Thankful Thursday | Guys! I have a grill again!
This week, I am thankful:
that my dad brought me a grill!
My beloved Weber grill is on the deck at my old house, so I've been without a grill the whole time I've lived here at my rental.
I was poking around on Facebook Marketplace to see if I could find a used Weber grill, but then my dad told me he'd rescued and rehabbed a Weber grill that he'd seen left out for trash pickup.
(I come by my rehabbing ways VERY honestly. 😉 )
He didn't really need two grills, so he dropped his extra one off for me.
I'm so excited!
I don't have a deck here, but I do have a carport with a narrow back patio. So I can scoot the grill out there when I'm cooking and then slide it back under the carport when I'm done, for protection from the rain.
that someone wanted my two extra side tables
When I moved in here, I picked up a coffee table and two side tables that someone was giving away. I didn't really want the side tables; I wanted the big coffee table to use as a TV stand.
So the side tables have been sitting in my carport ever since. Ahahaha.
Someone on my Buy Nothing group posted that they were helping two young men furnish their first rental, and they included end tables in the list of things they were looking for. Perfect!
They popped by and picked them up, and now my carport is a little emptier.
that the road out of my neighborhood got freshly paved
This happened a few weeks ago, but I keep forgetting to share it!
The hill going down out of my neighborhood has had very broken-up pavement ever since I moved here, and I always felt like I was navigating an obstacle course of potholes when I drove out.
But now that whole section is repaved, and it is a delight every time I drive on it.
that I got to bake with Lisey
She was wanting to bring some cinnamon bread for a classmate of hers that is obsessed with bread.
So she and I made some cinnamon bread loaves together. 🙂
that I don't have to take that algebra CLEP test
I know I already mentioned this on Tuesday, but OH MY WORD I am so happy about this.
I know I could have done it, and would very likely have passed, but I am super delighted that I did not need to spend any more days steeped in algebra test prep.
I am sufficiently competent at math, but I just do not enjoy it.
I never have, and after this many years steeped in math (I've been teaching it to my kids since 2004, sometimes with four different grade levels concurrently), I think if I was going to like it, it would have happened already.
This is kind of how it was in my chemistry class last semester; I worked hard and got an A, but man, I just did not care about the subject matter at all. I could do it, but there was basically zero delight in it for me.
(This reminds me of a post: "You don't have to like it. You just have to do it.")
I think there's a certain freedom in allowing yourself to dislike some things. There's no shame in liking some subjects and not liking others; almost no one is interested in everything!
Happily, I adore classes that have to do with healthcare and the human body, and I have lots of those coming up in the next two years. 🙂
for signs of spring
Yes, they're a little too early, but I'm enjoying them anyway.
for the way our cat entertains us
She was busy playing with a catnip mouse the other night, and it was making me laugh so hard. She's getting to be rather an old cat, but when she has her catnip mouse, she is almost as chipper as a kitten.
for the way Lisey just shows up as herself
I think I've told you before how she frequently went to work at her automotive jobs sporting tall Sesame Street socks with her work boots.
Well, last week she brought home a sheet metal rivet project from school, and she'd drawn little cats on each side of it. 😉
I like how she is not afraid to let her personality out wherever she goes!
Those are truly all things to delight in Kristin! And I think you passed on your dads "I spy something I can use" gene to your kids as well?
I had a rough week due to my siblings illness and all the sad and worrisome effects it has on their pyhysical health and all literally all aspects of their daily life.* There are no short term remedies and I am so very very thankful for professionals who continuously support and try to find solutions for immediate need and long term challenges. *Thank you for understanding that on interwebs I will not even mention if my sibling is a brother or sister. It is all too sensitive.
This weeks thankfuls would not be complete without mentioning
-the last of winter cold while spring is already setting in
-breathtaking night skies
-hot coffee (lots of)
-board games with our kids
-preparations for a small family gathering
-also enjoyment of some days When Nothing Happened. Uneventful days are vastly undervalued!
I wish you all a wonderful end of the week.
@J NL, So sorry to hear about the worrisome situation with your sibling. You are right that uneventful days are undervalued. I hope you have more of them.
@J NL, I am so sorry to hear of your sibling’s struggles.Our family is also dealing with an ill family member who had to move in with us and the daily struggle is so debilitating. I wokr HARD on self care so I can stay upbeat,cheerful, content, and hopeful. Prayer and meditation.Long hot baths and good books, Yellowstone and Gray’s Anatomy.Whatever it takes.Luckily I have a husband who is our rock and we support one another.
This week I am so grateful for:
1.Soft sheets and a very comfy mattress. Good sleep is just incredible!
2. Strong hot coffee in the morning before the sun comes up. Just me and my thoughts and the cats for an hour.
3. The CLOUD LIBRARY: I can borrow books without leaving the house!
4. My art /craft studio:It is a room I can go to to escape the “real world” and make art, listen to music, and play.
5. My cats.Their playfulness and snuggles make me smile.
@Madeline, HUGS!
I am thankful for an upcoming girls' weekend with my college roommate. I haven't been out in a very long time. I'm thankful I'm now able to afford it.
It sounds like you had a lot to be thankful for this week.
I am thankful that my mammogram appointment went quickly yesterday. I always get the earliest appointment so I don't have to sit around and wait.
