a lot of time off to use this year and it will not be spent at my in-laws house. Every year for the past few years we've been obligated to visit my in-laws for a week and it's miserable for me. My MIL is passive aggressive toward me (always has been) and most of all it's just boring. I'm trying to find better ideas for vacation trips (particularly long weekends or 3-4 day trips that aren't a thousand miles of driving each way.) but so far I'm coming up blank.
That my job won't really change with regards to people returning to the office. I was mostly in the office anyway and they are being accommodating (for now) with getting my daughter on and off the bus.
@Battra92, I've been to that Walmart when I lived in Castleton. The escalators for the shopping carts was the neatest thing! Otherwise, it's just a typical Walmart. **sigh**
This Target is sort of a weird set-up; the actual store isn't two levels, but it's in a complex with a parking garage, and you have to go up a level from the parking garage to get to the shopping part of the Target building.
We are supposed to have some warm weather this weekend too! I will be enjoying it along with you more northerly people. 🙂
@Battra92,
I am from Los Angeles and we do have multi story Targets. I think you will find them in large cities where real estate prices are very high. Same products but we get to go up and down escalators a lot (with our carts going up next to us.) We also have multistory Ralphs (Krogers) that use the same cart escalator technology!
It's a magnificently beautiful 10 degree morning here in Maine and the sun is competing with snow flurries. My coffee is hot and the Blue Jays and Juncos are pecking away at my suet feeder. It is the Lenten Season; I always love this time of reflection in the weeks leading up to Easter. I am warm, fed and healthy. So much to be grateful for.
@Tricia, it sounds like you have been blessed with a tranquil and beautiful late winter morning.
I’m glad your injury was minor and your treasures survived.
I’m thankful for another beautiful spring day. A cool, clear morning followed by a warm afternoon. Before I know it, we will have warm, sticky mornings followed by hot afternoons. I enjoy every moment of these days.
I’m thankful the club meeting that I had at my house went well. I had very few people in my home for the two years during Covid. It felt good to enjoy the company of others and share my home with people I care about.
I’m thankful that I’m finally getting used to the latest Apple update. The changes have been frustrating, but I can finally close a screen or search without grumbling.
Wishing everyone peace and good health…
I’m sorry about your knee! That could have been much worse (I currently have a co-worker scheduled for knee surgery after a fall) so that is indeed a good thanksgiving that you are healing up well on your own.
Like Battra92, I want to see a two-story Target!
1. I’m thankful to have had a call from one of my husband’s old classmates, wanting to reach out to him. Long story, but my father-in-law’s line of work had him moving the family several times a year since my DH was two, so DH couldn’t make friends at school. (He attended 35 schools!) My DH finally rebelled and insisted on staying his last couple of years of high school at one school, and there he made his first and only school friends. He moved away again right after graduation, so the fact that some of them still reach out to him 50 years later is very, very special and I’m deeply thankful.
2. On that same note, DH hasn’t worked for him since 2010, but his former boss, who lives across the state from us, made it a point to come visit him in rehab this past Friday.
3. I’m thankful that I was able to attend Ash Wednesday services yesterday. Too many people don’t have the chance to peacefully attend a church service right now.
4. I’m thankful for the 6th birthday yesterday of a delightful grandchild.
5. And I'm thankful for the recommendation of "Being Mortal." I just started it, but I am already captivated.
@JD, In downtown Seattle and Brooklyn, there are three-story Targets. Maybe more places but those, I've been to.
Kristen, I am so glad your knee is going to be okay. I fell on concrete about ten years ago and my knee has troubled me a bit every since. And washing treasures as a fun activity is right up my alley!
Today I am thankful for warmer days, my sweet family, quieter times at work, for all of us currently being pretty healthy, and for the students who bring their dogs to see me in the office every day. Word has gotten out that I am a huge dog lover, so they bring their service dogs by to visit with me. It brightens my day so much.
I'm thankful that I didn't wake up with a menstrual migraine today like I did yesterday. I also had fasting blood work and pre-op appointments yesterday, and by the time I got to the second doctor's appointment, I was projectile vomiting because my head hurt so bad. . I'm thankful for the nurses who held back my hair and took care of me. I'm thankful for all of you who want to be nurses. It is not a job I would be good at, and I appreciate the nurses who do want to be there and take the time to be kind and treat people like human beings.
