Thankful Thursday | from the island
I'm typing this from the middle of the ocean; Hawaii specifically!
Zoe and I hopped on a plane to sneak in a visit to Lisey before our semester starts, and we are so happy to see her.
Obviously, Hawaii is nice too, but the main draw is seeing Lisey. 🙂
So, here's some Hawaii-themed thankfulness.
This week, I am thankful:
that I was able to get on the flights
Zoe isn't 18 yet, so she can't use Lisey's flight benefits. I can, though, so I was flying standby.
There's always a faint chance that there will be no seats available, so I felt thankful that on both legs of the flight, I got seats!
that I didn't have a middle seat
The leg from Chicago to Honolulu was especially long, and I was lucky enough to get put into an aisle seat.
And on the leg from home to Chicago, I got a window seat, with no one in the middle seat! Woohoo!
that Sonia was willing to stay with our cats
Sonia is house-sitting for us, so our cats are being well-loved.
She's been sending me regular updates and the Chiquita pictures are cracking me up.
I don't take baths, really, so when Sonia was filling up the tub for a soak, Chiquita was very confused.
And maybe a little concerned.
Sonia did a little photoshopping with the one photo.
And when Lisey saw it, she said, "How did Chiquita afford that car? Probably with dirty money, from all the crimes she's committed." lol
that Zoe and I are both healthy
It occurred to me that a January trip could easily be downgraded by some illness. But thankfully, neither of us got sick before our trip. Yay!
that Lisey got some weekdays off
She discovered that she had some paid vacation time, and her boss kindly let her take two midweek days off to hang with us.
So, thanks to weekends and the vacation days, she's only having to work a few days while we are here.
for how happy Zoe is to be here
I am, of course, delighted to see Lisey. I missed her a lot!
But perhaps even more than that, I am delighted to see how happy Zoe is to have some Lisey time. She's really missed Lisey since the Hawaii move, and to see them reunited is wonderful.
that I don't have to do SO many med cards before my semester starts
I originally thought that all 74 had to be done before school started, so I've been spending some of my Hawaii mornings doing med cards before the girls are up.
But I just realized that only the module one meds have to be done by the first day. Whew!!
Med cards are very tedious and take forever to do; probably the most annoying part of nursing school so far.
that Lisey is doing so well at work
When I landed here, she texted to say she'd been nominated as an MVP at work.
And when I read the little write-up about her, it made my heart warm to see that in addition to praising her professional skills, it said, "Her positive attitude and kind-heartedness raises the morale of others."
That's my girl!
So, so happy for you that you and Zoe could make it to Hawaii and see Lisey!!!!
Chiquita makes me laugh as always.
What does "nominated MVP at work mean"?
Enjoy your family time in Hawaii
So, MVP is an acronym that stands for Most Valuable Player; it's often used in sports! But I guess her work has borrowed the idea for their employees. Basically, it means that she is doing an extra good job at work.
@Kristen,
thank you so much for the explanation - bravo to Lisey! Not soooo surprising though as she had the privilege to be raised and educated by a warm and dedicated, hard working mum!
O wow Kristen, this is really great to read. Your girls are growing up to be such fine women. Enjoy your time together ladies! It does warm a parent's heart to see one's children grow up to be warmhearted, affectionate and responsible adults.
I am not on Hawaii, and my thankfuls this week are related to our local weather
*that we have frost, for starters. It is better for flora and fauna to have some winter now or nature might think it was spring already
* that we have mild frost only, as in you can dress very well for it and infrastucture is only mildly impacted (some trains not running)
*that the weather is really gorgeous with blue skies and sunny spells, it is lovely to be outdoors
*that we get to experience real winter swimming with water temperatures being more pleasant than shore temperatures - how are things your end Sophie in Denmark?
*that our house is well heated and comfortable
*that I have really nice warm clothes
*that we have did not catch the germs our kids had
*that soups and casseroles taste so good in this weather
We have not had much ice to speak of. This is partly due to the wind and partly due to the high water protocol that still has precedence over the frost protocol. NL fun fact: if there is frost (and no high water) in our region, there is a protocol that water pumps and inland shipping come to a temporary standstill to grow the ice so people can enjoy the skating. Right now, skating is possible only on very shallow ice rinks, often pasture or polders that have been submerged and then frozen. But the die hards went skating on Tuesday morning already, to catch the sunrise on the ice. And there has been an outdoor marathon more to the west of our country. Also the annual debate was rekindled on what should and should not be changed in the approach of the 11 towns skating tour (200 kms) that requires at least 11 cms of ice to take place and the support of thousands of local volunteers to maintain the quality of the ice. The last official tour was in 1997 and the ice floor could only just keep the multitudes that went to have a look and felt entitled to dance at the ice floor even they were not participating in the skating tour. End of rant.
@JNL, that's interesting that they can do that with pumps to encourage ice formation.
Our ice is so unreliable right now as temps & winds not cooperating & activities & festivals that normally happen may not. That goes the same for snow related. It's hard to think that these things we've done for years change & stop & other generations might not ever get to experience.
@JNL, hi! I didn't make it into the water this week because I had a cold but there was lots of ice and snow on the beach nearby. A coworker said it was freezing and she swam for shorter than usual! I will have to see for myself after my trip next week.
@JNL, I've just read up on Wikipedia about the 11 Towns skating tour (aka Elfstedentocht). I was particularly impressed to learn that your current King, Willem-Alexander, completed the tour in 1986 when he was still the Crown Prince. Fr0m what I see of them on The Court Jeweller blog, I'm quite fond of King W-A and Queen Maxima (aka "Wax and Max"); they seem to carry out their official duties with great good humor and enthusiasm.
