Thankful Thursday | humidity break
This week, I am thankful:
for some cooler, drier days!
You guys, we got some weather this week that was a hint of early fall, and my humidity-weary heart was SO HAPPY.
I love, love, love it when the air does not feel sticky.
I even opened my windows briefly, and Chiquita was gratified.
I went for some walks outside, a practice that has been rather unappealing during the humid weeks.
And I caught some nice evening weather too.
It does look like some highs for next week start with a 9 instead of an 8 or a 7 (boo!) but at least we got a reprieve first.
that my extremely boring discussion post is done for this week
My current class is about nursing research, and while I understand its importance in the field, I am not even faintly interested in going into nursing research.
This week I had to write a discussion post comparing two evidence-based-practice research methods, and then apply them to a case study, and oh my word, it was so boring.
I know some people probably find this kind of thing fascinating, but I am bored out of my mind. Sometimes when we get into so much theory, it feels like overthinking. Some theories say there are five phases, some say there are three, some seem to combine phases together, and to me, it seems a bit like a tempest in a teapot.
Doing a tedious assignment on a boring topic is a terrible way to spend my time, so I am just grateful that it's done.
for a 16-week countdown
I know, I know, we just finished the countdown to part-time life! But now I'm starting a new countdown, which is to the end of the semester, when I will get the first break from school that I've had since last winter break.
I have some extra classes to do this semester, so it will be a little rough, but in my spring semester, I will have just one class to do.
I think after these 16 weeks, my life will get easier. I will be in the home stretch.
A semester sounds very long, but somehow, sixteen weeks sounds more manageable. Weeks it is! Whatever helps my brain. 🙂
I should make some type of big countdown thing to hang on my wall. Hmmm. Ideas?
as always, that I do not struggle to write
The intro to my current class said, "This is a writing-heavy course." and I was like, ummm, haven't they all been so far???
I have written SO MANY papers and discussion posts by this point...online classes are almost all writing, it seems!
I know I have said this so many times, but thank goodness it is not hard for me to put words on paper. Also, I am grateful that English is my first language; this would be way harder in a second language.
for my healthy body
I am so grateful that, for the most part, my body works pretty dang well. I do not take this for granted, especially because my job is a constant reminder that bodies do not always work so well.
that I usually sleep well
I hear tell that some rough sleep may be ahead of me in the menopause years, but for the moment, I still sleep soundly, and I have no difficulty falling asleep at night.
(Especially after work!)
Everything is harder when you haven't slept well, so I am always grateful to wake up rested.
What are you thankful for this week?
(And if you have ideas for how I should make my sixteen-week countdown to hang on the wall, let me know!)
I once wrote a paper on the meaning of research itself, so I would probably enjoy that discussion 😉
Maybe you could add a sticker for each day on the calendar? I have never grown out of loving stickers!
Thankfuls:
1. It was my birthday this week! I appreciated the presents, cards and messages I received, met up for a drink with a friend and went for a walk with her. She baked me gingerbread cookies 🙂 I went to the beach when I got back and had a moonrise swim. My birthday was a little lowkey but I enjoyed it, and have decided Venice will be the actual celebration in October!
2. There have been some beautiful warm days this week. I know a lot of people are excited for autumn, but I am appreciating the last of summer (and I don't like thinking about autumn until after my birthday!) Having said that, I have also been thankful for some much needed rain.
3. I did the park run on Saturday and got a personal best on time! I went for a second run independently in the week and it was an awful run for whatever reason - I felt exhausted and my legs were like lead - but I'm thankful that I was still able to run for thirty minutes. I am also thankful that I motivated myself to go to the gym.
4. I went to the writing group again which is so helpful for getting writing done, rather than simply staring at the screen 😉 I also joined a separate group for sharing feedback which I think will be very useful.
5. I am not thankful that Dolly Parton and Tim Curry passed away, but I am thankful for the good they gave to the world (particularly with Dolly's generosity and Imagination Library) and the legacy they have left behind. I plan on watching 9 to 5 this evening in Dolly's honour!