I'm thankful that I took a chance and stopped at the Honda service center on my way home from my mammogram appointment. My vehicle received an oil change and a car wash in less than an hour. The past couple of years they have been short on technicians so even getting an oil change has not a quick process. Yesterday I was prepared to wait and was delighted that it was so quick.
I am thankful for the full moon rise and set this week. I was walking as it rose the other night and also caught it the next morning as it set. It was gorgeous to behold.
I am thankful for basic knowledge of cooking and baking. The post yesterday reminded me of that. I am not afraid to make things up/alter recipes. My mom always used recipes and my dad did little, if any, cooking. Somehow I was more interested in it than they were. I am also grateful for the ability to procure food and have a kitchen that allows for cooking.
I am thankful for the amount of daylight this time of year. The light just looks and feels different. I always feel, in retrospect, that I'm muddling through the darkest days and then this tine of year makes me feel so much more alive. I know some people love winter but spring is far and away my favorite season.
@K D, Yes to the moon! I wouldn't have noticed it, but my 9yo son ran inside and insisted that I look at it. It was beautiful.
@K D, the moon was beautiful. We are household filled with “lunatics”. Whenever possible we head to the beach to watch the moon rise. My nephew was on the docks in the early morning this week and sent me a beautiful photo of it setting over the Intracoastal Waterway.
@K D, I also love to moongaze and star gaze. We often just go out back on the patio and entertain ourselves with the sky! FREE!!
I love Lisey’s hair!
Thankful for
-warmer days that don’t require a winter coat quite so much.
-a fresh tube of toothpaste that doesn’t take as much work to use as the end of the old tube.
-kids asking me to read to them. I love reading aloud. I love snuggles. And I get both when we read together.
-improved sleep the last week or so. I have a few guesses as to why I’m sleeping better, but whatever the cause I’m love it.
@Kaitlin,
I thought the same thing last week about a fresh tube of toothpaste. Not wanting to waste money and the resources that went into manufacturing the toothpaste I squeeze until I can squeeze no more but it is wonderful to open a new tube.
@K D, @Kaitlin, anyone else actually use a rolling pin on the tube? I do that for oil paint, and it is amazing how much more you can get out of the tubes.
@Central Calif. Artist, I use the blunt end of the toothbrush to push all the toothpaste to the end. Then I cut it open. There are at least 2 more days of use inside. May as well use all that you paid for!
@Heidi, Amen!
@K D, When my father reached the US, he used to send supplies back to the USSR. There was a business that specialized in figuring out how to hide things so that they were not seized by the authorities. Aspirin and penicillin were in short supply and could be used as a sort of currency to buy other necessities. The business bought empty toothpaste tubes and filled them with aspirin, penicillin and other antibiotics before crimping them shut. My father and most of our neighbors went there to send off packages as soon as they could save up enough money; I grew up associating toothpaste tubes with smuggling that helped keep extended family members alive when there was nothing to eat or buy in the USSR.
Because I have arthritis in my hands, it hurts to squeeze a tube of toothpaste. So, I bought a dispenser that mounts on the bathroom mirror. The tube stands up straight on top, and you push a little lever with your toothbrush to dispense. The best part is, every single bit of toothpaste is used up. The tube ends up looking like a brand new full tube… but it’s empty!
Wonderful thankfuls, Kristen.
This week I am thankful:
*for children who share beautiful things with me. They notice beauty and drag me to it. That's lovely when I get so caught up in the daily grind.
*for minuscule facial improvements I attribute to my new exercises. (One of my "exercises" is closing my eyes.)
*for Thankful Thursdays. Really, for most of this blog and especially the commenters. I really enjoy reading it.
*for my 2nd son who really tries to keep me in line. I read an article about sloth (the vice) to my children yesterday, and now when he sees me wasting time (usually online), he calls me out on it--- "Sloth!"
*for vegetable beef soup.
*for the bees. At least somebody likes pollen! (My dad is really not loving it right now.)
*for my husband-pastor's hard work. He's been really busy this week and has had close to zero down time in more than a week.
*that my dad wants to take us out to eat breakfast this morning 🙂
*for the many baskets of clean clothes that are waiting for me to fold them. I hear them calling out to me right now--- "Sloth! Sloth! Fold us!"
@Jody S.,
What a wonderful outlook and sense of humor you display in your post.
@Jody S.,
Children! They are wonderful!
Hmmm, so is it slothful to close your eyes, if it's an exercise? 😉
@Kristen, Nope. It is required. And something that is required is at least work, if not exercise. But, if we want to get technical, I have to close my eyes are certain way....and I'm not supposed to let the corner of my mouth twitch in a weird way- that's the hard part. Ah, the joys of synkinesis!
@Jody S., "a certain way"
Your new-to-you Weber grill looks just like DH's and my old one, Kristen. It's now gone to Weber heaven, but not after doing major service for first us and then the Bestest Neighbors.
I'm thankful this week for a friend of Ms. BN's who has listed four books on eBay for me. I don't have an eBay account and don't intend to get one for various reasons, but it so happens that these particular books will sell better on eBay than anywhere else. One of them has sold already (within a few hours of the listing).
Along with Jody S., K D, and others, I'm thankful for rapidly increasing daylight and for this week's full moon. (I did get some good looks at the moon, in breaks between Central NY's usual cloudy spells. I even bayed at it once!)
Yay for rehabs of free stuff!
This week I'm thankful...
- that my mother-in-law is home from the hospital with a probable mini stroke and that her symptoms have mostly resolved.