@A. Marie,
I scrolled back for your comment as I came across a BBC article you might like: https://www.bbc.com/sport/winter-sports/67926417
It is dedicated to the Tour, more specifically about the hellish 1963 one, and there are also comments about the annual preparations "just in case" the conditions will be favorable for a next edition.
So happy for you and your girls!
I am so happy for you and your daughters that you get this time together. And very happy that you made it there flying stand-by. I did that a lot when I was a teenager (my dad was a Southwest pilot), but it's gotten so hard anymore that my brother (also a Southwest pilot) and his family don't even try.
Anyway. My thankfuls:
--That we finally got back to school yesterday, after two days of Zoom school thanks to the blizzard we had. I reeeeaaally don't like doing school at home on Zoom, and doing it after a long Christmas break with everyone at home was even more difficult.
--That we never lost power during the blizzard. It's rare for us to lose power here, despite ferocious storms, and it took me a bit after we moved here to realize it's because there are no trees to fall on the lines. Unlike New York. 🙂
--For the firewood my husband had cut just before the blizzard. He was having problems with his chainsaw and couldn't cut as much as he wanted. And then his saw just broke. Well, broke after 15 years and a lot of hard use. However, the wood lasted us until yesterday, when he was able to drive to a city and buy a new chainsaw so he could cut more.
--That when I got up to a 50-degree house on Saturday, we knew because of a previous episode why the furnace wasn't working (frozen condensate line under the house) and what to do to fix it (disconnect the hose at the bottom of the furnace and let it drip into a pan). We can't just call service people and get quick help when things go wrong, so it's nice when we know what to do.
--For the very nice furnace repair guy five years ago who spent some time on the phone with me to figure out what was wrong the first time this happened. I still bless him and his generosity in helping someone he didn't know and who was not paying him. I'm sure he was no more eager to make the 100-mile drive to look at our furnace than I was to pay to have him come out here, but he really was very patient and kind.
@kristin @ going country, One of our church family is currently becoming a Southwest pilot!
I don't know how anyone flies standby on Southwest! Every Southwest flight I've been on in recent years has been packed to the gills.
I'm so happy you got a chance to go see Lisey!!! I'm thankful that I am mostly done assessing my students and can get back into a more normal routine. I am also thankful that they have all made measurable progress! Considering the challenges we have had this year, that was not a given, so I'm glad. I am also thankful that I have been able to keep up my daily gardening. It has really helped my mood.
When I read your first line, my heart went, "*gasp!* YAY!!!!" I'm so happy you get to be out there right now!!! What an awesome thankful list this week!
This week I'm thankful:
* for the way my kid's teacher handled a tough situation at school. The care and thought she put into it and the way she handled it made me so, so thankful that we're at the school we're at and that she has the teacher she does.
* for the encouragement from the principal for my husband and I handling the situation the way we did. That meant a lot.
* that the role I had to sub in yesterday went so well.
* for my pretty planner. It's a new year!
I am thankful you're in HI visiting Lisey with Zoe.
I am thankful it was 3+" of rain and not snow on Tuesday. I am thankful the electricity stayed on and our lives were not disrupted by the storm. I am also thankful that my SIL in CT and her family were not inconvenienced by the flooding near their home when a dam was breached upstream.
I am thankful for continued good health.
I am thankful for an upcoming trip to FL to see a friend that moved there a couple years ago.
I am thankful that we have had quite a few sunny days lately. Winter is not something I love but sunny days help a lot.
Awesome that you got to squeeze in a vacation with Zoe and Lisey. And hopefully you left all your stress behind in the contiguous states and enjoyed your stay and are ready to tackle school again. Now that is starting off the semester great. You are ready!!!
I am thankful to be getting ready to spend a weekend with some new ladies at a scrapbooking event. First time for me since moving to our new home and I am looking forward to a weekend of laughter and getting some scrapbook work done. And then we are off on a vacation ourselves. Hopefully we will be able to get out of the states because there is a lot of weather coming!
I am so glad you were able to travel to HI to see Lisey! what a special treat!
Had to laugh at Chiquita sitting up to see what the heck was going on with the tub!
Just very happy for you and your girls and hope it’s everything you want it to be.
First time commenter for Thankful Thursday! Here we go…
1. My boys will go to school today! Baby is a HS junior and has not been to school since 12/21 due to Christmas break and snow days. Middle is special needs and does better with the structure of school. Thankfully oldest is on his own, finishing college and carving out his own space. It was time for him to venture forth. My heart and head were ready for it.
2. For a new part-time job for me. I’ve been substitute teaching for the past nine years and I’m just plain tired of it. Ready for a change!
3. For a strong sturdy middle aged body to handle the copious amounts of snow that we got… and more is coming!
4. For therapy! And now for new insurance that covers it so that I can go more often than once a month. Game changer! I’ve grown so much over this past year and hope to continue for a long while.
5. For this warm house, for my husband, for these nearly grown boys. For our elderly dog who has made a turn for the better and hopefully has a few more healthy months in her. All worthy of my gratitude!
@Marie, Lovely post, Marie!
Woohoo! So glad to have you join us.
I am thankful—
*for your Lisey time!
*that my painful shoulder is slowly improving.
*for my silly little girl.
*for lots of helpers when I can’t/shouldn’t use my arm.
*that I don’t normally have to type my comments on a phone.
@Jody S., Ouch! Shoulders are really underappreciated. Hope it's feeling better soon.
