Thankful Thursday | heating issues
You know how yesterday I was talking about the Guardian article on the topic of joy? And how one of the challenges was to take a tough circumstance and find the good in it?
Well, my oil-fueled boiler that heats my house has been out of commission this week (a week that has delivered some of the coldest weather we've had in a long time!)
It's a long story that is not quite over (and it includes the fire department being called because of a semi-explosion in the boiler!), but the Cliff's notes version is that the boiler is still not entirely fixed (maybe by the end of the day tomorrow).
(Also, spoiler: Zoe and the cats and I are all fine.)
Anyway...I'm gonna find the good in a not-that-fantastic situation.
This week, I am thankful:
for kind people who let us borrow space heaters
I already had one from my Buy Nothing group, but I also got to borrow one from my landlord and two from neighbors.
The four of those heaters have kept us from freezing over this last week and I am thankful!
that I am not responsible for home repair bills
While I was in Hawaii a branch fell onto my roof and poked a hole.
And then there's been these big problems with the boiler this week.
All of that has reminded me to be thankful that my housing costs are pretty fixed as a renter. Yay!
for good neighbors
I wasn't home the second time the smoke alarms went off, but my dear neighbors helped Zoe while I rushed home.
for some warmer weather
We are officially out of the deep freeze that's been here since my return from Hawaii. Tomorrow it's gonna be almost 65! We barely even need a functioning heating system on a day like that.
that my house smells fine now
After the second major smoke issue, my house smelled terrible, even after the fire department did their thing (and don't worry, they checked for carbon monoxide).
But happily, after some airing out, some odor-absorbing products, and a very thorough cleaning from top to bottom, it smells regular in here again. Whew.
that I started the semester with a VERY clean house
I did not intend to spend the entire day before the first day of school cleaning my house.
But the upside is that at least I'm starting semester two with a super duper clean and tidy house.
that our issue provided training for the firefighters
Even though our heater smoke problem didn't even involve an actual fire, there ended up being something like six trucks here.
As it turns out, they were having the young firefighters come in and see this problem....there aren't a lot of houses with old boilers like mine, and they wanted to give everyone a chance to see how to deal with a situation like this.
So, hey, at least these firefighters got to learn something new!
that I don't mind the cold very much
I would have had a WAY harder time making it for a week with a broken A/C unit. I'm pretty sure a crabby attitude would have surfaced around day two. Ha.
that we got an electric water heater last year
Last winter, my landlords switched our hot water from an oil-powered boiler to an electric water heater, and boy was I thankful for that this week. Otherwise, we'd have been without hot water for this whole week.
that we had power
Losing power in the cold is terrible. I hate that so, so much.
Losing central heat is not great, but at least if you have power, you can run space heaters, you can take hot showers, you can bake things in the oven, and you have lights/internet, etc.
Power made this way more tolerable!
for the fun of returning to nursing school
I have been so happy this week to go back and see all my school friends. My friend Brittany was like, "I missed you guys so much!" and I said, "I KNOWWWW. Me too!" I love my nursing pals.
The extrovert part of my ambivert personality was very satisfied with this week. 😉
for life experience with women's health/OB
I'm already finding that my life experience is proving to be an advantage.
Coming into the class, I already knew a lot about the female body and about pregnancy-related topics, so I'm not having to absorb a lot of new material.
Yay!
Oh, dear! I'm glad you and Zoe are ok! How scary!
This week I am thankful that I do not seem to have whatever my family has/had. Fingers crossed that it stays that way.
Also, I'm thankful that I will soon have a new para to fill the job vacated by the one who got injured. It has been very difficult teaching special Ed prek without proper staffing, so hopefully things will get a whole lot easier come February. Fingers crossed again!
Also, I'm thankful that my phone is still working after I dropped it on concrete yesterday. It does have a crack, but it seems to be holding up still. I do not get any joy out of the prospect of a new phone-so expensive, would need to relearn how to use it, etc! Fingers crossed one more time that I can squeak another few months out of this one.
@Becca, I dropped my phone on concrete over 2 years ago, and it has a nice spiderweb of cracks on the top part of the screen. But it still works fine, and like you, I do not look forward to eventually getting a new one!! I will cross my fingers that you get a nice long time with your current phone 🙂
@Becca, is it the actual screen that cracked or is it the glass screen cover? Those covers aren't terribly expensive.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, And you can get screen fixed. Then put screen cover on to keep protected.
We’ve heat in common on our gratitude lists this week! I’m so glad yours is almost fixed, and yay to your neighbors and landlord looking out for you.
Our furnace kept us toasty during the worst of the cold snap... and then stopped working on our first 30 degree day this past Sunday! Thankfully, I'd already made a professional trade with a certified HVAC friend for future furnace work. He came to our house that same day, diagnosed a worn out thermocouple, and replaced it at no cost to us. He'd planned ahead by ordering the three parts that could ever wear out on our model, so a new thermocouple was already in his basement parts stash. We cheered and applauded when the furnace's trademark "whoosh" sounded! We insisted he join us for dinner and dessert, especially as I was cooking in the oven to keep the house warm, anyway! We made sure he left with an extra serving of dinner and cake for his wife, who is also a friend and was unable to accompany him that day.
Said friend also coached me on how to relight the pilot on our model, so I've that skill under my belt when needed. A free LED headlamp from my husband's work (they were handing them out) and a box of long matches now have a designated place by the basement stairs.
TL, DR; Hooray for heat and good friends!!!