I'm thankful for the way the snow looks on the trees this morning. I'm thankful for the variation of woodpeckers at my feeders. I'm thankful for the ability to work and take care of my family today.
@Steph, I’m glad you feel better today. I suffered with hormonal migraines for years. They are extraordinarily difficult.
Today I am thankful for a quick 3 day trip for a college visit with my HS senior, just the two of us. We will soon be empty nesters, so I'm trying to soak in this time.
We have a serious health issue in my immediate family right now that has me worried. I am thankful for the medical teams that are serving us and for good insurance that makes the costs associated managable.
Finally, I am thankful for a boss I really like. She's great and has a lot of faith in me and that helps make the workday so much better.
I am thankful for steadfast friends. Yesterday I spent more than six hours with a friend talking about anything and everything. We've been friends for 42 years. She is almost twenty years older than I am, and I'm grateful for every year we have.
1. I found my kitten Gus. He's an indoor-only cat but got out yesterday when I was holding him, letting my dogs out in the yard, and the beagle snapped at him. Gus ran outside and under the fence. I spent the next twelve hours looking for him. Went to bed at 11:30, woke up around 2:30 and decided to look more. Went outside, called for him and heard him meow back. (The relief!) He didn't let me catch him though. I finally had a brain wave and got his feather wand, which kittens can't resist. Dangled it nearby and grabbed him.
I spent most of yesterday crying because I felt so guilty and felt so bad for my daughter, in NYC and unable to help. The little stinker was actually still on our property.
All's well that ends well and this kitten had captured my heart. I've never lost a pet permanently. Thank goodness.
2. The bravery of the Ukranians. Maybe the world will be rid of Putin soon. Praying.
3. That's enough for this week.
@Rose, a huge portion of my brain bandwidth is taken up with worrying about animals being safe and secure. Over the course of my life I have had a few disappear to my great anguish. We currently have a half feral/half tame cat we have been working on for two years. She will come in the house to eat and because she adores our house cat, but she usually wants back out within a few minutes. Because my husband and I are giant suckers we literally jump up to let her in and out ALL DAY LONG. There is tons of cat furniture in our house and some outside.
Once they get their little paws in your heart, you are all theirs.
@Anne, awww..... I feed 9 ferals every single day at 10AM. Unfortunately they really are feral and I can't even touch them. I wish I could. They do all run out to greet me when they hear my car.
This kitten I literally found in my trash January 2. He's my baby. It's a strange state of affairs for someone known as a crazy dog lady, ha.
I didn't read yesterday's "easily pleased" post in time to comment, so here's my TT, Thankful for Small Things Edition:
(1) Thankful that I ventured into a Supercuts on Tuesday to get 2" shorn off the mane I've been growing since July! Just as DH no longer looks like two or three of the Smith Brothers on the old cough drop box after his recent trim, I now no longer look like Grandmama on The Addams Family.
(2) Thankful, along with others, for my bird feeders and the variety of birds they attract. Also thankful that deer don't like safflower seed, nyjer thistle seed, or suet--and thankful for the older birder friend who gave me the tip about mixing cheap crushed red pepper in with the sunflower seed. The pepper doesn't bother the birds and keeps mammals out of the seed.
(3) Thankful that I can donate to charities not only regularly, but as the need arises. I've just sent a donation to UNHCR (the UN Refugee Fund) for Ukraine, at the suggestion of a reader on Donna Freedman's blog.
(4) Finally, Kristen, I'm glad your knee injury was no worse. I had to have a partial knee replacement 10 years ago as the eventual result of a fall off a people-mover belt at the Orlando airport (don't ask!), so I speak from experience. And I'm thankful that the replacement is holding up nicely so far.
I'm glad you weren't hurt badly in your fall.