I recently read Tim Curry's memoir, titled "Vagabond," and it's such an interesting look at his creative life. He was a very good writer as well.
I'll have to check that out!
Happy Birthday to you, Sophie! Congrats on the best personal time as well!
Thank you!
@Sophie Happy Birthday! Looks like you celebrated well with a friend! And I agree about Dolly and Tim. 9 to 5 is a great film, and if you've not watched Steel Magnolias, she is SO good in it, it is a favorite of mine!!!
Thank you! Yes, she's great in Steel Magnolias! I also enjoyed her role as an angel in Grace and Frankie.
Happy Birthday, Sophie! A moonrise swim in the sea is just about the coolest celebration…except Venice is even more wonderful. I loved Venice. You have a fun-filled life.
Thank you! I haven't been to Venice before so I'm looking forward to it. I like the saying 'rise to the occasion which is life' and try to do so 🙂
Happy happy birthday to you!
Thank you, Kristen!
Happy birthday, Sophie! I hope this next year is full of fun moments, mental peace and good memories. Our last stop in Italy on our last trip was Venice and looked up to rec the pensione we stayed in that was so very convenient, had a wonderful breakdown and was affordable... But prices have risen so much that it'd be out of our range now (Pensione Guerrato) but perhaps reduced here and there... It was easy walk from a vaporetto stop. I wish you a wonderful anticipation of your autumn trip!
Thank you, Bonnie! My sister and I have booked a pensione and it wasn't too expensive. There isn't a kitchen but the room has a fridge, so I plan on getting food from a local supermarket. It's also very close to main attractions in the city!
Sophie, wishing you a very happy birthday! I'm so glad you're here!
Aw, thanks MB!
You could do something similar to an Advent calendar, only weekly, and reward yourself with a treat of some kind each week. Not necessarily a food treat, but little things that make you happy.
I was coming here to suggest something similar! I've seen people do this for weight loss where they put up some kind of calendar with sticky notes and they take off notes as they hit their goal weights and earn non-food treats. This seems like a relatively low effort thing to put up.
That is exactly the sort of thing I was going to suggest. Maybe take Julie P's paper chain idea, with one link for each week, write a treat or fun thing on each link, and when you tear off a link reward yourself with what it says.
I’ve always been a big fan of paper chains 😊
I am definitely thankful for cooler and drier weather. It has been pleasant to be outside almost any time of day.
I too am thankful for a healthy body. I am twenty years older than Kristen but other than looking older don't feel old.
At some point (high school, maybe?), I had to write a critique of a book review -- in other words, a written piece about a written piece about a written piece. Madness.
Ecclesiastes 12:12 was my go-to verse in college and grad school: "Of the making of many books there is no end, and in much study there is weariness for the flesh." Hang in there, Kristen!
Lol!
Such an apt quote! As for reviews in general, I agree with CS Lewis:
“Many reviews are useless because, while purporting to condemn the book, they only reveal the reviewer's dislike of the kind to which it belongs. Let bad tragedies be censured by those who love tragedy, and bad detective stories by those who love the detective story. Then we shall learn their real faults. Otherwise we shall find epics blamed for not being novels, farces for not being high comedies, novels by James for lacking the swift action of Smollett. Who wants to hear a particular claret abused by a fanatical teetotaller, or a particular woman by a confirmed misogynist?”
That verse has always caused me to chuckle.
Haven't read the rest of the suggestions, but how about a paper chain? Bonus points if you have colorful construction paper.
I'm grateful that I'm similarly almost done with my full time job, and moving to part-time at the end of September. Just over a month to go!
I am moving to per diem next August. I should start a count down also.
I'm thankful for the cool weather here, too. But the warm weather this weekend will be nice for going swimming.
I'm thankful that so far my fellas have had a good first week of school, and thankful for a chance to recovery some of my patience after a long summer.
I'm thankful that DH was able to get an appointment for a doctor quickly (unusual in this area).
I'm thankful for this new house, so close to the river, and the opportunities for my fellas to go fishing, and the good food that results!
And I'm grateful that fall, my favorite season, is just around the corner.