- that we're getting a bit of cooler weather after mid to high 80s for awhile. Yesterday was in the low 70s and it felt just wonderful.
- that my husband will join me for my last trip to SC to clean out the rest of my dad's storage unit. It will be bittersweet and I will probably get a little emotional, so I'm especially glad he'll be there with me.
- that we did a big purge and clean-up of our rental in anticipation of an inspection (which actually got cancelled a day ahead of time). Our home has been overwhelmed with things I've inherited from my 3 parents who have passed away since 2020, and this was a good time to really get our crap together and tidy up. I have a lot of things still, and I will sell a good deal of them, but it feels 1000% better right now living in our home.
- that the distribution of physical assets for my father's estate is just about done. I think this popped up in an earlier TT, but I'm so, so glad it's almost done.
- for an outing with my church small group to a farm for retired horses. Being around animals promotes healing for me, and I just loved feeding and petting the horses. And seeing the donkey. Ha.
@Brooke, the weather change has been most welcome. You have had a lot of loss in a short period of time. That’s so difficult. I wish peace and comfort.
Why do cats love yo sleep in boxes and baskets? I’ve had many cats but have never known the answer to that question. Your cat is a beauty, Kristen.
I am thankful that my son and wife will be having another baby in September. This time it’s a little girl, and she will be named after my mother. If my mother was still alive it would be her 100th birthday this year.
I’m grateful that the weather has turned more spring-like. It has been in the mid-80s for two weeks in a row. Its just too early for that.
I thankful that a friend found enough sod to repair a dead spot in my yard at a decent price.Last summer the chinch bugs and sod worms were terrible. This was followed by some crazy December weather where we had several consecutive days of below freezing temperatures. (I’m in Florida.) Many people loss portions of their yards, so sod has been scarce and expensive. My friend was able to combine our sod needs and get a bulk discount.
I’m thankful for the beauty of spring. The birds are singing. The trees are budding . The flowers are blooming - Azaleas, dogwood, and citrus trees as well as the yesterday today and tomorrows. The smell of orange blossoms make my heart sing!
Wishing everyone peace, good health and prosperity.
@Bee, The boxes provide them a sense of security while they sleep. They are hidden and feel somewhat protected from predators during a time when they would be vulnerable. It also allows them to observe their surroundings without being seen when they are "hunting" something. The cats I've had over the years liked to hide in bags or boxes and jump out at my legs as I walked by.
Dogs like to den, too. One dog I had insisted on sleeping in my bedroom fireplace.
@Rose, When I moved into my old-fashioned adobe house, the first thing my then-dog did was jump into the (unlit) kiva fireplace. It's like a little igloo.
@Bee, the smell of orange blossoms is my favorite scent of all! Sometimes when I am in a town in citrus country with the windows shut on my car all day, it still smells like orange blossoms the next morning inside the car when I am back home!
@Bee, my first cat was a feral rescue from the alley behind my place of work, 37 years ago. I was first drawn to her coloring, and then when I saw her sitting in a shoebox in the alley, I was a goner! Had her for 14 years and still think of her as the Cat Love of My Life.
@Bee, congratulations on the new grandchild "in progress"! And that's so sweet that she will be named for your mother.
@Rose, We had one who would wedge himself between a bureau and the wall of the closet. He had to back his way out every morning but it seemed to comfort him so we left it alone.
This list of yours was rather joyous - good to read! This week:
*thankful for this "too large for me" house that has room for Son #2 to move back home for a bit. In the midst of a hard time for him, I am able to provide him with safe haven.
*could I finally be over cedar fever? It seems like it, so I am grateful my immune system has so far kept this from turning into something else as it drags along
*got my taxes done, big refund, lots of breathing and catch up room in my budget - whew!
*in ONE MONTH I will be starting my new job with my new hours and I expect the best!
My work bestie and I are counting down the days...I know I will miss the other people I have worked alongside for years, but I feel like this change will be good!
Happy Thursday!
@gina, Congrats and good luck on the new job!
@gina, what is "cedar fever"? A couple of years ago I actually got pneumonia after breathing the very scented dust from cedar wood chips. Is that what you are referring to??
@Central Calif. Artist, allergic rhinitis from cedar pollen which peaks around Central Texas in January, however once you get congestion and sinus issues, like I do, it can seems to drag on. Thankfully we had some rain, which washes a bunch of it off surfaces and keeps it from blowing around as much.
@Central Calif. Artist, I think she's referring to cedar pollen allergies. Cedar tree pollen season is Jan-March in central Texas where I used to live and the allergies are terrible! Our cars would be covered in yellowish dust all the time and it was awful because the weather was nice enough to be outside, but not yet humid, but it would make you feel miserable afterwards.
Oh, that's interesting; we do not have tons of cedar trees here, but we do have TONS of oaks. So that's where our yellowish dust comes from.
@DebbieR, our yellowish dust comes mainly from pine trees along with some from oak and pine trees.
That's some pretty fancy furniture for a first apartment for two young dudes (at least, from what I remember in my own first-apartment days). I never thought about it, but I suppose the days of milk crates and industrial wire spools for furniture are gone, thanks to access to free stuff online.
My thankfuls:
--Spring Break! I didn't get in my car at all for the last two days. So nice.
--That the shearer came and our sheep are all shorn. The shearer wasn't available the last couple of years, and it took us literally days to get it done, since my husband could only do a few at a time with the hand shears before his back and hands would get too tired. Our shearer has been shearing 5000+ sheep for 50 (fifty!) years now, and he got all ten done in two hours.