@Jody S., I tend to accumulate tension in my shoulders and neck, and I've found that one simple exercise works wonders: I simply roll my shoulders forward for a count of five and backward for the same, for as many reps as I feel I need. I still can't believe how well this works for me.
@A. Marie, I do a stretch I learned somewhere.
Drop your head down to your chest as far as you can.
Leading with your nose (if you see what I mean), roll your head to one side, then in a smooth movement, leading with your nose, roll to the other shoulder.
It works well for me.
Woohoo! So excited for you gals. Have fun!!
So happy you and Zoe are getting some Lisey time!
1) Thankful DH was able to catch an earlier flight from Jacksonville to Atlanta after his appointment at Mayo Clinic. Bad weather was rolling into Jacksonville, and we were afraid his flight would get cancelled.
2) Very thankful that the doctors are Mayo are going to work with DH to get to the bottom of what is causing his poor health. He goes back next month for more diagnostic testing.
3) Thankful that some wonderful friends are hosting a baby shower for our daughter this weekend.
4) Thankful for the Frugal Girl community for all the wonderful suggestions on freezer meals for our daughter to have after the baby arrives. This community is awesome!
5) Thankful that I will be off on Monday for MLK. Our weather forecast for Monday is for cold temperatures with chance of snow. I'm happy I get to stay warm and cozy inside.
@Beverly,
Thankful your hubby will be working with the Mayo Clinic folks to figure out what's wrong. Here in Ohio, the Cleveland Clinic is typically the go-to place for tough to diagnose/treat conditions (even though I live on the opposite end of the state from them).
I'm thankful for:
1) this blog. I'm a longtime reader and seeing your kids grown up in to great adults is so heartwarming. I know you are a proud mama!
2)being healthy. My daughter caught the flu a few weeks ago but I didn't get it.
3) a great neighborhood and neighbors. Everyone watches out for each other without getting into each other's business.
4) the gift cards I got for Christmas. Makes it a little easier when I forget to pack my lunch.
5) a dependable car. As a former driver of a vehicle that was iffy about getting me to my destination, having a reliable car eliminates so many headaches.
@Michelle D., Love your #3. Describes my neighbors/neighborhood perfectly.
Looks like a wonderful way to end the winter break!
This week I am thankful for:
*The tile guy sent the final invoice so I can pay him and get him out of my life. For real.
*The weather has been so gorgeous - I have been walking every day and soaking up as much sun as I can. Its supposed to get very cold next week, but no precip in the forecast!
*My dishwasher chugging along in the background and my hot cup of coffee while I slowly start my day in a peaceful and warm house.
*I didn't get called in for these last two nights, and I am not on call for another two weeks. Plus, I have two more days off this week to continue getting things crossed off my To Do list here and so far its going great.
Aloha!
My biggest thankful today is that the Hawai'i trip actually happened! I'm very, very happy for you all.
Here in Central NY, I'm thankful:
That our big snow dump over the weekend confined me to the house for only one day. I'm as subject to cabin fever as most other folks.
But that when I am confined to the house, I have plenty to do inside. I've begun the annual cull of the royal commemoratives and my other collections, for things that can be donated (for a tax break) to a charity auction/online sale this summer. And when I finish with this, certain portions of the house where my housecleaners aren't allowed (e.g., my office and the attic) would be improved by a little attention.
And that for the price of some birdseed and a few peanuts, my sassy blue jays and other feeder regulars continue to keep both me and Betty the cat well entertained. She's at the living room window watching them right now.
This is way better than having to be stuck at home for black-heel-wearing events. 😉
@Kristen, m'dear, I hear you!! Here's hoping that the black-heel-wearing events come to a satisfactory conclusion ASAP.
@A. Marie, Oh! I keep forgetting to ask. You collect British royal commemoratives? Would you like my 1936 hooked rug from George V's Silver Jubilee? I know I still owe you merlot jelly. I am very bad at mailing things. Has G and M initials. (I used to have a commem collection but I needed to downsize collections. Also I realized how much of a small r republican I am. That said, I kind of love how awful Mary was.)
@A. Marie,
I found a great deal on Chewy.com for bird seed....Audubon Park brand wild bird seed, 20 pounds for $13.99. I stocked up (combined with the dog treats our spoiled dog gets) during their "buy $100/get $30 e-gift card" deal. The birds are loving it!. We also buy the special veterinary food one of our cats needs from them, so the $30 will be well spent.
@Rose, there's a George V/Mary Silver Jubilee hooked rug?? Count me in. (Kristen, please don't interrupt the HI vacation for this, but please give Rose my email when you get back.)
And, yes, Mary was both awful and wonderful. The James Pope-Hennessy biography of her does justice to both sides--as does The Quest for Queen Mary, the book about how P-H researched the bio.
SO GLAD BOTH OF YOU GOT TO GO TO HAWAII TO SEE YOUR DAUGHTER!!! 🙂
And that you had a goof stand by experience--especially out of Chicago.
Thankful for----
● Earlier snow this week was not as bad as predicted--more mixed than snow
● my temporary job as Early election poll worker training I was able to get done on same day instead of 2 separate half days. Of course specialized training is next as soon as govt finished up & decides final information.
● that since I was able to do 1 full day instead of 2 half days that today I can go out & get errands done before predicted snow storm (friday-Sunday) & polar vortex cold predicted afterwards (next week)
● tax season job is accommodating to election job (which is 9 days straight in February)
● that the insurance company is able to change my auto policy to monthly & not put on auto pay without monthly service charge. There had been service charge for monthly in previous years so I always paid half or in full but has changed---yeah. 🙂
● that my family in Florida was safe & was not in tornado other day. My aunt was county below but luckily had no issues. Unfortunately the area it do go through was recently rebuilt from hurricane 5 years ago.