1) I too had a little fall this week. I have been going "old school" for my workouts and was doing a cardio step workout. Going up and over the step, I tripped on it and hit the floor. I am thankful that I didn't really injure myself. The dog was curious why I was on the floor though. hahaha
2) I am thankful that our son did not break his ankle when he rolled it earlier this week, that the swelling has gone down, and he is limping less.
3) I am very thankful for the warm temperatures and sunshine. Especially thankful that there are sunny days in our forecast for the weekend.
4) I am thankful that my husband joined me on a walk yesterday so we could enjoy the sunshine. While he was a lot slower than I do, it was nice and we enjoyed our time together.
5) I am thankful for my weekly Zoom Pilates class with friends.
Thankful that I went to the Orthopedic MD after falling in Target 2 weeks ago on both knees and there is no damage. Because I fell on both knees, it kicked up the arthritis and was very painful; to me anyway as I have a low tolerance for pain. He gave me a shot in each knee and I feel like a new person. And to those people with arthritis, I pray that your pain will someday go away.
Thankful that our new house in WV will be going forward now that we have two contracts (two in case the first one does not fulfill his 7 day requirements). It was a crazy two weeks getting our house ready for the open house and selling in a weekend. We are extremely blessed. Now the real packing begins as we might have to be out of this house by 3/31. Yikes!
And on that note, it is feeling OK to toss things that used to be dear to me. Stuff that I have had for a few years that I wanted to keep, but now feel that its OK to toss. I couldn't part with it back then, but most certainly can now.
I am also extremely thankful that our foray into covid was not serious and that the numbers everywhere are going down for the most part. And that my family all are healthy and did not get it either.
Thankful that people are seeing the hurt caused in the Ukraine and are finding ways to help the people suffering there.
I am blown away by the level of grime that is on the items you salvaged from the abandoned house. I honestly can't wrap my mind around items being that dirty - how does it even happen!
This week I'm thankful:
- That the stomach bug that swept through our house last week was quick. All three of us went down hard but it only lasted a day for each of us. And our symptoms were spaced out far enough that there was always someone available to take care of the sick ones.
- That the ice is finally starting to melt off our driveway. We have a north facing driveway so it's not as easy to get the ice to melt on sunny days, but with temps close to 40 we are starting to see the driveway again!
- I brought a new plant home a few weeks ago and almost instantly four of the giant leave drooped and died. The remaining leaves are holding on so I think it has finally adjusted.
- That I was able to work from home two extra days this week. Most of my team was out of the office on a work related trip so those of us still in the office agreed to work from home.
- So much sunshine! It has been sunny almost all week!
I am thankful that daylight savings time is coming. I love sunshine and having enough time to go for a walk after work.
I am thankful that we do eventually get to move into our house. (We were supposed to get the keys tonight but the people living there won't get out. It is really disappointing and I will likely end up having to pay a moving company for a mid-week move . . . but eventually I know I will get the house.)
I am thankful that even if my friends have to work during the week they will likely find some time to help us unpack and move large furniture around.
I think that's all I have. It's been a hard week and I haven't yet had a chance to put things in proper perspective or remember my hope.
A cup of coffee does marvels for ones outlook . . .
I am thankful that I live close enough to the mountains that I can get out for a hike this weekend. Time spent in nature is always joyful.
I'm thankful for my audio Bible app which helps me get into the word of God when I don't have the time or energy to read on my own.
Flowers and more flowers. I am spending all my spare cash on flowers. I live in warm So Cal so have been planting already for a couple of weeks now. The colors just bring joy to my heart and every time I go to Lowe's or Home Depot for some supply, more flowers jump into my cart.
This week my thanks are bittersweet, but I am grateful all the same for:
1. My kind and loving Aunt who passed away this week. She was smart, sensible, generous, and down-to-earth. She will be sorely missed.
2. Finally being able to have lunch with my best friend. She has been swamped with a new job and personal issues lately, but we were able to meet up this week.
3. More sunny days. It has helped my mood.
4. Being able to donate to causes I believe in. We have been blessed and it feels good to share the blessings.
5. My sister got her sense of taste and smell back after Omicron.
So much to be thankful for!
This week I'm incredibly thankful for:
1) my husband who has been everything I needed this past month.
2) family and friends who have been supporting me this past month.