--For a break in the wind today that will allow me to get ALL the laundry done. Without a dryer (by choice--I just don't have one), I am very dependent on the weather for my laundry days. This is our windy season, and I really can't hang anything up outside when the wind is gusting 30 or more miles an hour. I had extra sheets and things, too, which are particularly susceptible to wind damage getting yanked around on the line, so I'm very happy to be able to get it all done today.
--That my husband is also home and not busy today so he can dig some more garden beds for me. He's my tiller. 🙂 Parsnips and beets going in today.
--For the OTC allergy meds that allow me to be outdoors this time of year without being completely incapacitated by the juniper pollen blowing up from below the hill. It took me a couple of springs of misery before I realized what the problem was (I had never had allergies before), and when I needed to start taking the daily pills so I wouldn't have a problem.
@kristin @ going country, Summer, fall, winter, WIND!
@JDinNM, Indeed. Not my favorite season, but still better than Mud Season in the east.
@kristin @ going country, milk crates, spools, and bookshelves made with boards and cement blocks! 😀
I love my red Weber grill. My automatic start no longer works, but there's a little hole for manual lighting. Looking forward to taking the cover off here sometime in the next few weeks.
@Michael, You need to be like a Canadian! We grill year round, lol!
Haha, yes, that is how I operate too!
@Leann, So do Alaskans! When we lived in polar bear territory, we would grill standing back to back, so we could see in all directions in case the bears showed up. They do not hibernate and they can strip a body in 14 minutes, so the danger was real but it did not stop us from grilling. No sun for months, wind chills of 70 below...we were still out there.
@Lindsey, hahahaha! And I thought my mom making me or my sibs guard the grill, because otherwise seagulls would help themselves, was amusing. (One kid, wasn't me, wandered off one time and the seagulls flew off with a lot of steaks for dinner. Mom was apoplectic.)
@Lindsey, Oh my! I draw the line at a windchill of -30C, lol. I would not mind the polar bear watch though!
I am thankful I scheduled a handyman to work on some annoying projects that need to be done around the house. I also scheduled my cleaning lady (yes, same one, A. Marie) to, as my daughter puts it, turn our crack house into a crack home.
I am thankful to be back at work and being rapturously greeted by co-workers. I think there's a sarcasm deficit there when I'm not around.
I'm thankful that I found a ring to buy that is very close to my "engagement" ring (purchased 5 years after we were married) which was stolen by previous renters. Maybe I'll feel slightly less miserable about it once I have it.
I am thankful for all the ridiculous running jokes my kids and I have.
Finally, I'm thankful that one of the missing ferals showed back up for chow time.
Yay for some hired help for you! And yay that you could see co-workers again!
@Rose, Sarcasm deficit, I love it! I bring the sarcasm and quirky humour to my family and more recently, the chemo unit. Sometimes it falls on deaf ears but gosh, if I lose my sense of humour, I might as well be done! Good for you and back to work.
@Rose, "sarcasm deficit", I love it.
And bless you for feeding ferals.
@Rose, yes, I recall the discussions about your cleaning lady, and I understand the reasons why you stay with her. But all the same, I'd tell her that she's not to throw *anything* out until she checks with you about it. Forgive the unsolicited advice.
@A. Marie, Oh yeah, that has been extensively discussed.
@Rose, HA! HA! Sarcasm deficit!!
Thankful for the weekend trip to visit my daughter for her birthday. I almost didn't go because of the weather, but it turned out better than expected. And the surprise on my grand daugher's face was priceless.
Thankful that my husband had a great trip with his cousin for a few days. They hadn't visited with each other in years, and they really enjoyed themselves.
Thankful that my friend's brain surgery went very well. One week post-op and she's officially bored, which to me means she is getting better. She already can compose emails 100% better, so hopefully there will be more good news down the pike.
Thankful that family is coming next week to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. It is making me clear out boxes from the move last year (yes, still) and organize and clean. Lots of work to do before then, but I am so grateful to be able to host our families.
Thankful that I'm getting to meet my scrapbooking friends this Saturday. I missed the last 3 events and since they are held monthly, I haven't seen these ladies since September! Really looking forward to it!
@Maureen, Having company always encourages positive behavior! Are you serving corned beef and cabbage? One of the reason my house is not up to standards at the moment was the result of covid protocols. The first 6 months I was busy with household projects, but then the holiday season was “cancelled.” The months turned into years. Since I love to have my friends and family in my home, I lost all my will to keep things company ready. Trying to get it together again.
I hope you have a wonderful St Patty’s Day.
@Bee, it is our annual party in remembrance of my dad (his favorite holiday!). When we moved to FL, we still had the party, but rarely had the amount of people we used to back in NY. Now we are in WV and the large families we have will be served traditional corned beef and cabbage. We have it down to a science. We use a turkey fryer gas burner and boil the meat in that huge pot. Then we remove the meat and add the veggies. So, so good. And the neighbors smell the smell all day long! And everybody gets to take home a loaf of Irish Soda Bread!
@Bee, Covid season has definitely affected us as well. We got behind on so many household chores after the initial motivation to use that at home time usefully wore off. The overall emotional and spiritual toll of the virus, plus extended family differing opinions regarding it, has taken longer to recover from than one would think.