What gorgeous pics of you and the girls on the beach. And Chiquita, as always, is good for some comic relief. Someone needs to go over braking with her, though.
What am I thankful for? Hmmm. The cottage is almost finished being furnished and decorated.
My son's broken window (windstorm, again) is being fixed today.
I have things to look forward to! Finally. Again.
I found a new handyman who won't throw away my things without asking.
That there are cute puppies and kittens in the world. I am getting a puppy and a friend is getting the most darling silver tabby Maine Coon kitten.
That my cousin once explained to me that a Maine Coon is half cat and half raccoon, and my dad started laughing and told me, "I'm so glad Elaine [my aunt] spent so much money on college for her." I miss my snotty wiseass dad.
I've been indulging myself reading old magazines. I love it.
Not so happy about that tree guy asking why I wanted to take down the old oak. Now I feel guilty. Sorry, tree. Ha.
Most of all: spring will be coming!
Chiquita is ALWAYS good for some entertainment! Ha.
@Kristen, https://ibb.co/mzXzWrG
Clearly not enough to do today...
Mannnn, I've gotta make this chick start paying part of my rent. lol
@Rose,
Lol, that's hilarious!
And I adore Maine Coons....a friend of mine has one, and he is huge and gorgeous.
One more I forgot: our town was horribly flooded yesterday. Some houses were wrecked. Not mine, thank goodness, and I hope that some good can come of it; that is, convince the town not to denude the dunes in our part of town. Also happy that neighbors were able to feed the ferals for me since their street was impassible.
Yet another thing: having a bit of spare money to be able to cheer up a friend in Minnesota who is going through a truly rough time.
@Rose,
Some LI friends posted photos of Bayport harbor flooded after the storm....yikes! My BFF has a house in Bayport that her father built (she rents it out) - fortunately no issues from the storm.
@Liz B., https://www.easthamptonstar.com/villages/2024110/south-fork-wind-less-issue-storm-surge-rain
I kinda want that tree trunk! I'm sure someone cut it up and took it.
@Rose,
That's bonkers!! But yeah, that log is incredible. My BFF and her new boyfriend just took a day trip to Montauk a few months ago.....sounds like it's a total mess now. Sigh.
This week I am particularly thankful for:
- Soup
- Heat
- The indoor walking track at our Community Center
- The Minnesota History Center - we went to see the Charles Schultz exhibit yesterday
- My people
P.S. Morale is everything in a workplace and I'm so glad Lisey was recognized for her influence in that area.
@MB in MN, The Minnesota History Center is the best! I miss that museum!
Love the theme of today's post! <3
Over here a hugh milestone was reached with our whole house remodel, and I can finally sleep through the night - I'm the project manager of the remodel, and there have been a few out-of-my-comfort-zone moments for sure! So that's #1 for me.
Otherwise: 2) Went on a hike, followed by lunch, with a gal I met recently at a group hiking event. We had a wonderful time, and already have plans to get together again.
3) For the gorgeous blue ocean vistas we enjoyed on above hike due to it being a windy day. The winds generally clear out the marine haze and can make for stunning clarity of color.
4) We are continuing to make friends in our new neighborhood, and have a date set to walk to the beach for lunch with our directly next door neighbors. They are a delightful couple in their 70's, and he, unfortunately, has Parkinson's disease, so there is an added poignancy to the time we're able to spend together now.
5) That my group of fellow library volunteers are making an effort to stay in touch while the library is closed for remodeling. We had our first meetup for lunch yesterday, and it was so successful and fun, we're doing it again next month, which will include an informal book exchange.
1. That 2024 is starting out better than 2023 ended. The previous 6 months were crammed and stressful. I am thankful that the stress was for one-off reasons and is diminishing as the causes are addressed.
2. That my attitude toward hard times is to be practical and to problem solve, rather than to deny or be unrealistic.
3. For a certain friend - we're being long-distance life-improvement support buddies. Every day or two we text to share brags and sobs.
4. For my dog, who doesn't realize he's too big to be a lap dog.
5. For this blog, a reliable source of positivity (and realism) and support. I haven't been commenting much (see #1) yet always read.
@WilliamB,
I love your #3 and agree with your #5.
@WilliamB, Here's to a ... I was going to say "stress-free" but will more realistically say "less stressful" ... 2024. I could sure get on board for that.
@JDinNM, and @WilliamB,
Count me in for a less stressful 2024. 🙂
What a heartwarming post! I love that you were able to go and see your girl and that the sisters had time together. Happy for you all.
I'm thankful that although the storms this week caused some damage in our area, no people were harmed.
I'm thankful for a good report from my ENT and neurologist this week and I don't have to return to a doctor til May!
I'm thankful for the sunshine today before more storms tomorrow.
I'm thankful my mom finally seems to be over Covid and is feeling more like herself. And very thankful my dad didn't get it.
and with these colds night...I'm very thankful for my electric mattress warmer. It's a wonderful thing.
I'm so excited you guys are reunited in Hawaii! I couldn't be happier if I was feeling warm tropical breezes myself.
And also - thank you Sonia for the Chiquita fix - that's my new favorite pic of her !
@Suz,
I get the impression she is a very smart and inquisitive cat. I love cat pictures generally but pictures of Chiquita often have that acute look of attention to her surroundings . So adorable!
She IS a very curious cat!
@JNL, Agreed. Chiquita is just extra cute somehow. So glad she found a home with Kristen.
That picture made me laugh and laugh!