Thankful, first, that you, Zoe, Shelley, and Chiquita are all OK after all those issues with the house. (Excitement like this, nobody needs!)
Thankful that I've been able to occupy myself productively at home during the deep freeze.
And especially thankful that we are now out of the deep freeze. Starting today, I'm gonna get out and do a lot of those things I've been postponing!
Well, that was a lot of excitement for your first week of school! I am relieved to hear you are all ok and that what seemed an emergency turned out to be a (week long) inconvenience. I would definitely be out of sorts if I had to clean the entire house in a short span of time.
This week I am thankful
*for good sleep - several commenters mentioned sleeping badly lately and although I have my share of sleepless nights, this week I slept like a baby
*for our 13 year old cat embracing the use of an additional litterbox that we put beneath a side table in our living room. We noticed he seemed uncomfortable and we wanted to monitor him: he has kidney problems and has also once had an unhappy accident on our couch (two years ago, humans cannot smell it any longer but the cats are still attracted to that spot). The new litterbox is a big success, our cat is clearly more cheerful and at ease and we are more relaxed as well when we are not in the same room with him (The utility litter box is now more or less reserved for our 12 year old).
*for the fun we have when both our kids are at home for family dinner - the laughs and hugs of grown up kids are as precious as they were when they were small
*for making it to the ice rink for a winter dip, just before the thaw set in. The morning skies were glorious. Now we have to plunge on patiently until spring sets in. April may be the cruellest month, but February is the runner up.
Wow, what a mess. Quite a week you (and your landlord) are having. What temperature was the inside of your house with the space heaters running, do you think?
My thankfuls:
--For a friend who is also a co-worker, whose kids are about the same age as mine. We have similar circumstances at the moment, and it's nice to be able to talk about things like our jobs at school, our moody sons and our funny daughters.
--For the people who commented on a recent post in which I asked them if they had ever been without running water, and for how long. I knew there would be some good stories, and there sure were. Mostly I wrote that post and asked for those stories so my family would be less horrified about our lack of water last week. I don't think a single member of my immediate family has ever been without running water for longer than a few hours. They've lived sheltered lives. 🙂 I wanted them to see that I'm not uniquely unprivileged or anything, just rural.
--That I managed to find blue and white clothing for our basketball spirit day today when I have to substitute for one of the teachers. I don't wear either of those colors typically, but I had an old white t-shirt (even a nice one with lace around the neck and everything!) and a short-sleeved linen button-up with blue and white stripes that I bought for my son kind of by accident and that he will never wear. Neither of these would have fit me two months ago.
--Also that it's going to be warm enough today that I can wear short sleeves in the classroom without freezing. Our frigid weather has passed, and we have 60-degree days in our forecast.
--For the experience in the kitchen that allows me to handle weeks like this when I have to work all week and don't have the time I count on on my days off to cook ahead. The way I run my kitchen is very labor-intensive, and it throws me off to not have whole mornings in it a few times a week. But I can still get dinner on the table every night with minimum stress, albeit not very exciting dinners.
@kristin @ going country, I should probably have clarified that my "immediate family" in this case is my parents, sister, and brother. My husband and children are quite obviously used to not having running water. 🙂
@kristin @ going country,I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. After years on medications, symptoms worsened with tremors on my right hand, numbness and tingling, muscle weakness and loss of speech. Fortunately last year, I learnt about Aknni Herbs Clinic and their Parkinson’s disease alternative treatment (w w w. aknniherbscentre .com), the Parkinson’s disease treatment made a great difference, most of my symptoms including tremors, weakness and others gradually disappeared. I improved greatly over the 6 months treatment, it’s been a years since the treatment, i have no symptoms. I have a very good quality of life and a supportive family!
I am thankful for the warmer weather and melting snow this week. The storms last week made the world beautiful but I am happy to see it disappearing this week. I am grateful I was able to walk around outside everyday despite the snow. I am thankful for the exercise of shoveling at our house and those of a couple of neighbors. Finally I am glad we have a snow blower, infrequently used, and DH used it on our driveway and front sidewalk after the snow on Friday.
I am thankful a friend found a promising Pilates class in a neighboring suburb. It has been difficult lately to do so and I am looking forward to checking it out this evening. It is not frugal but I will pay for quality in this area.
I am thankful our SIL seemingly has a good surgeon. He was scheduled to have disk replacement surgery today but when the doctor heard there an additional problem he postponed the surgery until more information can be obtained. Hopefully his neck issues can be resolved soon.
I am thankful to be walking regularly again with a friend. She had a busy holiday season so we didn't plan to see each other until this month. She didn't respond to my texts which is not totally unheard of (she describes herself as a bit of a "ding bat" regarding scheduling). Then she texted to see if I was okay. It turns out she is not receiving my texts though I receive hers. Her family did switch carriers to AT&T recently and iPhone/AT&T -> Android/Verizon is not working for her. She's been working on the problem all week and we know a lot of "fixes" that haven't helped. Luckily calling and emailing work so we have stepped back a level in communication.
I am thankful I will spend time this afternoon with a friend and a six year old she watches occasionally. It will be good to catch up with her and the 6 yo is fun to play games with and I haven't had seen him in a while.
-Thankful that my issue with my roof (water not draining, flat roof) seems to be resolving after a trip to the hardware store to buy some cables that melt ice
-Thankful for my new subscription to hellofresh which we are really enjoying
-Thankful for wool sweaters, I have a huge collection now and they make me happy and warm in the winter
-Thankful for my studded tires on my car- have had to drive so much on ice lately and it makes a huge difference
-Thankful for my cat who provides us with endless entertainment and occasional cuddles (on her terms only)
This has been quite an eventful week for you! I like your thankful list, and I think being a student nurse helped you see the value in the new firefighters learning from your situation 🙂
I am thankful for...
