Thankful Thursday | I am home
If you follow me on Instagram, then you already knew that! Sorry I didn't update you all yesterday.
This week, I am thankful:
that we got to see Lisey
Of course, this has to be number one. 🙂
It made our hearts happy to be with her; she is just so much fun!
Also, I was so glad to be able to see where she works and where she lives. Now when she calls me, I can picture where she's at.
for beautiful hikes
I did several hikes during my time in Hawaii and wow, the scenery is definitely an upgrade from what I usually see when I hike. 😉
that I am back home finally
After my initial 24 hours delay, all three of the flights I had to get on to go home were either on time or sort of close to being on time, and none were canceled. Yay!
I was so, so, so happy that I did not get stuck in Chicago.
that my trip wasn't too close to the start of the semester
I wasn't even thinking too hard about this when I booked the trip, but I am super glad I gave myself a week of cushion. This way, my delayed return home did not cause a problem with the start of school.
Plus, we have plenty of days to recover from jet lag. That was five time zones of change, and experts say it takes a day to recover from each time zone.
I should be feeling normal by the time school starts!
for a good first night of sleep
I skipped an entire night of sleep (Monday night) and I was so so so so so tired by the time I went to bed on Tuesday night.
I don't know if I've ever been awake for that many hours in a row, actually!
Normally it's a little hard to go to bed at a decent hour after flying east, but that was noooooo problem for me this time around. I was pooped.
Unfortunately, last night I slept for maybe two hours. But this is Thankful Thursday so we are not gonna focus on that part. At least Tuesday night was good.
that Zoe's flights alone went ok
She was traveling solo since I was the one who got bumped from the flight. She made it to Chicago fine, navigated her delays, and ended up at home 24 hours ahead of me.
I really did not want her to get stuck in Chicago without me!
for the snow at home
I was kinda worried we'd run into delays/cancellations because of the snow here, but we didn't.
So now that that worry is past, I am free to just be delighted. The snow is beautiful! It makes everything so bright! It's sparkly in the sunshine!
for the light reflecting on the snow
We had no snow at all last year, so this is my first time seeing snow at this house, and that is delightful.
I always notice how much brighter a house is when there's snow on the ground, and I'm having fun noticing that here. My kitchen, which is normally a pretty dark room, was so delightfully bright yesterday.
I would dearly love to have a yard coated in snow all winter, just for the bright light!
for warm heat in my house
I know this super cold weather is using up a lot of my heating oil, but that's ok. I am just grateful to have cozy warm heat in my house.
And now I am going to go out in the cold for a morning walk to try to get my body adjusted to east coast time.
Welcome back, Kristen!
Today I am thankful I am getting much much better at letting things go. I used to be terrible at it.
I am thankful for the heated cat shelter my ferals have. It's cold out there! And for having heat in the house.
@Rose, bless your heart for having heat for those ferals.
@Rose, thanks for the shampoo recommendation. the stuff is GREAT.
@Anne, looks like a clown car when they all run out. Ha!
@Anita Isaac, It really is!
@Rose, what’s the shampoo? I need a new brand!
Glad to hear that you're safely home! So happy that you got to go on the adventure to visit Lisey!
Adding a thankful... Our oldest finally turned the corner in recovering from a tonsillectomy early last week. Kristen, I went back to reread your posts about Lisey's tonsillectomy journey for some info & encouragement. 🙂
I actually did a kind of thankful list on my own blog today, because we've been without running water since Monday and I needed to cheer myself up. (It only sort of worked.) So this list can be a non-water-related one. 🙂
--That we're thawing out and it doesn't hurt to go outside now. The combination of low temperatures and wind was very unpleasant.
--That we got enough snow my kids could try out the snow shoes we brought with us when we moved from New York.
--That the wind created a huge three-foot snow drift right over my main garden area, where it will melt and provide some much-needed moisture. Hooray for saturated soil!
--For our neighbor, who cleared all the roads in our mostly abandoned village with his tractor. The county road crews aren't going to bother with these seldom-used roads, but we use them, so I appreciate that our neighbor did it. I gave him some cookies as a thank you, which is what I used to do for the plow guys at the county barn in New York. 🙂
--For an increasingly strengthening body, which helps when I'm hauling five-gallon buckets of water around.
@kristin @ going country, Oh, power to you sister... We've been waterless in the winter too and it's no fun (3 days was our max) - hope your water situation is remedied very speedily!
@kristin @ going country, I'm sorry for your water situation. Running water, electricity, and indoor plumbing are always (even if unnamed) on my list of thankfuls. My friend currently has a mostly non-functioning septic situation--with 8 in the house.
@Jody S., I didn't finish that thought. Oops. Distraction 🙂 And I don't even know where I was going with that. Make of it what you will!
@Jody S., We had that issue too. When the guest cottage, which was where the three of us were living at the time, was rebuilt, the old septic tank was reused. Then one day, something happened to it. No one could find it, either, including several companies whose entire job is finding things underground. We did flush a radio transmitter but it too entered the nether regions. (I assume it was untraceable because the old cast iron pipes acted as a Faraday cage. Either that or it was really hell.
There got to be a lot of unflushable you know what in the toilet. My son had the bright idea of buying something called "Liquid Fire" at the hardware store to clear the pipes. Turned out to be just pure sulfuric acid, and for pure rotten stink, I would like to propose a big pile of poop covered in sulfuric acid.
We eventually just dug another septic tank.