Sooo proud of Lisey. And, boy, do they need her skills! Glad you and Zoe are in a lovely place, in so many ways. That’s how to do semester break right!
Very thankful to be recovering from the worst bronchial infection. Especially thankful for my special DH as he took over the reins of the household, and kept me on track with meds schedule and good food to help recovery. Especially thankful today for science and modern medicines, and for Urgent Care being open on New Year's Day. This is my first day fully upright!
It's so wonderful that you go to visit Lisey!
This week I'm really thankful for the new snow we've had. It's snowing hard as I type this, but we have really needed it, as it was scary dry before this.
For all the firewood we cut and hauled and split last summer. It's keeping us warm now.
For a work project that's going well.
For delicious cups of tea.
For my church choir.
So happy for you and your girls. Have a wonderful time.
Yay for Hawaii! That is amazing that you were able to get a sneak visit in. The first week back from the holidays is always kinda the worst so being able to start the new year off seeing Lisey and in gorgeous setting is awesome.
This week I am thankful for:
1. Early mornings- I have been trying getting up an half hour earlier than normal and I have really liked it. Getting to see the sunrise with my morning tea starts the day the best.
2. A stocked pantry- As part of my no/low buy January, I have been trying to minimize grocery trips. So far I have made it a week on $20 (I live in LA so this is big) thanks to having most of what I need.
3. My gallery wall- I have my stair walls and landing covered in photos and art I have collected over the years and my heart sings every time I see it.
4. The "lighting a candle after you clean" feeling- I deep cleaned my house this week (baseboards, kitchen cabinets, everything) and that feeling when you light the pretty candle after being exhausted from cleaning is the best. The glass of wine with dinner helps too.
5. Color- After years of neutrals, I am embracing color everywhere. My hair, my house, my clothes. Everything seems to be some shade of beige now and I want my life to be hot pink.
@Heather, your #5 resonates with me. Everything has been black, white, and shades of gray in home decor for years. It just puzzles me when I see a furniture store or catalog or home-makeover show that people keep choosing those nothing-burger "colors".
I want my life to be teal and blue!
I love the photo of Chiquita standing up! It’s great that you and Zoe had a chance to visit Lisey.
We always have a lot to be thankful for, but just a few things…
1) My FIL, who has Alzheimer’s, had a good day this week and was able to FaceTime with my daughter. He’s been losing his English (it’s his second language), but had no issues this time. I love how he still gets so much joy from his grandkids. I can hear him smiling through the phone.
2) We have some weather coming in with highs in the single digits (Fahrenheit) and very high winds. This is the type of weather that makes me extra thankful for a warm, sturdy home.
3) Every single time I go shopping, I’m still shocked with our grocery costs. It makes me very grateful we can pay for everything, plus have some leftover to help others. We live in a community where about half of families are low income, so I still buy various items to help out, including extra snacks for my daughter’s class so all the kids can have something at snack time. This is one expense I have so far refused to skimp on.
4) It makes me so happy that the vet where my dog gets boarded loves him and he loves them. He hates other animals so I was imagining him being a dreaded challenge during his visits, but at our last vet visit one of the techs was telling me about him being her favorite and how happy she was when he came in. He also gave/got many kisses and cuddles to/from everyone working there.
Yay for the trip and hurry for the Most Valuable nomination for Lisey! And Sonia's cat pictures!
1. Big thankful: we were in tornado watches and warnings for much of Tuesday, but none appeared in my area, thankfully. Some people had damages and some lost tarps off of hurricane-damaged roofs; I had some really large limbs that had been broken by the hurricane that fell out of the trees with this storm, but no hail, no tornadoes around me. Since the hurricane, there is a noticeable difference to wind, not having all the trees around my house anymore to block it.
I feel so badly for people who suffered damage and/or injuries.
2. I'm thankful for power crews who got my power back on at 11:30 at night. It was out at my house for 13 hours and the temperature dropped steadily after the storm. They worked long hours on Tuesday.
3. I'm thankful that my husband, my kids and their families and homes were unhurt and undamaged.
4. I'm thankful for the long conversation with an Ohio brother-in-law (my sister-in-law's widower) that I had on Sunday. He is terminal, and gets breathless easily, but he was so pleased to talk with me. He loves to talk about my late sister-in-law, and he doesn't get many chances where he lives now to do so, with someone who actually knew her .
5. I'm thankful for getting the call that the one-half pig is ready! My youngest and I will split it. It's being cut and wrapped and will be ready by the weekend after this one.
@JD, I'm so glad that you and yours had less storm damage than you feared.
And I get it about your #4. I had a "similar but different" conversation recently with my SIL (the wife of DH's younger brother, who is also going down the dementia road). Not only can I offer her support and advice (though I'm afraid there's not much comfort to be had) about her and my BIL's situation; I can also offer reminiscences about DH's and BIL's family. Weird to think that I've become one of this family's memory keepers, now that my parents-in-law and two of DH's three siblings are now dead--but so it is.
@A. Marie, TBH and not to be Debbie Downer, that's one of the more annoying parts of divorce. I knew my ex's family very well, including many who are now gone (being together for 30 years will do that to you) but I basically can't share the stories with anyone since I don't talk to them. Kind of thing that never quite hits you until you go through it.
My girls also love to be together. All three were together over Christmas for a couple days and it makes my heart happy to see how much they enjoy each others company.
Have a great time!
Thankful for:
Mild sickness. Flu, strep, and COVID are going around the schools bad around here. My kids ended up sick with something, but luckily it was rather mild and only lasted a couple of days.