- a new to us freezer! Which, coincidentally, seems to be the exact model that we had before, and for within the budget that we were hoping for (<$500) yay.
- the check engine light on our car is not anything major, and the rest of inspection found no issues
- this season's sicknesses have (so far) been milder than last year. Last year we had a horrible bout of RSV that included an ER visit, lots of Albuterol, Bell's palsy, and my then 4yr old dipping under 30lbs from lack of appetite. I would prefer to never repeat those few weeks.
- my kids still get really excited about new library books. That's fun to see.
- thankful for a collaboration with neighbors on raising some beef cows, and that we seem to be mutually benefiting from the situation
So glad that you all are ok!
This week is the husband-related thankful week. Right now I'm thankful that I did not catch covid from my husband. He's been testing positive for 12 days and counting and we've been very careful. I'm thankful that I've been well and been able to care for him.
Related to that, I'm so thankful that he's slowly getting better. He has asthma, and this hit him hard. He's been using his nebulizer daily and has been taking medicine to help. He told me earlier this week that he's so thankful for whoever invented the nebulizer. He would surely be in the hospital without it.
Related, again....I'm thankful that my husband had enough PTO accrued to stay home all of last week. It is certainly now how we wanted to use that time, but it was desperately needed.
I'm thankful that my husband has made it through 3 rounds of interviews for a really exciting job opportunity. This has been going on since November, and it's still not over! There is one more round to go, and we are anxiously waiting to hear if he made it to the final step. Whatever happens, we're thankful for the opportunity. And also, thankful that he was able to make it through an hour+ zoom interview with covid!
Finally, I'm thankful for the sweet messages my husband has been sending me every day to express his thankfulness for my caregiving.
Thankful you and Zoe are okay.
Thankful for firefighters. My daughter is an EMT and is about to begin firefighter training. I'm deeply sorry for your trouble this week, but glad there was at least something positive that came out of it.
@kristen -- I'd love to know about your slippers. Are they Bombas? (apologies if you've answered this before)
Yes! These ones are from Bombas and they are very soft and comfy.
I'm thankful for guys in trucks. On Monday, with freezing rain, I skidded and slid gently onto a snow pile. It was an awkward angle and I had no shovel to dig out with. Five different men came by- two tried pushing me out, one tried , and then one with a tow rope and the other a big truck pulled me out. It was a miserable day, and having kind strangers pull over and help was amazing. (I didn't get a call back from a tow truck for 4 hours! So I would have been there a long time without their help.)
Thankful that my new students for the term seemed to have picked up the rhythm of the class already.
Thankful for my kids, who had to shovel our many friveways multiple times with our bad weather. They never complained and just helped out.
@mbmom11, I call those guys GiTs (pronounced gee-eye-tee; not like the word in Britain)--Guys in Trucks. They're always the ones who stop to help, bless 'em.
Oh my, you have had quite a week!
What am I thankful for?
I am thankful for blue sky and sunshine. I don’t mind cold weather, but long periods of gloomy weather get to me. Boy, has it been gray and wet! Multiple days without sunshine interfere with my circadian rhythm. I feel like hibernating and sleep too much.
I am thankful that my husband is home this week, and he made the coffee this morning. It is so nice to wake up and find a freshly made pot of coffee waiting for me.
I am thankful that my daughter called and we had a long chat.
Wishing everyone the blessings of good health, peace and prosperity.
I'm so glad you all are okay! What an adventure you've had!
L& D was my least favorite part of nursing school, being single and child-less at that time. I preferred to tune that subject out, as I quickly realized after learning everything that can go wrong, children are a miracle indeed! Managed to pass that subject by the skin of my chinny chin chin.
I'm glad you are all safe and warm. What a way to start the new semester!
This week I am thankful for:
1. The results of my test were not as we feared. It's something that can be fixed eventually.
2. A doctor who explains things clearly and thoroughly, and with patience and respect.
3. I have a job with good insurance. Even though we will pay a bit more out of pocket this year with the latest version of our plan, it is still better than having none.
4. My husband who has been so supportive through everything.
5. My friends and family who pray for me and keep me in their thoughts. It really helps to know that.
I gave birth to our firstborn this week, and the gratitude is overwhelming.
We also had an extraordinary L&D nurse who helped Baby Girl come into a world filled with compassion and even laughter. I thought of you later that night and gave thanks for all the nurses who guide us through such holy moments (and then left a thank you note for our actual nurse.)
@Laura,
Congratulations! What happy news! Enjoy this time with your baby!
@Laura,
Congratulations on your Baby Girl, may she grow up healthily and happily!
@Laura, Congratulations!
@Laura, YAY, BABY! Congratulations to the whole family.
@Laura, Congratulations! And I'm so glad you had a great nurse. Enjoy your newborn snuggles!
@Laura, w00t! Congratulations! Babies are miracles.
@Laura,
Congratulations!
@Laura, Delightful to hear this happy news for you! And, since we are all pulling for Kristen in her nursing career, to hear your lovely nurse experience at such an important time.
@Laura, So glad to hear this happy news. Congratulations and much love to you, your family and Baby Girl! Have you picked out her name yet?
@Fru-gal Lisa, exactly what I want to know! I love hearing baby names (weight and height don't mean anything to my childless state).