Extremely grateful that we are making the turn and have begun to catch up. Thankful for finding a reliable handyman to take on some of the tasks so we can feel further along in tasks. Happy that my husband and I continue to agree 90% of the time on planning and spending.
I am thankful that my husband came back from his trip safe and sound, tired but much was accomplished on his trip as well. He had a close call while traveling, so I'm doubly grateful!
Thankful that on these cold snap days I have a stationary bike to get some exercise in. There are days I don't want to get on it, but I keep telling myself I will never regret getting some movement in. I would rather be biking outside, but not in 40 degree weather! Yes, I'm a wimp.
Thankful I finally deleted instagram from my phone and am sticking with it. I never posted, but I'd get caught up in scrolling...and realized I was wasting time that I could have been using to read, my favorite pastime. I recently read "Stolen Focus" and it is scary how easily we can lose our ability to concentrate for extended periods of time; working on getting that back.
Thankful for hot tea on chilly days and evenings, Star Trek and good library books.
I'm sure I have many things to be grateful for in my life, but one is so large that it's made everything else insignificant.
A full-size pickup truck drove into my youngest daughter's school yesterday, right into the two preschool classrooms. No one was killed or seriously injured. One little girl was taken to the hospital as a precaution, but everything has checked out just fine.
If the timing had been just a few minutes later, the children would have been sitting on the rug right by the outer wall, and I'm sure there would have been fatalities, or grave injuries at the least.
I am grateful:
- that no one was seriously injured, including the driver
- that it happened when it did, and not three minutes later
- for the staff who got the children to a safe place, and stayed as calm as they could considering the situation
- that my daughter seems to be processing everything so far - she's talking about things...she's startling easily, but that's expected
- that my husband was at home when we received notice. I was over an hour away delivering Girl Scout cookies to an aunt
- that we don't have to drive past the school very often. My little one wants to avoid going past it for now, and I think that's okay.
Here's an article. My daughter's classroom is on the right.
https://www.hometownlife.com/story/news/local/milford/2023/03/08/milford-montessori-school-hit-by-truck-one-child-injured/69987199007/
Oh my word! What a terrifying situation. I'm so glad everyone was ok.
@RB, So glad for the silver lining in that cloud. How frightening for everyone!
@Kristen, thank you! It was terrifying, quickly followed by joyful when we learned that everyone was okay.
@Leann, thank you! My daughter asked to drive by today, which surprised me. There are already work crews there fixing it up.
@RB,
How frightening! I'm thankful it turned out as well as it did, too.
@RB,
Soo glad for no deaths or physical injuries. The trauma is bad enough.
@RB, OH my gosh, how scary! What a blessing that it happened, if it had to happen, when it did, and thank God nobody was seriously injured. Hugs to your little one!
@RB, Oh my goodness! Protection in that situation is a huge thankfulness item! Oh wow. I'm only an hour and a half from Milford, but had not heard. I'm so sorry this happened in your community and pray that your family and the others involved are able to heal from this scary incident.
@RB,
I grew up near Milford, in Holly. How terrible about the accident!!!! SO very very thankful no child (or adult) was injured seriously!
1. For the lovely Spring weather we have had. High temps in the 60's and 70's, great breezes....I know it is early and some say false but regardless I am enjoying it anyway.
2. For the 30 cu ft of dirt & compost in my driveway to be moved into the garden and flower beds. And the 5000 + flower and veggie seeds to be planted. I love to grow things and I am so excited to see the yard lush & green and full of flowers and veggies.
3. For Spring cleaning and organizing and the freshness it brings to my home.
4. For a strong body that continues to become leaner and stronger over time. For the ability to do exercises that I never thought I would be able to do 3 months ago.
5. Coffee, always coffee.
That's good news about the grill!
This week I am thankful for:
1. Starting to feel some good results from physical therapy. It's a small difference, but very encouraging.
2. Received an unexpected free sample in an order and it was something I really liked and will actually use!
3. The sunshine today, it always boosts my mood.
4. Got all our tax paperwork together and submitted to the accountant. (Our taxes are complicated and I prefer to leave them to a professional, and we can deduct a portion of the fees as an expense. The rest of the fee costs us less than I make hourly to do it myself, plus the aggravation.)
5. The granola I love is on sale this week! (Still don't have the stamina yet to make it myself.)
I'm thankful for - (love your new grill, Kristen, thankful for your Dad's skills!)
1. My family, especially my sisters who step in when help is needed. I say this one a lot but I just can't ever stop being grateful.
2. Baby snuggles with my 8 week old great nephew, he fell asleep over my shoulder and stayed that way for 2 hours (my niece said I was not allowed to move!). It was lovely.
3. Our two cats and their silly antics. they make us laugh every day.
4. Financial comfort/peace of mind via a substantial income tax refund and a government early release of pension funds due to my illness. It makes life a lot easier to plan.
5. Friends who include my daughter in their fun plans when I'm not quite able to provide the type of entertainment a 16 yo needs. This includes her hockey team family who did the bulk of the driving to games and practices this season. Although it breaks my heart that I haven't been able to be at many of the games, I'm so happy she can still have this experience and that the families care about her and look after her like she is one of their own.
We are definitely blessed in this house.
This week I’m thankful for
1. That beautiful moon the other night.
2. That I was able to get an “all over” shot at my arthritis doctor appointment yesterday. Several body parts have been hurting at the same time lately so this has taken the edge off the pain.