No wind damage. I'm surrounded by trees which I've always loved and was one reason we liked the property we bought over a decade ago. This was pre-kids and something we didn't think about was falling trees. One landed above one of my kids rooms earlier this year and damaged the roof. Luckily it was smaller, but there's plenty of large trees around us that could do a lot of damage so I'm more wary these days of storms. We had wind warnings, but it didn't get bad. Tomorrow is supposed to be even worse so hopefully it'll be the same and we won't have any damage.
A husband that supports me staying home. It's better for the kids and us. Plus, with sickness and appointments it's so much easier than having to figure work out. I would have exhausted all my available time off this year in no time had I been working.
The husband has taken over laundry and has kept it all caught up.
YEA! I was hoping you got to go to Hawaii! Flying normal is a stressful, so I think you are very brave to have done the standby method with no guarantees of a seat. Zoe is also brave, because you could have ended up not on the same flights or not even getting there. Are you having weather whiplash? 😎 And Lisey has braces!? (maybe I just never noticed before)
Thankfuls:
* RAIN!
* Although 2023 was my worst income year in a long time, I am thankful for all the additional free time that came with very little work.
* The amazing fantastic piano at church. . . best touch, most sublime sound I've ever experienced. (makes my many mistakes not sound so horrid)
* Sunshine and clear skies here in the foothills (when it isn't raining, duh)
* The fun of this blog, my only social media outside of my own blog. Fun interaction, photos, wisdom.
Well, we can look on Lisey's app and see how many extra seats are there, so that helps a little. But this flight had less than 5% free seats so it WAS a little nervewracking!
I have read Kristin’s blog regularly. Thanks for being an island of tranquility after swimming through a choppy, sea filled with undertows!
I live in Coastal SC. After a day filled with wind, rain and too many tornado warnings, I saw a red ball a few blocks from here. I knew it was a fire, and thought it was on a block filled with gorgeous unique houses. It turned out to be a fire in a pancake house that was quickly put out.
I’m especially grateful for the friends I met her—they helped me get through a horrible time. Even if we have opposite views on life, politics, and other things.
After I had Covid I developed very strange symptoms—ocular migraines—never heard of them and I was a geriatric social worker!
I had every symptom of Parkinson’s; the famed neurologist thought so too. Didn’t have it!
I found an all women psychiatric practice that isn’t faith based. They don’t just help with meds but offer therapy. My “perfect” (ha) brain needs to be challenged as I feel turned inside out from the after affects of the pandemic.
Kristin, I’m so happy that you’re seeing Lisey-/in HI! Your girls are so together!
I'm thankful that you and Zoe got to see Lisey! Also love the cat pics!
I'm extra grateful to be going on my trip with my best friend!
Grateful to have been given the time off work.
Grateful to be able to work from home.
Grateful for cups of tea and chocolate!
Sonia is really good at editing photos! Seeing the sunshine through the trees while inside my cozy warm house drinking tea, what's there to not be thankful for!
- My youngest daughter called this morning and we talked quite a while. I'm so thankful that long distance calls are no longer things that you have to time or they break the bank.
- My eldest daughter is finally feeling better as she is recovering from RSV. What a rotten virus!
- Book club is tonight. Since we started meeting via Zoom during the pandemic, we have gotten new members from up and down the east coast.
- Free DVD rental from the library. My husband and I have a low tolerance for profanity and sexual content in shows and movies so it's getting tough to find things we can watch online. The library website isn't the best interface but it works and I've always got good shows on hold.
- An emergency fund. We have an expensive chimney repair scheduled for next week but it's not a panic because it will take less than half of the emergency fund.
I'm hoping to join you all at book club at some point...maybe once I get my second-semester feet under me!
@Kristen, YAY!!
I am so grateful to have stumbled on your blog years ago. Your posts always make me so happy. This week I am especially reminded what a gift that is as my house flooded after a sewer line issue and it has been very hard to see good. We are in the midst of a challenge for sure and my home is literally a disaster area.
I am grateful that no one was hurt and we are all still together.
I am grateful that stuff can always be replaced. This is a tough one for me. I am not a materialistic type of person but we just bought our home in 2022 and put all new floors in, redid our whole kitchen, painted, etc. It was HARD to hear the mitigation company pulling up my flooring with a chisel and see them cutting out ceilings and walls. I had a panic attack and got physically ill. There is a lesson in all of this and I know God will turn this for our good. I am counting on it.
I am ever grateful for family support, laughter in the midst of chaos, provision and hard workouts that help me release stress.
@Kristen I hope that you have just the BEST time with your girls. Enjoy the island and all its beauty!!
Aww, I'm so sorry! It's really tough to have a home in such a state of upheaval.
@Angie, I'm so sorry this happened to your house, especially right after you did all that work. You have a great attitude!
@Angie,
So sorry! Hugs to you, and I hope that your community can help you out in healing and recovering. ♥♥
Ahhh, this is such a wonderful update! Happy for you all!
I am thankful for time today to relax a bit before everything picks up again tomorrow; for the free lunch I got at Panera yesterday (not thankful though for the plastic in the soup that ended up in my mouth, which resulted in the free meal, eww); that the local pollen onslaught affects me very little; that my husband and I made it through the holiday season without getting sick; and that I am going to have a baked sweet potato with my lunch today!
Wow! Not just pictures of Chiquita, but Lisey! Zoe! Kristen! You’re all MVPs in our book. And thanks to Sonia! For holding down the fort and taking (and faking) Chiquita pictures for all of us. Thankful for the entire crew.
Thankful for the enormous flocks of Canada geese and sandhill cranes that are enjoying the fallow farmland in the Village.
Thankful my best friend’s (second) hip replacement surgery went well (or as well as could be expected) and she is home recovering.