I hope you pick a lovely reward for your break from school when this tedious class is over 🙂
Thankful FFT, JASNA BFF's Visit Edition:
As ever, I'm tremendously thankful for BFF's visit. Not only is it always a joy to see her, but the visit has given me a positive reset that I needed. I was sliding into a bit of a slump before she came. Now, the FFT:
(1) We ate all but two of our meals at home. BFF is not a foodie and likes her food simple; I was happy to oblige.
(2) During our Friday morning of shopping on the Boulevard (Ollie's and Clothes Mentor), I picked up BFF's expenses in order to get the points on my Ollie's Army membership and my CM account, and to use my 15% off birthday coupon at CM. BFF, in return, paid for my restaurant lunch at the actual Triple Birthday Celebration with JASNA Panera in the next city over on Saturday.
(3) We had Friday lunch with NDN1 and CF at my local Panera. CF not only generously picked up our lunches, but gave us each a Jane Austen tote bag and a t-shirt with a cartoon of a bicycling lady frog carrying numerous shopping bags, captioned, "We Thrift at Dawn!" I laughed so hard over the t-shirt that I'm afraid I startled several customers at other tables.
(4) We wound up Friday with the obligatory stop at my local Wegmans (the biggest store by square footage in the whole chain), where BFF was sad to find that her beloved Marathon bread has been discontinued, but managed to get into good trouble in the bakery department anyway.
(5) The three of us spent so long gossiping and laughing and opening presents at our TBC lunch on Saturday that we didn't get out of the restaurant till 2 pm--which didn't leave enough time to visit the museum BFF wanted to see and still get back to my own city before dark. So we adjourned to the new indie bookstore across from the restaurant (which has the delightful name of The Unreliable Narrator) and spent some quality browsing time there instead.
To be continued in next Tuesday's FFT.
That name, Unreliable Narrator, came up in my hallmark mystery movie, Mystery 101. I have never heard it before and now twice in a week.
@A Marie - How Fun!!! Glad you had a good time with your friends, and enjoyed reading about it -- that frog shirt made me LOL!
When I was dealing with chemo I used glass beads to mark my progress. I put two clear glass jars on the kitchen window sill and filled the first glass with beads to represent the number of days my entire treatment would last. Each night before bed I would move one bead over to the other jar. That way I could see how I was getting closer to the finish line with one jar, while recognizing what I had already accomplished with the other.
What a wonderful idea!
I love that!
Judy Ann, that's an amazing visual!
thankful for you. that we made it back from a wonderful vacation. spent time in a waterpark, a trampoline park, the breakers mansion but we missed the submarines which is where i wanted to go. i had seen them before when i was a kid. i would have liked my ids to see them. ah well.
next monday, zozo starts her college classes. she is very excited and i am so grateful she is so much better than she was last december. noah starts school sept 10 much later than usual. he has 2 college courses as a high school sophomore. one of them is a financial literacy course that i am so excited for him to have.
grateful to be home safe from vacation. have a lot of fg posts to read.
sorry to miss the meet up for the third year.
My husband’s birthday was this past weekend. We celebrated by spending it at the beach house of my daughter-in-laws aunt who let us have it for the weekend. My son’s work schedule involves large amounts of travel so having a of out family time is priceless !❤️ Enjoyed watching out granddaughter playing on the beach!. This beach town doesn’t have a hotel or houses for weekend rental. Steph’s aunt is truly one of the kindest people I know. She is a gift to many!
Grateful for frozen homemade meatballs. After a busy weekend and then babysitting our dynamo granddaughter on Monday these were so welcome. Doubly grateful that they were an excellent batch. ( I always make meatballs en mass so we have backup meals)
I’m also grateful for the drop in humidity but not quite ready for fall and shorter days.
I am thankful that my grandson came over and helped me with some things that are hard for me. And so graciously!
I'm thankful that I slept well last night. That's not always the case, and I appreciate it when it happens.
I'm thankful that the weather is cooperating, so far, now that my air conditioners have come down. The reason is building-wide window washing. Since it is so late in the season I'm hoping that they can stay down.
I'm thankful that my tire problems were caught before I had a blowout, and that it was so easy to get the new tires installed.