3. I’m excited for grandchild #3 who will arrive at the end of August!!
4. That a few minor life “hiccups” have been fairly easy to resolve lately.
5. That our new oven/microwave install is getting closer. The old one is getting more unreliable everyday, randomly working/not working. It’s been a little harder to meal plan but I’ve managed so far.
Have a blessed day everyone!
@LDA, arthritis here also. I’m thankful for my rheumatologist, but I am curious about the shot that you received. If you’re comfortable in doing so, would you share what that is?
My thankfulness is weather-related at the moment.
Thankful for:
A warmer winter that allowed us to easily get to the hospital and tons of doctors' visits before and after a major operation for my DH. Past winters with lots of snow would have made for rough driving or even rescheduled appointments, which could. not. happen.
A gorgeous moon last night with the kind of ragged clouds flying through it like old Dracula movies. We were mesmerized.
Lovely, sunny days with more hours of light already and more coming.
No power outages this winter!
Thankful for my dear DH, library resources, and coffee.
This week I’m thankful for:
The leadership at the company I work for. This week was employee appreciation week and leadership really stepped up. Lots of treats, lunches, giveaways, and fun team building activities that were optional. I could write a book on what I like about my job, it is hands down the best place I’ve ever worked.
My husband is out of town for work this week and he makes a point to call me between leaving work and heading to the hotel each night. He has busy evenings so I love that he makes it a point to call me as soon as he has free time.
The only perk of my husband being out of town is dinner! I try to make meals that my entire family enjoys but when my boys are away for the night I have a few recipes that I pull out that are not their favorites but I really enjoy!
One of my friends cleaned out her closet this weekend and let me go through the clothes she is giving away. I found quite a few work tops that will help round out my work wardrobe.
I was able to spend one on one time with my friend this weekend. We haven’t spent time together, just the two of us, since September so it was nice to reconnect.
Way to go, Kristen's dad! My dad used to watch for broken down bicycles since new bikes were out of the budget when I was a kid. He re-built them, and the resulting bikes were what we rode as kids, then he re-built others when his grandkids came along. When I was very young, he built a bicycle for five so the whole family could ride together. My oldest sister remembers riding it with our parents, but it was so big and awkward to store, they sold it before I could ride a bike.
Today I am thankful:
1. Like many other Floridians, that we have a few days of more spring-like weather, instead of hot weather.
2. For the birthday wishes and meals I enjoyed in my birthday week.
3. For the 9th birthday of a grandchild this coming weekend. She's an opinionated, curly-haired, very feminine girl who is surprisingly athletic, but most of all she loves to read and is most often found with her nose in a book.
4. I'm grateful that I got the three mosquitoes in the house killed before I went to bed. Oh, Florida!
5. I'm thankful I reached for a bowl in the cabinet with my hands on the outside of the bowl, instead of with my fingers in the bowl, seeing as how there was a scorpion in the bowl.
@JD, re: your #4, here's a poem by a guy named Don Blanding who wrote a book of doggerel verse called "Floridays" back in the 1940s: "There's a law of nature I'd like to veto/It's the life and love of the (blank) mosquito."
@A. Marie,
I enthusiastically endorse his sentiment! I'll see if I can find that book!
@JD,
I’ve done your mosquito thankfulness many a hot August night even here in PA. But, man, never your bowl episode!
@JD,
Holy yikes! I've got literal shivers thinking about that scorpion bowl!
What an awesome rescue by your dad to spot the grill and rehab it. It always tickles me to see things rescued from being trashed if there is any life left. I also love the bright red on your new grill, Kristen.
I am thankful for lots of family time in March as both involves expensive international travel. My oldest son was able to visit us for a few weeks in Feb-March, and I will be able to visit my mother for her birthday. A few years ago we would not have been in a financial place to afford these things.
Thankful for the pictures of Lisey. That smile! Those dimples! Everyone who meets her must fall in love.
Having just yesterday afternoon finished a project for a not-intentionally-but-still-difficult client, I appreciated very much the link to the earlier "You don't have to like it, you just have to do it" post. Very timely!
And having just skimmed the morning news headlines, I am once again unspeakably grateful for a house to live in, with electricity and running water (hot AND cold! what a luxury) and more than enough food to eat.
Haha, yes, there is usually a long line of guys who would like to date her. She's cute, fun, and quirky AND she works on airplanes and rides a motorcycle. 🙂
@Kristen, She should get her own sitcom. I'd watch it!
I am thankful my family members are healthy. (I've been dealing with some reasonable fear about future problems, but for now we are doing well.)
I am thankful for Daylight Savings Time. (I know there are many reasons why DST is terrible, but I love the extra sunlight.)
I am thankful for more rain coming. It will keep my clay soil soft for digging.
I am thankful that my Mexican Sage is growing well and my succulent lived and is about to burst into flower.
I am thankful for warm weather coming.
Regarding DST: there is literally nothing we can do to control whether our state participates or not. So I figure I might as well be grateful for the after-dinner sunlight!
@Kristen, yet again, a bill to move everyone permanently to DST is languishing in the Senate. I don't care whether we're on standard time or DST, just stop the back and forth.
@Rebekah in SoCal,
Southern California should be beautiful this spring. One of my son’s hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 2019 after a wet winter. I flew out with him and dropped him off at the Mexican border. The flowers were beautiful and the photos that he took of the vegetation in the desert were remarkable. Last spring, when I was out your way, they weren’t nearly as lush.