Thankful the hospital where I was treated back in December has refunded one of my co-pays. Wasn’t expecting that!
Thankful the weather hasn’t been even colder and windier than it has been. Kristin @ going country got it way worse than we did further south.
Thankful for a break in work that’s given me some time to catch up on things around the house that desperately needed attention. And a nap.
That’s wonderful!
1. I'm so glad you got to go to Hawaii, it's one of my most favorite places on earth.
2. I seriously did not recognize Lisey with brown hair.
3. Chiquita ought to have a movie contract.
Haha, yes, Lisey is only allowed to have regular hair colors for her job!
@Kristen, "But I'm a natural green!"
Once a famous actress asked me about my hair in our town post office. I said the green was natural.
YAY! What a fabulous winter trip- so great that Sonia can cat sit (Chiquita's tummy btw is so adorable!) and that you, Zoe and Lisey could get together. Nothing quite like getting some time together IRL to fill your buckets.
Kristen, I have been following your blog since your kids were teeny tiny and this just warms my heart immensely! SO happy for you and Zoe and Lisey! And the Chiquita pictures cracked me up.
Kristen,
I am so happy that you and Zoe were able to reunite with Lisey in Hawaii. Tell her congratulations on her MVP award! That is so awesome!!
Sonia's pictures of Chiquita are hilarious, especially the one where she is driving.
Enjoy your time in Hawaii.
Beth
How wonderful that you guys are getting to visit! And also congrats to raising a daughter who is doing well, and us an encouragement to others!
Enjoy your trip amd your "girl time"!
I was so hoping the moons would align so you could get to Hawaii! So wonderful to know you are having family time, enjoying nice weather and recharging before the new semester begins. This made my day.
Kristen! That is so exciting! I hope Lisey was able to show you two all around! And you ate all the fresh fruit. Please share pictures! We were only on Oahu for two days, and didn't get to see it all.
This week I am thankful for:
Coffee
friends who help with our baby
that my parents visited and babysat
the gift of used baby clothes
Leftovers and a husband who doesn't need a different meal each day
So happy that you have the opportunity for this trip! You all look beautiful! I love the photos of Chiquita!
Kristen, I'm so glad that you guys were able to make that trip and spend some good time with Lisey! It's great to go see the kiddos!
Oh this post fills me with happy.
@Karen.,
Me too! Hope you have a big dosage of hugs and humor from Lisey to last you until your next visit! ♥
Yay for a trip to see Lisey! I hope you have a fabulous time together!
So happy you can have some time in Hawaii visiting Lisey. Enjoy! Kudos to Lisey for doing so well with her job.
I’m thankful my daughter is doing ok after totaling her car Tuesday on her way to work in the nasty weather. I’m not so thankful we now need to find a “new” used car for her that she can afford. But it could have been much worse. I’m sure there’s good to come from this situation.
I’m thankful my dr appointments are almost all scheduled for this Spring so far. I have 5 scheduled and a few more to get on the calendar but so far, so good.
I’m thankful for a few days my husband and I will get to spend with our grandson. That’s a few weeks away but we’re happily looking forward to time with the toddler.
I’m thankful for a 40’s dance event my husband and I can attend this Saturday evening. We can do Swing dance but apparently Lindy was popular in the 40’s and we don’t know Lindy. The Lindy class prior to the general dancing should help us get the “swing” of things… see what I did there?
I’m thankful for having finished 2 books so far this year. I love to read but for some reason last year I only read a dozen total. That’s not good for me. I’m off to a better start this year with The Only Gaijin in the Village( I learned a lot about Japan) and one of the Alexander McCall Smith books, The Colors of all the Cattle. I’m also working my way through a very inspirational book, Open and Unafraid. It’s about the Psalms, which I love.
I’m thankful for our local Senior center. For a small annual fee, we can access all sorts of activities and also connect with local friends.
I’m so happy to see a variety of bird activity at our bird feeders. We love wildlife and we’re especially glad to be able to provide seed and suet for the birds in winter.
@Martha O., Oh, I love the Detective series by Alexander McCall!
What! You went to Hawaii and didn't take all of us? Oh, pooh! LOL.
Seriously, I am thrilled that you and Zoey are getting a well-deserved vacation and hope you have a wonderful visit and return journey before you get back to the grind. And I know you're not a bit proud of MVP Lisey -- that is incredible that such a new employee is so honored! Congrats! Hope you all have a fantastic visit and I no doubt will envy your suntans.
Today I give thanks for my substitute teaching gigs, already filling up for this semester, and that so far we've escaped the horrible weather....although I'm told it's a-coming. So I am doubly thankful to have the natural gas "fireplace" (just a fancy looking space heater that doesn't require electricity to run) hooked up and burning brightly -- a backup system should the power go out. And I am thankful that I have workers, who have morphed into friends, who I can call upon to help do things I can't do myself. I am mostly over the upper respiratory crud that I suffered with during Christmas, and I am head over heels thankful for that!
What a wonderful blessing to have time with the girls in Hawaii!! Love it there !! Whale season too! Have so much fun!!
Aww, so happy for you, Kristen.
Thankful that I'm done throwing parties for awhile. I hosted 3 parties in 4 weeks and that's a lot for my introverted soul. Thankful all the parties went well. For the opportunity to see friends and family.
On a different note, thankful my son's university is allowing students into their housing a day early. We're on a major storm track and I didn't want him traveling in near blizzard conditions.
How wonderful and well-deserved! I'm glad you got to go and hope it was a most wonderful time!
so glad you got to see your girl. what a blessing.