@Laura, YEA!! You did it! Having babies is the most important thing in the world. (says the one without children. . .)
@Laura, What wonderful news! Congratulations - sending you so many well wishes for the precious moments through the chaos!
@Laura, wishing you every happiness with your baby girl!
@Laura, congratulations on your baby!! I'm so glad that you had a great L& D nurse and that you and baby are healthy and happy. Enjoy your sweet baby girl!
@Laura, Congratulations!!! So happy for you! Enjoy those sweet newborn snuggles. 🙂
@Laura, Congrats!!
Awww, I'm so happy for you! And I'm delighted you had a great L&D nurse.
@Laura, Congratulations!
@Laura, congratulations!
So glad you, Zoe, and the cats are okay!
- I'm thankful for warmer weather. Even the rain is welcome after the artic blast that hit us.
- I'm thankful that our power and heat did not go out during the extreme cold weather.
- I'm thankful that DS asked for help early in the semester instead of waiting until it's too late. He has a tutor lined up to help him.
- I'm thankful that DD's baby shower was rescheduled for this weekend. Our roads were too icy to get out last weekend for the shower, especially for the momma-to-be.
- I'm thankful that my 92-year-old MIL is finally deciding that she needs to move into a nursing home. It's been a huge struggle to get her to this point. We have been so worried about her living alone.
What a week for you! I'm glad all is okay.
This week I am thankful:
*that my cousin is alive. I sat down to read this blog post, but before I could start, the phone rang. The phone never rings that early with good news around here. My aunt told me that my cousin had had a heart attack. But he is stable and scheduled for bypass surgery tomorrow.
*that my family continues to allow me to baby my shoulder. They are cooking and cleaning and all the things.
*for silly kids. Yesterday they were figuring out which hymn tunes would fit with the poem, "The Germ" by Ogden Nash. This morning one is acting like a chicken.
*that my friend is no longer suffering.
*for a week with few interruptions to our homeschool.
@Jody S.,
Prayers for your cousin as he faces bypass surgery, sure, steady hands for the surgeon and wonderful nurses (and dietitians, ha ha) as well as other warm and compassionate medical staff to help him recover.
WOW! What a story with the boiler. Glad everything turned out OK and that some people benefited from it (I'm thinking of the firemen training). And thankful that you are able to find some space heaters.
I am thankful that we returned home from vacation and also super thankful our pipes did not freeze. We had 4 of the same space heaters and 2 heating splits in the house while we were gone during the coldest week of the year so far. I was so nervous leaving those heaters on without being home. I made sure they were away from everything before we left. And thankfully the house was warm when we got home and nothing burned. We did have someone checking on Kitty Kitty while we were gone everyday, so we definitely would have heard something. But now back to burning wood.
Thankful that we had an amazing time in Barcelona with my husband's cousin's family. They were very welcoming and we definitely will be going back. We saw a lot of amazing things made by Gaudi and Dali. And we relaxed. It was nice to visit and nice to be home.
Thankful our pets survived and missed us. Nothing like a pet missing you and happy that you are home.
Thankful that we have the money to spend to travel. I know a lot of people are struggling, and we did so for years, but now we are able to travel and certainly enjoy it. And going with fun people makes for a great trip.
Thankful that I have a job to return to. That in itself, makes a vacation good. Not that I want to return to work (I'd rather retire!), but I need to travel, so work I must.
My goodness, Kristen, I think you win for Most Eventful Week, what with the house issues right after your trip and starting up school. So glad you have good neighbors and friends (and you're right, losing power and heat at the same time is miserable, so I'm glad you "only" lost one utility!).
Today I'm thankful:
That a visit from our landlord went nicely. This wasn't an official landlord visit; he was in town for work and DH invited him for dinner. He and DH have known each other since he was DH's graduate student 20 years ago, and they work in the same field. He was so grateful to have a "non-restaurant meal" as he put it! We live in the house that used to belong to his dad, and he was pleased to see it again.
I'm thankful that Clark was on his best company behavior; our landlord is a cat person and was charmed that Clark is not at all afraid of strangers, instead walking up for the proper greeting and even sitting on a dining room chair with us and napping companiably while we ate.
Thankful for 50 degree weather today--we can open some windows! And for the rain; we've collected about 11 gallons of rainwater in one day alone.
I'm also thankful that I *think* I have figured out--finally--the root cause of a lot of health issues, and can address them easily.
What a (mis)adventure you've had. Glad everyone is all right.
This week, I got the news one of my friends has died from cancer. She kept it quiet and didn't reach out to any of us to tell us of her problems; she just enrolled in hospice and let her life come to a peaceful end. She was a very devout Christian, and absolutely the sweetest, kindness and most encouraging person I've ever met. When I think of her, I think of the Bible verse of having angels among us; she certainly was one. After my initial sadness, I rejoice that she is in Heaven with Jesus and with her beloved parents (who were my Sunday School teachers); she took amazingly good care of them as they got up in years (and they lived to very old ages and only died a few years ago). I am thankful to have known her all these years and I'm honored to have been her friend. Rest in Peace, sweet lady.
I'm also thankful for the rain; getting to go to church for the first time in a few weeks (it was cold and I was sick); that my 15 y.o. dog is still with me (she has a tumor and operating on it won't extend her life, per vet); and my substitute teaching jobs (and that it's OK I can cancel if road conditions are bad or if I am tired).
@Fru-gal Lisa,
Hugs to you on the loss of such an amazing friend.
@Fru-gal Lisa, you are doing an amazing job of finding the good in the bad.