I'm thankful that I have plans to see my BFF on Saturday after several failed attempts. We have so much fun together!
Thankful for a very long night of sleep last night 12 hours. I went in early because I felt exhausted and I probably needed the rest!
You could promise yourself a deluxe picknick with one or more of the girls after the semester is completed, and think of sixteen components that you "earn" each week? Week one, the chicken, week two, some nice kombucha etc until you have a nice hamperful not necessarily overful but with assorted foods, drinks, a new snoopy mug etc.
And I suggest a picknick with others because sharing food is always festive.
To help pass the next sixteen weeks perhaps make it a practice to take a few moments during each one to add one activity that you’ve missed during this hectic time and commit to/make a solid plan for each. For example, checking the symphony schedule for post semester and purchasing the ticket. Other ideas to plan and put on your calendar: ski trip, girls’ dinner with the local daughters, trip to see Lisey( Monet might be factor here though), cleaning or organizing one spot you just haven’t been able to get to, a movie to stream that you’ve been putting off, and so on.
Things to help see the ligh at the end of the tunnel.
I have been the odd one, but I sleep better now than I ever have. I used to have a horrible time getting to sleep and staying asleep, but now I go to sleep quickly and sleep soundly. I am 53 and on HRT. I think mainly my brain just isn't as cluttered as it was when I was younger with children. At the end of the day I just had so much to process and didn't get much quiet time to do that when I was young. Now, I process all throughout the day.
I'm thankful I got the lawn mowed before the rain this week.
Thankful for the rain! We have had a very dry spring and summer.
Thankful that propane prices weren't near as high as I feared when we filled our tank for the house this week ($2.39/gallon)
Thankful for my cats and the smiles they bring.
Thankful that my parents are currently in good health.
THANKFULS:
Good sales of paintings this summer
Time this week to paint more
That my husband repaired the swamp cooler in the painting workshop
For free time the past few weeks (before I knew about all the sales) to help several people in my life
That I finally get to be home for a weekend—first one since Memorial Day
I would love to see your art!
We can brag on Jana - here's some of her beautiful art: https://www.cabinart.net/store/
Aw shucks, Suz, thank you!
Allison, if memory serves me right, we might sort of be neighbors-ish... thank you for wanting to see my art, and maybe you'll recognize some of my subjects. I'm just a regionalist from Quaintsville, depending on how one defines "quaint", painting local subjects for people around here and for the visitors who pass through on their way to Sequoia (and always glad to accept commissions)>
End of commercial. Thanks for the space, Kristen!
We are big fans of paper chains in our family. So much so that we crafted fabric ones with Velcro. We have patriotic ones for those serving abroad and happy colors for other count downs.
I really like Judy Ann's bead idea. My daughter did something similar with fake diamond beads for her wedding countdown.
This week's thankfuls: Plenty of volunteers for the Oregon State Fair. Many hands....and all that!
My cousin and his helpful organizing of our machine shop and his help with teaching me how to do things for myself. Priceless!
The garden bounty. It is always a bit overwhelming, but when the pantries are filled, the freezer stuffed it brings joy to have it for the Winter and Spring months. Joy!
Morning yoga with my neighbors, coffee and my moms continued sweet disposition.
I recently had tea with my mom's 90 year old cousin. She has barely aged in 40 years. Her secret is she still plays golf 1x a week, still walks 2 miles daily and still gardens and preserves.
A special thank you to Miss Dolly. What a roll model!
Obviously your countdown should be Snoopy related! 🙂
It appears you may be “researching” ways to wind your way through the next 16 weeks! (wink, wink)
Bahaha, but I don't have to cite anything! Or use an over-thought five step methodology!
Your pictures are so calming, scenic and beautiful!
My Thankfuls
• Had a super productive week getting the house ready before taking off.
• Arrived safely after a long cross-country drive from North Dakota to Texas.
• Reconnected with my mom after a couple of years apart. The timing aligned perfectly with our summer breaks from work and school.
• Had fun exploring local parks, browsing an ethnic grocery store, and playing at the beach.