It makes me smile to know you were able to make it to Hawaii! Love the cat wondering about bath water pics.
Oh, yay for all of you to be reunited!
Can you do an interview with Lisey about her experiences working as an airline mechanic, now that she's been doing it for a while? I'd love to hear her perspectives, both on her work and living frugally in such an expensive state!
Oh my goodness what a trip of a lifetime! I bet Hawaii was beautiful, so glad that you got the time and money to visit your daughter. The pictures were awesome, such a beautiful place to visit and for her to working and living for now. Enjoy your time away!!
So glad you and Zoey were able to go visit Lisey! What a perfect way to spend part of your winter break. Time with two of your girls in such a gorgeous place = priceless. Kudos to Sonia for holding down the fort, and for letting Chiquita drive. Lol! Huge Proud Mom Moment for you, too....congrats to Lisey for making MVP! I'm only surprised it took them this long to nominate her. 🙂
This week's thankfuls:
1. Thankful for my knee surgeon and his staff. My post op results have not been stellar, but he is always upbeat and encouraging. I was offered a knee "splint" (ack), that should help straighten my leg. I was told it "won't be comfortable", but I'm okay with that. He kept the focus on my long term results.
2. Thankful for my friends, family, and work friends who have been checking in on me, and making me laugh.
3. For my son, who has a real affinity for languages. He is learning French in school, and has created his own language at home in his spare time. Seriously. It's a work in progress.
4. Thankful for the peppermint tea they sell at Aldi.
5. Thankful that all the rain we got the past few days was not snow.
6. Thankful that, in spite of my less than stellar post op results. I can move around, drive, and take care of some household chores.
7. Thankful for our library, and the Libby app.
to be nosey how do you pronounce Lisey ????
@brendalynne1, I asked that question too awhile ago. The answer is "Lee-see".
Yep! Her name is Elise, and Lisey is just a nickname from that.
Wow have a great trip!
Thankful for- my employer who cares what road conditions are and closing when we have snow storms, I know not everyone is that lucky.
That my oldest pup had a good checkup.
That my vet gave me 50% off discount on the X-rays my pup had done.
Work bought us lunch today and we got time after to sit and chat.
For a lady at Meijer who went out of her way to point out the larger box of tissue was on sale for $1. I got double the tissue for the same price.
Late to the party d/t thankfully sleeping in prior to work tonight and tomorrow night.
My heart over-flowed seeing Kristen and Zoe in Hawaii with Lisey!
Was thankful to be home for the first round of heavy snow storm and not have to go anywhere!
Thankful for Christian friends that drove past yesterday after clearing snow at a family member's home and noticed that mine had not been cleared from the sidewalk, driveway and car. They stopped and did a great job. We do have a sidewalk ordinance that requires snow to be removed 24hrs after a snow storm.
Thankful for the reasonably priced Rapid-Rooter guy that cleared the sewer drain in quick fashion. He also cleared the washing machine drain so one half of the in home laundry equation is up and running. While it is no secret that I like to do all of the laundry at once at the laundromat and in bigger loads, the weather and carrying it in and out is not at all appealing. I do have clothesline in the basement. The only caveat is dog hair which comes off better in the dryer. It needs a one of the heating elements replaced. And it is worth the price to have it replaced d/t the model and difficulty getting an appliance in and out of the basement.
Thankful my Molly is getting the hang of just "going out to do her business." The first day after the snowstorm with the snow up past her belly, she kept going to the door. I looked at her and told her she was crazy, but got bundled up to take her out. She'd stand on the porch and overlook the snow and I could see the lightbulb go on above her head. "Oh, yeah, I forgot about this stuff." She is so used to getting her beagle nose going and not paying attention where she is, she could end up in the next county without a sharp command to stop. Today, it was just business.
It makes me so happy to see you with your girls, and the cat photos made me giggle. I hope you enjoy your visit thoroughly and have safe travels home!
This Thursday I am thankful for free Kindle books that I downloaded today. That the rough weather forecast for tomorrow in my area has been downgraded. That I am slowly starting to figure out Indesign, although I will be happy when it is second nature so that I can complete my work more efficiently. For a new, comfy office chair in my newly set up home office. And for a loving church family.
So happy to see you in Hawaii
It’s been a lot of months of when it pours it rains type of scenarios.
1. My husband wrecked his car by flying off an icy hilly road. I’m thankful he didn’t get hurt and that the car didn’t go into the oncoming traffic or flip over.
2. I’m finally feeling better after a nasty bout of covid.
3. I’m thankful for my kids pediatrician. He didn’t write off my son’s symptoms as covid, and ran a whole bunch of tests to get the right diagnoses.
4. Forever thankful for my mother in law. Always offers to help with food and kids when I’m sick.
5. For good neighbors.
6. Thankful that rough times don’t last forever.
Aww, I am so glad you guys could visit Lisey! She seems to be doing so well!
What a wonderful way to spend a few days of January!
Thankful:
1. that my braces are off!
2. for longer days. I made it home before dark today!
3. for friends who celebrate life with me and for me.
4. for snow. It looked like a snow globe outside my classroom all day yesterday and today. Even the snow removal hasn't been absolutely awful (though, having to do it before work in the morning is sorta a bummer)!
It is a long flight from ORD to HNL. First time I ever flew (and from ORD to HNL no less), I figured best to go non-stop. Glad you guys had a good time.
Chiquita is doing a prairie cat. If she moved her front paws, Godzilla time. Cats are so entertaining.
This makes me so happy to see you in HI with 2 of your girls. What a blessing! Have a fantastic time together!
I love this!!!!!! So happy for each of you!!!!:)