3) the team of women at the hospital where I got my biopsy done yesterday. They were so kind and patient. I plan to write a note to express my appreciation of their kindness.
4) the sunny days. We've even had a day feel like spring! This weekend we are suppose to have two days with spring type weather! Maybe the snow will melt.
5) while every member of my immediate family had now had covid, we had extremely mild symptoms. Especially our children. They younger they are the less symptoms they experienced.
Thankful for-
Hubs healing on the other side of his surgery. Hope for future good news.
For the clear weather all week, it was helpful to not have to drive on bad roads.
For low covid numbers in our area which meant we could have visitors.
That I had the week off. It would be a huge miracle if work could actually leave me alone for a week but at least I did not have to go into work.
That my vacuum did not die like I thought but rather an outlet went bad.
Thankful for our local parks. We have an amazing nature center full of trails, streams, natural climbing structures, indoor nature education area with toys, pelts, animal skulls, and live animals on display. We spent a great day there with my two kiddos and we had a blast. We had a picnic lunch outside even in the 30 degree weather.
In a related note, I’m grateful for nice warm winter gear. I remember being so cold as a college student and young adult because I never had expensive brand name winter clothes. I can now afford to buy good stuff for our family and that makes the winters so much more enjoyable.
Grateful for flexibility at my job. I pick my own hours and only work 4 days every 6 weeks which is such a luxury.
Grateful my parents live close. We get to see them often and they watch our boys when I work or sometimes for a date night or getaway.
Grateful for the ability to make whatever delicious food I want relatively cheaply. With a few clicks on my phone I can order almost any ingredient or spice in the world and make so many yummy things easily.
I'm glad your knee is getting better!! Knee injuries can be such a big deal.
Today I'm thankful...
* For energy. I didn't sleep well (my kids haven't slept the best the last couple of weeks) and I had a *really* hard time waking up and getting going this morning. But once I finished my workout and showered, I ended up with a great amount of energy for my day that required a lot of energy. I was so, so thankful.
* For kids that love to read and for an awesome library.
* For a couple of special events coming up in the next week - one Saturday, one next Thursday. They're annual events that were the last bit of normal life before COVID hit 2 years ago, so there's a lot of emotion tied up in them for me. I'm so very happy that they're back and I can do something normal again!! (And since I'm only a month and a half out from having COVID myself and our numbers here are super low, I won't even have to think about COVID while I'm there. Hallelujah.)
I feel you on that last one! I figure that with three shots and a recent case of omicron under my belt, my risk is hovering right around zero. 🙂
I am thankful for:
1) My dad had minor surgery yesterday. He spent the night in the hospital as a precaution but otherwise so far so good.
2) We had surprise snow overnight. It was the pretty kind that sticks to the tree branches.
3) My kids are participating in Track. So thankful that that "before times" activities are happening!
4) The library... always the library
Yes. ALWAYS the library!
I so relate to this post - both about the joy of scavenging, and the tripping and falling on the ground. You are fortunate to have a kindred spirit sister-in-law. Another thing you can be thankful for is when you are older and fall, you are now labeled a "Fall Risk."
I love your posts…they are inspiring and fun to read and you sound like such a nice person.
Aww, thank you Susan! That is such a lovely compliment.
There's a lot to be thankful for! Thank you for the reminder.
It's been a rough week, so I'm happy to participate (if a bit late). Your site wouldn't load for me for a few days, so I'm thrilled it's back & I can catch up.
1) Grateful for a lovely & sunny 6 mile hike on Sunday
2) For a date night with my husband on Saturday
3) That I had some work flexibility last week, and could take my son to a tennis match
4) That I heard back from a high school friend. She was my tennis doubles partner, and friend from high school, so while I was sitting at my 9th grader's first high school tennis match, I reached out to her. It was so nice to hear that all is well with her family.
5) For friends I enjoy spending time with. We're having a girls trip this weekend, & I feel super blessed that my sister & BFF are also super close friends, which means the three of us can spend time together & have the best time.
It's two years today since we shut down! March 17th 2020 was the last day before spring break for our kids and school didn't reopen after it. It's just crazy to think about.