• Learned how to make traditional Vietnamese dishes from my mom. Cooking these recipes brings me closer to my heritage (and the food was incredible!).
• Grateful for the chance to tackle those home improvement projects for her—like cleared a clogged drain, replaced a toilet, replaced the ceiling air filters, fixed a stuck door, installed a ceiling fan, set up garage wall hooks, and nailed loose fence posts.
• Broached the topic of end-of-life planning with my mom in her 70s, establishing a gentle starting point to continue discussing with my siblings.
Lol. And 16 weeks is only 4 months. Just four! To me that makes it sound even better
This week I am thankful . . .
-For being past all but the endocrine therapy of my breast cancer treatment. I started treatment almost exactly three years ago, and I spent that school year doing chemo, surgery, and radiation. It was a huge relief to be past that part, and to be relatively certain the cancer was not still in my body. But then I started on Tamoxifen, which doesn't really affect me, other than the hot flashes and joint pain. I also went on a kinase inhibitor. For two years I was constantly sick. Without realizing it at the time, it also made me very tired. I didn't realize how fatigued I was until being off of it a few months. I feel like a new woman. No wonder everything felt hard. For two years. I finally feel like myself for the first time in a very long time.
-For a 2nd round job interview tomorrow. I have been interviewing for jobs for three years. Suddenly I am getting traction--I wonder if it is the difference in my energy?
-That our school carpool is coming together. Our boys go to public school, and everyone can walk either to the school or to the bus stop. But our daughter is special needs and attends a private school that is a half hour away. Last year I had no success setting up a carpool, but this year we are starting on Monday! I can't wait to have ten hours of my life back every week.
-For the folks who give their time and energy to coach kids' sports. We haven't done a lot of extracurriculars because at first we had lots of babies and no time . . . then it was COVID . . . then it was cancer. But our youngest is very interested in sports, so we have signed him up for soccer for the second year in a row. I am not remotely interested in doing anything for kids' sports. (I see the value, it's just not my thing.) So I am incredibly grateful for the parents willing to help my child learn how to play.
-For the peace that I feel right now. I have been terrified of my postdoc running out and not having a job for so long. Then it ran out and I didn't have a job. I have a bunch of part time jobs doing things I love. And somehow we have been okay. I even turned down one job because of the commute. Maybe it is not feeling exhausted all the time because of the cancer meds or maybe I am recovering from the stress of the academic job market, but I suddenly feel like I will be fine.
I am so happy that you are on the road to recovery and are getting your energy back!
YAYYYY! I am thrilled that you are feeling more like yourself now.
Wonderful news all around!! Really happy for you!
I'm so happy to hear that your fatigue has abated and am amazed at your strength.
As for your countdown … I would divide the 16 weeks into 4 quarters. You could go with a quasi snoopy/football theme. At the end of the first week, you’re at 1st down, 3 to go. When you reach the end of the 4th week, you’ve scored a touchdown! It’s fall, snoopy can carry the football for you, with happy dances at the end of each quarter. I’m not a huge sports fan, but I think this would be fun. Set your self up for a half-time show.
I love the thought of making paper chains for countdowns. I find them fun to make and so satisfying as they get shorter.
This week I am thankful…
• My boss brought in pastries from my favorite bakery to celebrate my work anniversary.
• I found two books at the book swap at work – I brought in six and was happy to clear a little space on my shelves.
• For the conversations I hear between my husband and my son.
• A beautiful end to summer. I would love some rain but the blue skies and warm (not hot) temps have been lovely.
Buy a couple of advent calendars and adapt them? Treats can help you get through anything. 🙂
This is a fantastic idea. I think I'll adapt this and keep it in mind to make some of these for my loved ones when they are working on really tough projects.
1. That I got to reconnect with a high school friend when visiting a church Sunday, and everyone was super, super friendly.
2. Being able to get up early to water the lawn, and then taking a nap later.
3. Getting a big box of those little square cans of wet dog food on discount, and that Snuggles will eat all his supper when that's mixed with his dry kibble. (In fact, he gobbles it down as fast as he can!) No more turning up his nose at supper.