As another pink-haired girl, I applaud Lisey for finding her bliss with her hair. No one ever says you are boring with pink hair. And props to you for being a mom that just lets her kids explore themselves with minimal commentary.
This week I am thankful for:
1. TikTok. Is it a time suck? Absolutely. But does it give me a 1-3 minute synopsis of news and DIY? Also yes. Tik Tok has become my new go to for a lot of recipes and home improvement ideas.
2. The mountains. I know I live in the Sierra's half the time, but the LA mountains have their own beauty. And coming home to snow all over the locals always makes me smile.
3. An electric car. I love my little Chevy. I can drive from my house to the beach and back multiple times with no charge and no gas. I have seen minimal increase in our electric bill from it and we got a lot of the state/federal rebates.
4. Kombucha. Ever since my partner's girlfriend gave me a starter, I have been brewing my own and it's been life changing. I get the flavor and sparkle I want from soda, but great health benefits
5. My work schedule. 24 hours shifts can be brutal, but having almost a week off in between rotations allow me absurd freedom. I love not having to shuffle things around for appointments, having random beach hike days and seeing my niblings whenever I want.
1. More rain coming!
2. Daffodils
3. Three cats with three distinct personalities
4. New painting commissions
5. An excellent congressional representative
6. So much green. . . some days I find myself just sitting and staring out the window, willing it to stay green.
I am thankful for: 1) my birthday weekend in a town not so far away to attend a gardening seminar. 2) a visit with my 85 y/o aunt. 3) a takeout meal from a local steakhouse that is consistent with it's quality and the ability to afford it. It really wasn't that expensive for the deliciousness! 4) two bouquets of flowers. 5) I was just telling myself I needed new dishcloths and received 4 as a birthday present! 6) always my dog and hot British tea.
@Chrissy, So I'm not the only one who loves getting dishcloths and kitchen towels as gifts?
Thankful for:
1. My heart. It was born damaged, has been operated on, shocked with defibrillators, subdued with drugs, and it still keeps on ticking. Not always the way it should, but my brother died of this genetic anomaly and when I was 30 a cardiologist told me I would not live to 50...and here I am 71 and it is still going. There is no explanation but I am thankful.
2. the three women who went to the same boarding high school I did. We are still in regular contact and it is nice to have someone who remembers the young me. We are survivors of head cheese and liverwurst.
3. my Kitchen Aide mixer. I use it constantly and it has never failed me.
4. our toaster oven. I bought it under protest, thinking I did not want another appliance, but it really does do everything our oven does, only faster and using less energy.
5. The husband, always the husband. Just last night he made me laugh so hard I ended up with tears in my eyes. After all these years, how can I still find him hysterically funny?
Hooray for your dad! Again!
This week I'm thankful:
* for a few nice weather days between snows. We got 8 inches of snow last weekend, which ruined any plans of cleaning up tree parts from the ice storm a couple of weeks ago, but the snow melted fairly quickly and we were able to get a bunch of wood chipped and to fill a trailer with firewood for my parents before we get another 3-6 inches of snow tonight. It feels like we've made just the tiniest dent in the storm cleanup and we will be doing this for months, but it does make me appreciate weather that's nice enough to work outside in!
* that my kids are old enough that I can be of some help outside. There were so many years where someone would need to stay inside with the babies/preschoolers and since I'm not the one with the power tool skills, it was me. (Which was fine!) But now my kids are old enough that I can work outside with my husband and I'm really enjoying it.
* for the kind words a teacher shared with me today about my daughter. Tuesday was supposed to be a great day but turned into a "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day" where most everything that could possibly go wrong went wrong for her. Apparently the way she handled everything made a big impact on one of the teachers and I appreciated her sharing those kind things with me this morning. I am also thankful that my daughter is so willing to tell me things and cry to me after a hard day. I hope these lines of communication are always as open as they have been.
* for the work that God is doing in my kids and in my community.
* for friends.
* that the world is not shutting down today! Ha! Today marks the 3-year anniversary of the last day of school before COVID shut us down for 5 months. (It's easy to remember because Muffins with Mom was today and is always the same Thursday every year - including March of 2020.) So today I'm thankful for normalcy.
So nice that your dad could rehab the grill for you!
Thankful for:
- DH who took yet another load from stuff from Mom's hoarder house to thrift store
- The amusing video my niece sent me of my great-nephew wearing the dinosaur tail I made for him. He was having a great time "whacking" everyone with his tail!
- Our family being able to get together to celebrate our daughter's birthday this weekend
- The beautiful weather last weekend. This weekend looks to be gray and wet.
- My streaming workout services since they make it easier for me to exercise after work. If I had to go to the gym, I know I would find all kinds of excuses to skip it.
We have the same grill in green! Those old Webers are workhorses—ours is 24 years old and still going strong. Great find, Dad!
Love the way you describe Lisey showing up. Well done her, and you as a mom, for giving her that confidence.
This week, I'm grateful for:
1) Getting a chance to have dinner with my 17 y.o. last night, ahead of a "college" meeting at school.
2) That we can afford the cost of traveling to Dubai to see my husband's family. This is a once in a lifetime trip, and an opportunity to see relatives that I will never see (including my sister in law, and niece!). It will be very pricey, but totally worthy. My teens will also get a chance to meet relatives for the first (likely only) time.
3) Free car charging at work! I always appreciate pulling in, and getting the equivalent of free gas.