@Fru-gal Lisa, What sweet words about your friend. Praying right now for comfort for you and all who knew her.
@st, Thank you. Our church got a new pastor, who was/is a disaster, and all of us changed churches -- all to different congregations. So I haven't seen her in quite a while, as I went to one new church and she went to another. Sometimes I'd see her in the store where I work PT but hadn't lately; I just figured she shopped on days when I wasn't on duty. Funny thing was, when I saw the ans. machine log (I have a landline, cheaper than a cell) that another friend was calling, the thought that popped into my mind out of the blue was "I bet she's calling to tell me ___ has died." I have no idea how I came up with that. But sure enough, that's what the message was. Women's intuition, I suppose.
@Ruth T, Thank you. She was precious.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, That's exactly what this friend would've done. Always. I learned this spiritual gift from her...although I must admit I don't practice it as well as she did....
@Fru-gal Lisa,
So sorry to read about the loss of your dear friend. It sounds like she was truly an angel here on earth.
Not only did you have much too much excitement, and not the good kind, this week, but your landlords also took a hit in the pocket. I hope the rest of this year is uneventful on the housing front! A tree in your roof - fire alarms - no heat! And to start a new semester with all that!
I'm thankful you are back to normal.
1. I'm thankful for dodging skills. There was a lady in the left lane beside me as I drove in the right hand lane; she decided she needed to make a right turn and suddenly crossed into my lane, coming right at my car. It looked like a wreck for sure, but I managed to miss her. She kept going, but kept her face turned from me as she stopped to make her turn and I passed her by.
2. Thankful that it looks very much like my sister's husband will be accepted into a nice VA nursing home and that he will get Agent Orange exposure designation, which means he gets better than usual benefits. His exposure to Agent Orange was unknown for many years, because many of his postings and travels were redacted in his records, due to his high security clearance. He knew where he'd been of course, but until recently, it wasn't revealed that those places used, transported or burned Agent Orange. One of the side effects of Agent Orange is Parkinson's Disease. We'd rather he be healthy and not need financial assistance, of course, but since the Parkinson's can't be changed, at least he should get some benefits to help him deal with it.
3. I'm tickled that a national magazine, which is focused on the male-dominated industry in which my daughter works, interviewed her for an article - not because she's a woman, but because of her work with a new contract. It's not the same as making the Times, of course, but I am very proud of her.
4. I'm thankful that my fruit and vegetable plants seem to have escaped damage from the unusually cold temperatures last week. I protected them, but that doesn't always save them.
5. I'm thankful that my heat didn't go out last week! We had nights in the low to mid- 20's and days in the upper 40's (F). Now we have nights in the 50's and 60's and days in the upper 70's. It's always a roller-coaster ride here in Florida.
@JD, Winters in Florida are the craziest weather... I had to turn my A/C on yesterday!
* Got my car back yesterday. The problem was the key fob. They refused to accept payment for the work. I love my mechanics.
* 10 pounds away from high school weight.
* The fun birthday present I ordered for my daughter arrives today.
* I slept pretty well last night. Tuesday night I had anxiety/stress dreams all night (people entering my house and shooting at me, etc) and then yesterday morning I was so stressed I couldn't move from my chair.
* It's raining so it's unlikely the tree guy will take down a tree today.
@Rose, I love my mechanic too. YEA for the end of car-in-the-shop week!
Inquiring minds need to know: do tell about that fun birthday present!
Maybe that 10 lbs. away from high school weight is one of those finding the good in the bad situations. . . Wow, rejoice, because that is a victory in this fat girl's estimation. (I refuse to stand on a scale.)
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, It's a custom fake NYC subway sign with a joking catchphrase she and I always use, along with her initials as subway lines. (Fortunately her initials are subway lines. In fact, C, her first initial, was my favorite line to take to work while pregnant with her--which just occurred to me right now.)
https://ibb.co/NjZZZ0N
re weight: I am so weak and flabby now. waiting to start PT. I barely could hump the 40 pound bag of cat food over to feed the ferals this morning.
@Rose,
I love your special gift for your daughter!
And I hope PT helps build your strength. I know it sucks (and hurts!). I'm completely worn our on my PT days, so I understand. Unfortunately, when we lose weight, we lose muscle first....and the only way to get it back is by hard work. Sigh. I know, I know. I try and keep my eye on the long term benefits.
@Liz B.,
Meaning, while I haven't had any dramatic weight loss, I lost muscle mass from not being very active with my bone-on-bone knee arthritis. It's taking a lot of hard work, post knee replacement, to get it back. I'm thankful I have the resources to pay for PT, and I'm thankful for my physical therapist, who is encouraging and who pushes me when I need it.
@Liz B., Good to hear, Liz! My sister, who weighs probably 150 pounds more than I do, is having serious problems with her hips, etc. I love her but I am sorry she inherited our family's "I'll think about that tomorrow" attitude rather than my Type A personality. That is, I noticed I was getting porky and took steps. I had always wanted to be a book author so I did it. She didn't. I have a beautiful house while she still has the original kitchen floors they inherited from when they bought the house in 2009, worn down so the black backing shows through. Part of it is that her husband, who I can't stand, is cheap as dirt. Part of it is that my sister deludes herself that aaaaaaany day now, they'll redo the kitchen, so living with a disgusting floor for 15 years is FINE, rather than spending a couple hundred bucks on self stick tiles. SIGH.
@Liz B., Also, re "Your date's here": she hasn't opened the gift yet but just texted me "Your date's here" with an IG reel of a squirrel who managed to get onto a NYC subway car.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cvr70-BA6x0/
Your landlord should have homeowners insurance, landlord style that would have covered a hotel stay for you this week.