4. Finding a remedy for too many ads on my computer screen. (I just hit shift + and made the type bigger. It crowds out the ads on the margins.)
5. A good visit with the doctor this morning.
I sleep badly. I've always slept badly. It's one of the cornerstones of my personality. "Oh, M's grumpy? She probably didn't sleep".
This month my GP diagnosed me with a condition rare enough that she'd never seen a case of it before. People who have it ... don't sleep well.
I am thankful for the diagnosis, and potential treatment, whilst also grieving the lost opportunities of not having found this sooner.
This scenario sounds like someone I know. Curious what the rare condition might be, but also don't want to pry or ask anything too personal.
Diabetes insipidus. Which leads to fun conversations of "and you got to mid 50s thinking that drinking 6 litres a day was normal ... how exactly?".
Glad you got a diagnosis. Hope you find relief soon. I just got one for sleep apnea after 15 years bad sleep. Now to convince my claustrophobia self I can sleep with a mask on.
Oh, Camille! That's rough. Knowing the CPAP will help and yet also, really having to brace yourself to accept it.
Nothing beats real world human to human interaction. Discussion boards seem to turn the most engaged students into mere box-checkers. Hang in there.
I only wish I were better at being grateful and grounding BEFORE I get into a spiral and say things I shouldn't. Sigh. I suppose that's why it's a practice, and apparently I need to do it more. Anyway:
- Being competent and much more confident in my job now than I was even 3 years ago.
- Being able to take what would have been a major financial hit 5 years ago without dwelling on it. It still smarts, and I sort of hope it always does because otherwise I might be quite profligate.
- Those little Crystal Light sleeves with caffeine in them. I don't overdo it (in fact I chose those over the Mio because I want to control the amount of caffeine more carefully), but since coffee wrecks my stomach nowadays it's nice to still have a "quick hit" option until I can eschew caffeine entirely in a few weeks.
- My friend who originally recommended the Mio.
- The fact that, this time, the requirement for frequent moving sparks a very welcome change in our lives.
Countdowns are so fun! I like a chocolate treat for this type of activity. Maybe splurge on 16 pieces of your favorite and have on at the end of each academic week.
I'm thankful for the life and example of Dolly Parton. I'm thankful for the beautiful produce I bought at Aldi. I'm thankful that my neighbor put out a cement urn plantwr and stand for free - and that their SIL hauled it across the street to where I wanted it. It will hold impatiens next year.
Yes, Dolly Parton was amazing. What a legacy she leaves with us.
16 weeks is manageable! There should be something similar to an advent calendar for life events- every week down has a little treat in it.
This week I am thankful for the kindness of strangers. It's been a hard week and smiles from strangers have been so needed.
Food that tastes like home. There is such a comfort to have something familiar sometimes.
Hot running water. I will never not be grateful for this!!!
Dark chocolate 🙂 I can inhale an entire milk chocolate bar, but dark chocolate forces me to stop and savor it. Sometimes that is a great little peaceful reset.
I echo the break from humidity! It's rainy season and my, oh my, the air is always just wet or raining. A few days ago it was sunny and dry and a pleasant temperature. I took full advantage!
Glad you're enjoying some cooler days there!
I'm thankful we got a doctor's appointment when we did.
For time with my kids
My new mattress and rearranged bedroom
blogging
and more reading!
longer version here: https://practicalwalk.com/2026/08/28/thankful-post-7/
Hi Kristen,
A paper chain made out of old assignments with 16 links for your countdown. Used to do this for kids counting down to Christmas. Cheap and cheerful.
Best wishes,
Sarah in Sequim
I'm thankful for:
* The kids going back to school on Monday. They need the routine and structure.
* I'm with Kristen on the weather. While I don't like (ok, hate. I hate it!) winter, I also am not very appreciative of hot and humid days. September is just about perfect.
* DD baseball season coming up to an end. I'm very happy she got to play this summer but, man, there were A LOT of practices and games, I feellike I spent my whole summer nights at the field. It will be nice to have an open-isch schedule once again (let's face it, I'll still be Mommy-Taxi!)