4) Leftovers. I will never not be thankful for leftovers. Yes, sometimes I don't always want exactly that, but on a busy day like today, where I'm working 10 hours, knowing that I have leftovers to make for dinner makes my life so much easier.
5) That my 16 y.o's hard work was recognized by two awards at his sports banquet. He's a double sport athlete, which is very difficult to juggle. He's very much a teen, and rarely surprised/happy by anything, but he was so thrilled at the banquet, and actually let me take photos - a rarity!
This week feels like it's been a month long already, so focusing in being thankful is probably just what I need.
I'm thankful that we got to start our week with a short trip to the nearest "big city" with all our kids! I had a great time and always enjoy when the older one hangs out with us.
I'm thankful that we were able to put off buying a new fridge for a few weeks. Also thankful that the replacement came today.
After a very stressful week, I left work a couple hours early today and went out to lunch with my husband. It was delicious and needed to reconnect positively.
I'm thankful that I can reserve books from the library, while sitting on my couch, and the book is sent from a different town. I save gas money and/or spending money.
I'm thankful for my two favorite girlfriends. They're great!
The weather this week has been very nice. Today my grandson and I went with a group on a walk to learn about maple sugaring. Some areas had a mushy slight snow covering, other areas were muddy, and along the boardwalk that went over wetlands, the skunk cabbage was sprouting--it is pretty when it is starting to grow.
The watercolor group I meet with. I am not really an artist but I'm getting better--drawing birds. I like using watercolor pencils as opposed to watercolor paints.
The once-a-month zentangle class a friend does at her library. It is an hour of peace and tranquility.
Last Friday I ended up joining up with a sponsored walk in the woods with one of the conservation groups in the area. We had some good conversation about places to walk in nearby areas.
I'm thankful that our local college has a volunteer patient program. Really thorough cleaning & care, $50 total for 5 appointments. They take longer than a "normal" cleaning, as the students in their final year and getting their hands on experience. Next week will include an hour of x-rays. Just tickled that I was accepted as a volunteer...next spring I will likely be able to get in again without a problem. I asked the student about the instruments she had, did she have to buy them? She said yes, and they were expensive...$4,000 Cdn for 2 sets. Not sure what the other costs would be for the course. Good investment in herself methinks!
That we have 3 Salvation Army stores here. One is close to the college. I was looking for a curtain rod to put a little curtain across the spot my old dishwasher sat. That is now the flour/sugar bucket storage. Found a really pretty rod with "crystal" finials.
It was lovely that most of the roads going into town were down to bare pavement, instead of frozen lumpy snow. Made for a nice drive.
That I found a "litter box" that will be big enough for Pippin my 20lb.+ Maine Coone cross cat. He's been using a Rubbermaid tote...found a big black plastic tote at Costco today for $12.99 Tomorrow I'll cut the doorway for him.
Catnip is amazing stuff for cats...Pip is almost 12, but he's a wild man when he's on the 'nip.
I’m thankful the snow has stopped. One of my neighbors tracks precipitation as a hobby. He told me our little mountain hamlet has received 13+ FEET of snow cumulatively this winter. I have 7 ft berms on each side of my driveway … So a snow break is definitely at the top of my thankful list this week!
Hi Kristen. This is just a note to let your know that tons of the Little Critter sets have been recalled. I know you used to have some on eBay. The small parts have caused 2 deaths and choking cases.
Move out the end tables so you can move in the grill. Good exchange! lol
This week had mixed blessings. Monday morning I woke up to doggie diarrhea on my kitchen floor. This has only happened twice before in the 4 years we've had her (she's a rescue), and isn't like her, and you could see she was upset about it. So I was up wiping up and then mopping the floor, still in my nightgown. The thankful part? It wasn't on the carpet, the runners, or the hardwood floor. Kitchen linoleum is much easier to clean!
Second mixed blessing. I told about the rusted out water heater on Tues, but the blessings were: I managed to reach a plumber Mon morning (after the doggy poop incident), who was able to to work us into his busy schedule on Tues to replace the heater. He added an expansion tank, a basin to contain any future leaks, and ran a pipe from the basin to the outdoors, so if the heater leaks again, it will run outside and not all over the garage. So it was a mixed blessing that I had to fork out almost $2000, but that it was emergent enough that it could be done right away, I chose the right plumber, and caught the damage before the water could seep into the walls.
I'm thankful for wind chimes. The warm days are gone again, and blustery, cold-ish weather is back, but the music from the wind chimes can only be heard with the wind, and they are so beautiful to my ears.
Thankful for fresh bread. I really don't enjoy cooking or baking, etc, so I rarely pull out my old bread machine, even. Anyway, a friend texted me directly this afternoon and asked if I would like a loaf of sourdough starter bread. Dashed over and it was still warm, (though not after standing and visiting for 20 minutes!) and soooo yummy!
Thankful for my 25-yr-old pickup truck. Thankful that it still runs well, rarely has any problems, lets me haul yard waste to the dump without having to pay someone to do it, and wait until they have the time. And it's so useful for hauling bags of potting soil, plants, items to and from my gifting group. I drove cars all my life, but when it came to purchasing a second vehicle, I insisted I wanted a small pickup, and it was/and still is a good decision!
My thankful is that I’m at the end of a very long, very drawn out legal process. But as of Friday, things are both agreed on, and signed off on in my favour. It’s weird - I’m so thankful it’s over, but I thought I would feel something good. I don’t though, I’m just exhausted.