I’m so thankful you’re all okay.
Wow, you had an eventful week! So glad you're safe. I also love how you're able to see so many positive sides to your situation.
My thankfuls:
* For my sister, with whom I have a weekly outing.
* For our youngest niece and nephew (in their 20s), who come over weekly to hang out.
* For my ability to get things done efficiently and effectively (sounds like a line from a resume!)
* For prioritizing my health 95% of the time when it comes to food decisions.
* Ditto for making healthy decisions when it comes to physical activity.
Thankful for:
Getting back to normal. School was out for almost 2 weeks (teacher workday, MLK, then snow/ice) and the kids were sick the week before so my oldest only went to school one day that week. School started back today and I'm glad to be getting back to routine.
A good speech therapist visit. My toddler has not been very cooperative lately, but he did good this week.
I'm gently trying to start potty training my youngest. I know it's going to be much harder than my oldest for various issues, but he did use the potty twice so far.
No loss of power or water. The county next to us still have a lot of homes with no running water so I'm glad that's not the case here. I spent my entire childhood without a reliable water source, it's not something I want to deal with again.
I’m happy to hear that happened BEFORE school started and not after! I’m sure it was very stressful while you were in the middle of everything - somehow everything always seems to happen all at once.
This week I’m thankful:
• The closing on our new house finally happened. We had to delay it by a few days (which was very stressful) but when we finally sat down to sign the papers everything went very smooth.
• My friend called me early this morning to chat before work – after works/school time is sometimes too busy so our morning “on the way to work” calls are perfect for us.
• The water leak in our sky light looks like it was just condensation build up from a rapid increase in temps this week.
I'm so glad that you are looking forward to the "fun" of nursing school. (Sometimes when school is very challenging, I've approached the new semester with dread.)
I’m thankful the boiler problem didn’t happen while you were away and Sonia would have had to deal with it.
Always thankful for AAA. Tire blew out Tuesday afternoon when I was on my way to an appointment. AAA showed up 15 minutes later and took off the tire and put on the spare. They also showed up in about 15 minutes to replace my battery on New Year's Eve. Angels with tow trucks. Not just the service but the peace of mind is worth every penny they charge for a very modest annual fee, and no charge at all for the service calls and towing if needed. So I’m always able to find – if not “joy!” – at least security and comfort in these situations knowing help is on the way. (Of course, I still have to pay for a replacement tire.)
@JDinNM, We give both of our adult kids a AAA membership as a stocking stuffer each year. One DIL just wrote to say she needed it while our son was away on a work trip, and to thank us.
@Erika JS, What a thoughtful gift! And a gift of "less worry" for you as well as for the "kids"!
@JDinNM, You nailed it exactly!
@Kristen so glad to hear that you are both ok and that the boiler issue is being resolved!!
Glad to see some progress being made with contractors & materials this week so we can finally begin repairs I HOPE by the end of February.
So, so grateful for my Chiropractor. Weekly adjustments keep me going physically and sustain me through bootcamps. Monthly massages soothe many muscle aches. 45 minutes in the vibroacoustic sound bed helps with anxiety, sleep, thought processing...so many things.
Thankful for the warmer weather this week as it was not pleasant to sleep in 40 degree temps.
For my pups who, in spite of all the chaos in our home right now, are their usual goofy selves and make my husband and I laugh every single day. They lavish affection on us and are just wonderful.
Coffee. Energy Drinks. Family. Joy and Peace in the midst of chaos.
Kristen, your experiences validated Karen from Great Lakes view on renting versus owning a home.
Thankfuls:
1. Found my old watercolor paintings—I'd been looking for several months and finally decided I had shredded them. (A drawing student is also learning watercolor and I wanted to share my attempts from 25 years ago with her.)
2. Found an old drawing—this was something from college that would show a certain technique to my drawing students. It was a thrill to be able to find it (and then reorganize my flat files).
3. Acupuncture might be working on my peripheral neuropathy—my feet hurt worse now and the TCM Doc says "sensation good!" (It doesn't feel good, but I trust her experience.)
4. Chewy had kitty litter so I don’t have to wrestle a floppy 40# bag onto a shopping cart as it keeps trying to roll away.
This post also reminded me of the current meme: "The relief you feel when you realize the weird house noises are ghosts and not stuff you can't afford to fix."
Oh, coming home to all that!! Glad things are getting fixed and that everyone is okay.
This week I am trying to keep my eyes on the bright side.
*We found out that my car needs a very expensive repair. Yesterday, we found out that the extended warranty will cover half. I am thankful that while our part is still expensive, half is a lot less than if we didn't purchase that extended warranty.
*Thankful for a bit warmer temps. Not only more comfortable, but less snow to shovel! 🙂
*Thankful that P.T. is finally starting to help my husband's knee, hip and back issues. He has been going since October, and this past week has finally noticed that his pain is less severe. We are praying for a full recovery.
*Thankful that many friends who were traveling had safe journeys home.
*Thankful for a local news group that consistently posts uplifting stories. It is so nice to have stories that celebrate the good in the area.
*Thankful that my daughter and her car are okay after a car accident. It involved four cars (she was not the cause) and the other cars had extensive damage and two people went to the hospital by ambulance(reports are all were released and doing okay). She was very shaken, as this was her first accident, but is feeling very thankful and blessed because it could have been so much worse.
What a week for you!