* To be able to read, speak and write in English (with errors, surely). I learned English when I was 18 (I'm francophone, from Quebec Canada). I would be missing out on so much if I was not bilingual, namely my job.
* To be a person who projects (and feel) self-confidence and independence, and is not afraid to speak-up for myself or others. The scammers and the needy/freeloaders/toxic people tend to stay away from me.
"G-d didn't make little green apples and it don't rain in California in the summer time" (Song by Bobby Miller, sung by Glenn Campbell. You may be too young to know it).
The rain part is usually true--but it drizzled a little today! Thankful for the mild summer--so far--our "summer" can last to mid October, we we may have heat to come.
It's hard to have patience with academic busywork. How's your other class?
The ethics class doesn't start until September 14, so fingers crossed for that one!
I am thankful for so much this last week.
1) posted 2 older cat carriers and a 2 drawer metal file cabinet on Marketplace. Both are being picked up today. Clutter out, more room for me and Mr Mittens.
2) Less than 6 months to retirement. I have a serious case of STA (short timers attitude)
3) the remaining rooms in my house will have flooring put down in approximately 6 weeks. Am cleaning and decluttering and tidying like a caffeinated rabbit on speed ROFLMBO!!
4) have started wearing dresses to work. So far 11 days and counting, I just got tired of dressing like a slob.
5) My coworker who has cancer was out for about 6 weeks but he's back now. Still doing radiation and chemo but seeing his bratty face is good for my soul.
6) Cooler weather. Breezy and in the high 60s beats the heck out of smoky hazy hot (80s and 90s) weather.
7) The cat. Always always the cat. He's bat poop crazy but very lovable.
8) My next-door neighbor who has been a jerk for two years is moving first to California and then in a few months to Tennessee. We had a long and very pleasant discussion about everything under the sun. He wanted to borrow my hand truck and of course I said yes.
9) Bought a full length mirror for the guest bathroom and hung it on the back of the door.
10) While cleaning like the aforementioned crazed caffeinated rabbit on speed found my older pair of glasses.
11) Bought notecards and tape because a lot of the stuff that I am keeping is going to go into closets, drawers, and cupboards. Keeping track of the stuff will be easier with some sort of written system.
12) Last but not least filled several prescriptions and then filled my weekly pill boxes (also bought Align and Vitamin D)
I tried to leave a comment here this morning and then the WiFi went out. Again. Right when I was almost done typing. Grrrr..So...
1. Phoned Specctrum and told the AI bot to fix the @##%$$%!! WiFi and if it ever goes out again, which it has been doing with some regularity, I will switch to Astound, their competitor. It got fixed in 5 minutes.
2. Filled up with $3.27 gas. But what a hassle! I waited until evening when it was cooler to get gas. It was $3.27 at the HEB store close to my house but the gas pump area was so overcrowded that I couldn't get in line. Half their gas pumps were not functioning and all the vehicles were lining up in the wrong direction, where I could not line up so that my car 's gas tank was on the same side as the pump So I drove a couple of miles out of my way --and went through a maze of cop cars, traffic barriers and traffic cones due to construction and a big wreck-- to get to Walmart. Its Murphy gas station was also $3.27 and once I navigated into the Wallyworld parking lot and its Murphy area, I could drive right up to the pump. The place was almost empty. Got my gas and took a long detour home, avoiding the traffic snarl.
3. My evening entertainment was going to be a free Kanopy showing of "Good Will Hunting," but I quickly lost interest in it. Ended up watching "The Sons of Katie Elder" on TV, also free. It was an over-the-air broadcast on either Grit or Outlaw (I forgot which, but a sub-channel OTA network specializing in Westerns. They're both alike.). I've seen portions of this movie before -- but never watched it straight through, from start to finish, like I did last night. A good old-fashioned shoot 'em up with John Wayne at his finest!
4. Paid off a credit card, avoiding any more interest being charged to me.
5. A phone scammer tried to call me and reign me in to some dumb con game. Oh boy, did he get the wrong person! (Sure do miss the old-fashioned phones where you could slam the receiver down real hard after you tell those crooks to get lost.) Reported the call to the cops.