I’m thankful for breath today. For supportive friends. For a coffee maker at work. And for a small office space I get to call my own.
@Kaitlin, "A Room of One's Own." Very important!
@JDinNM, Virginia was the best.
Oh my goodness, Kristen! What a WEEK! I'm glad you're all ok and being taken care of.
This week I'm thankful:
* for the flexibility of my days. My kids are in school today for the 2nd day in almost 2 weeks. So while there were some minor details to work out on all of those cancelled school days and lots of things that I had to do with all 3 kids along, it was not a big deal at all. And I'm really thankful that there was school today!! I was not feeling optimistic when I went to bed last night, but they didn't cancel today! Whoo hooooooo!
* that we haven't had many medical expenses in the last year. I'm taking my kid back to the pediatrician today and I know that however this ends up, it'll be expensive. But we've saved up a lot in our HSA in the last couple of years and that will make the cost of this feel less painful.
* for time with one of my best friends yesterday while the kids played.
* that I got to finish my book yesterday. It took me almost a month to read, but I really enjoyed it and it was satisfying to finish it.
* that I got to hold some babies this morning! I got called in last-minute to help in a childcare setting and there ended up being a good number of babies! And babies that were happy to be held. Yay!!
So glad that you, Zoe, and the cats are ok. On top of recovering from your travels and starting classes again, you must be exhausted.
My week was much less dramatic, thankfully. Let's see ... thankful that school was canceled Tuesday due to inclement weather, and I'm grateful that it kept everyone safe, that my daughter had some much-needed downtime, and that we also had "girl-time" when I popped in the first Downton Abbey DVD for us to watch together.
Thankful that we had a helpful and productive visit to the Secretary of State office for said daughter. We have been navigating her senior year and missed getting her road test done before her 18th birthday, which meant getting a driver's permit until she has a chance to take it. It used to be that visiting the SOS office was something I dreaded, but nowadays, you can schedule an appointment and get in and out efficiently. The staff were wonderful with her and helpful with additional questions I had.
Kristen, I am sorry about your heater!
This week I am definitely most thankful for my trip to New York City. I went with my best friend, whom I've known since I was eleven. We are in our thirties now. We went up the Empire State Building, saw the Statue of Liberty, went to MOMA, the Met and some other museums and St Patrick's Cathedral, walked over the Brooklyn Bridge and all around Central Park. It was the trip of a lifetime!
On a smaller note, I'm grateful that I remembered to freeze some milk and a loaf of bread as well as buying some other groceries before leaving. I'm also grateful that my jetlag wasn't too bad!
@Sophie in Denmark, What a wonderful trip! And what a LOT of exercise you got in.
@JDinNM, yes, we did! We took the subway a few times but mostly walked. We also went around the Village. I forgot to add before that I'm grateful I was able to buy some expensive boots, because they were great for walking and I didn't slip on the ice.
So glad you are warm and safe!
1. So very thankful the husband is home safe and sound after 12 days of visiting his brothers in California.
2. thankful for my neighbor who is in IT at the university. He came over during his lunch hour and fixed it so that when the husband opened the door the song from the Broadway musical Fanny, called Welcome Home started playing. It is one of our favorite songs, about the house and furniture welcoming home a weary person. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdIrrL_cK7I
3. thankful for the other neighbor who dragged our large can to and from the end of the driveway on garbage day so I did not have to walk on the treacherous ice.
4. thankful for the friend who dropped by with part of a cake she had made and stayed to watch a movie.
5.thankful for the husband's golf buddy who took him to and from the airport. It is hard for me to drive our winter car with my leg brace, so this was a nice deed.
6. Thankful the husband and his two brothers really like each other and have a great time together. Their parents really did a good job, and they welcomed me into the family even though I was like an alien to them, starting with refusing to change my last name. They never interfered or criticized and were cheerleaders for whatever adventure we went on. When I hear mean in-law jokes I always feel like I have to defend mine.
@Lindsey, gotta disagree with you, sorry, about the brothers having a good relationship because their parents did a good job. My kids have hated each other since they were small and I do think I did a good job with them. (They both think I favor the other one...) Sigh. I am not happy about their relationship now but they're adults.
@Lindsey,
What a fun way to welcome your hubby home!
Thankful for----
Warmer weather, in the mid 30s-40 & into part of next week. 🙂 Heatwave compared to last week.
Warm enough to get rescue dogs outside to walk & play in snow.
That getting into rhythm of longer work days (normal this time of year) & not over busy (yet). New procedures & staff readjusting pretty well. Glad to see more people.
Discount tire was able to get me in & tested then replaced all tire sensors (at same time) & had winter windshield wipers that fit my vehicle in stock (so of course upgraded but kept summer wipers to use later). And that replacement was able to be 0% intrest for 6 months since unexpected.
Teen spending time with friends before busy next semester. Made sure to ask & let me know going out for long lunch.
The few family members that understand & support me when needed & possible without me asking. So grateful that I have this. Though sometimes feel like struggle is overwhelming somedays. Know it will (hopefully) pass (sooner instead of later).
That we have heat & house to keep us safe & warm & food to feed us.
That a rare Peanuts Swell small water bottle on my like/wishlist (not necessity) was offered at cheaper price with discounted shipping AND that seller found second/duplicate that offered at discounted bundle price.
Have great day everyone!
Whew, what an adventurous, grace-filled week for you! I love how you look at the firefighters using your call for training as a GOOD thing, and not an imposition. I am challenged by your gracious and grateful spirit.
This week I'm grateful that:
1. Our 10 days of being snowbound (longest ever here in the Memphis area since the 50's!) was sweet and fairly uneventful. Our power and water stayed on, no pipes froze, and everyone stayed safe with plenty of food in the freezers and pantry. It was a cozy time (even with my hubby coming down with the flu right off). Many in our area didn't fare as well, especially with frozen pipes, so it was a grace. We even kept school going!
2. My son's complications from his wisdom teeth removal didn't get problematic until the very day the snow melted, and the Dr got him in for a consult and surgery immediately. So grateful!
3. My oldest that's away in college is almost back to normal after starting the semester with a severe case of poison ivy (joints and limbs swelling, aches, terrible bruising, etc) AND then the flu immediately afterward. It was hard encouraging from afar, but he's back to his cheerful, sunny self.
4. Abundance. My husband's coworker had a retirement party yesterday and when my hubby stayed to help straighten up, they mentioned that they were just going to toss all of the leftovers! So he came home with a HUGE box of fruits, veggies, meats and cheeses, all prepped and ready to enjoy. With the unexpected dental surgery this week, it's a special gift for meals. We've also been given a lot of extra goodies this week that are more than we can enjoy, and it's so nice to share with others.
5. I'm grateful for the spirit of creativity and resourcefulness my parents and now husband both demonstrated and encourage. I love the freedom it brings and the zest it adds to life. I was reminded of how NOT knowing some skills can be limiting when a friend off-handedly mentioned that her daughter's clothing was missing a button that day because mama "doesn't sew." There are so many things we've enjoyed as a family that would never have been possible without a DIY attitude that looks to the possibilities in things (and a big helping of YouTube tutorials!).
Just got our heating fixed yesterday. Totally understand. We existed off our 2 gas fireplaces last week, in the cold snap.
Today I am thankful that it was only a SMALL explosion!
I'm thankful you and your family are safe and warm.
I'm thankful that I could get my teeth cleaned today due to a cancellation. I had to cancel last month because of illness. While I was there I got to visit with my favorite dental assistant, who is starting a new job soon. He won't be there next time I go in.
I'm thankful for a nice crop of oranges. I wasn't sure if I would have any after the high temperatures last summer. The fruit is smaller, but juicy and sweet.
I'm thankful for a nice visit by phone with my mom on her birthday this week.
I'm thankful for my mom's relatively good health.
What a week!
Late to the party d/t sleeping all day. Thankful I can rest before going to work.
Sunday, after returning home from work at 7ish, noted in house temp @ 61' and no lights. Layered clothes and went to bed. Power was back on @ 1:30p. Thankful for power company's restoration of power to 1800 customers. In house temp got down to 51'. Outside temp at onset 7'. By the end it was a sunny 22'.
Thankful for safe trips to and from work which is about 15 miles out of town from here. DOT has been good. In town is always iffy in places. Thankful for reliable transportation with a good heater/defroster.
Thankful temps are back into the 30's and thawing. Thankful the sump pump works. Old houses always have their quirks.
Thankful to be able to get out of the house for something other than work yesterday. I must admit I'm a little tired of the dreary weather. Shopped at Aldi and was thankful to find crab cakes available. Quick and easy to fix in the air fryer! Bought three bags!.
1) Thankful to be back from a business trip. I miss my family & just being home so much.
2) That I generally enjoy my coworkers I was with. We're dealing with some pretty sizable challenges, but the group approached the discussions with maturity.
3) That my flights both ways were not delayed. Spending 8ish hours in transit (travel time to airport + airport time + flight time) is already a really big commitment, so it's always a treat when no additional time is added in.
4) I wasn't feeling great, but I did manage three workouts while I was gone.
5) I don't really have big plans for the weekend, and I'm so grateful I'll get a chance to relax a bit!
I am thankful for an approaching deadline . . . because then the project will finally be done.
I am thankful for sunny days when I can take a walk during lunch.
I am thankful that the cold virus that hit our household was mercifully short lived.
I am thankful for morning coffee.
I am thankful for a weekend to rest a little and play with my daughter.
Good that the boiler problem got the attention it needed and that everyone is safe.
I am thankful for:
1. having unemployment insurance while I look for a new job
2. that since I am home this afternoon I can help my brother (he's always helping me out)
3. it is Friday and my husband is treating us to take-out for dinner
4. I have a few good friends I can talk about stuff with
Kristen, it is wonderful how you and the other nursing students get along and enjoy each other's company. When you are graduates looking for work, you can help each other out then too. I am not at all surprised that your life experience is helping you in nursing school. Nursing is going to be a really good career for you.
so glad you are ok. what a nightmare right before school starts. u r going to be the best nurse ever.
Oh my, what a week for your boiler to go out! Thank goodness for kind neighbors and space heaters!
We have a very old coal converted oil fired boiler and it hiccupped for the first time in a while, about 2 weeks ago, just before the deep freeze. That timing is my 1st thankful thing!
2. I'm thankful for PTO at my job. My husband and I both took off work today and cleaned out our attic. We are tired but glad that the job is almost finished...and now we still have a weekend to look forward to. Yay!
3. I'm thankful that we have a place to burn and get rid of trash on our farm. Our old farm truck isn't good for much, but we filled it twice with things to go to the burn pile today.
4. I'm thankful that we had snow for the first time in a while! Although the roads were really treacherous for a bit, it sure was beautiful!
5. I'm thankful that our household seems to be healthy again after having nagging coughs that just wouldn't quit! Mine lasted about e weeks and hubby's even longer. It's so easy to take our health for granted!