@Rose, My friends are in a bind because it's winter, so that's a bad time for septic work, inspections, etc. They have to wait for the thaw to see if there's a place that will pass the perc test for a drain field. (I type that as if I know something about such things, but I'm just repeating, I hope faithfully, what I've been told.)
@Rose, OMG! What a horror story!
@Fru-gal Lisa and Jody, now I'm wondering why I didn't rent a porta potty. Never occurred to me until this minute! Duh,
The kids used the public toilets downtown. I have colitis so, uh, not an option for me.
@Rose, "...for pure rotten stink...": I know this wasn't the least bit funny at the time, but I can't help laughing at the description!
@A. Marie, oh of course we made 5000 jokes about it. It always seems to be something around here, sigh. I love my charming old house (and my less charming new cottage) but the upkeep is no joke. ($1280 to install a new light fixture in the cottage today. Yeesh. Fortunately I bought it second hand so even though it's $$$$ Serena & Lily, it didn't cost much.)
@Rose, That sounds miserable, in the extreme.
@Jody S., Character building! Fodder for the memoir!
@Rose,
Whoops, that DOES sound like a stinky mess! :-p
@Liz B.,
Not Whoops, but Whoof!!
@Liz B., My dad, the NYPD officer, maintained that the worst smell imaginable was a decomposing human body, which makes sense evolutionarilly, but I would post number two is weeks of old poop with sulfuric acid.
@Rose. Oh, my! I'll bet it was quite an ordeal at the time, but it sure is entertaining to read about now! 😀
Happy to hear you made it home and got to sleep in your own bed.
Welcome back! Glad you made it without much delay & that you finally got some sleep.
Enjoy the cold & snow while it is hete--next week brings the rollercoaster of weather changes.
Thankful for---
No school for teen from last Friday until today. -30 degress was just dangerous for kids to be outside longer than going to car. This is end of semester week (at high school) & with snow days the exam schedule was adjusted so will miss 2 days of next semester to get exams completed & graded. For teen, not big deal because doesn't affect classes because no exams for teen.
Thankful for the heat in the house & that was able to (safely) run gas woodstove for 12+ hours at time to keep heat moving & no broken water pipes.
Thankful no trees came down on house with Friday wet heavy snow. Many places lost power because of this? but we fared well. Was able to get snow shoveled before Polar Vortex temps.
Thankful for plumber who came as I was at my wits end who was polite & understanding when asking questions about process & possible solutions. Problem solved & solution recognized (future visit) with information to keep problem from happening again soon until can get permanently fixed.
Thankful that temperature is warming (above zero & single digits) so that we are closer to normal temperatures. I don't enjoy being popsicle too long. 🙂
@Regina, so glad you are all safe and sound!
Glad you are safe and sound! My son flies from California to England every 2 weeks- I don’t know how he does it. He’s been after me to visit his home in England but I’ve been postponing it. I’m 77 and he claims after 80, it’s pretty hard to travel. I’ve been to England once- in the early 90s and it was nice but…
@Nan, GO!! Go with him each direction. You can do this!! (especially if he is with you both ways)
@Nan, I second this! GO! You won’t regret it! You can do it! (You can do it:) cheering you on!
@Nan,
Heck yeah, GO!! Maybe when the weather is nice? My mom is 89 years old, and still travels to visit family!
Thankful for:
No weather related problems. It was -22F yesterday which is extreme for this area. I seen many on Facebook with burst pipes and saying their homes couldn't get out of the 50s even with the heat going. Luckily, we had no issues with any of that.
The snow. I love snow and the kids love playing in it but we hardly get any. We got several inches and they had a blast in it.
No trouble getting to the main road. Our road has a steep shaded hill that prevents travel sometimes. I had to go out yesterday before our next round of snow and ice hits and it was still covered but I didn't have an issue.
My toddler has been saying mamamamama. I'm not completely convinced he's saying mama as opposed to just sounds, but at two with barely any words any new sounds or attempts at words are great.
Being able to stay home with the kids and not worry about trying to get to work. You can have the government and emergency services saying not to be out unless it's an absolute emergency and the employers here will still say you are expected to be there regardless.
The husband works from home so not having to worry about him having to go out either.
@Jess,
Those toddler sounds....no matter what he's saying, it's awesome to hear!
Also, I work at a hospital, and my boss has made it clear that we are expected to report to work, even if it's a Level 3 snow emergency (basically, stay off the roads, period). I'm a dietitian, we are not critical staff in that situation. Frowny face.
Thankful that I had Monday off and I organized all my canned and boxed food. Total miracle that I only found 2 things with 2022 dates.
For a co-worker who gave me 3 puzzles. This is the puzzling time of the year due to it being too cold to go out.
For a warm house and a heating blanket.
Thankful it is a balmy 18 degrees out today- shorts weather for sure. But hot compared to the last nights at -15 wind chills. It was all I could do to walk from my warm house to my warm car ha ha.
Thankful our snow blower had no issue clearing the heavy wet snow that needed to be removed before the 0 degree weather hit.
What a beautiful place Hawaii is!
@Mar, We got up into the 20's today and it felt so warm!!
Wow! That's quite an adventure you were on, Kristen!
This week I am thankful for:
1. The staff at the places I had medical tests done. They were very patient and helpful about my anxiety and helped me find a way to get it done with much less stress.
2. My new GP doctor who is very on top of things and treats me with respect.
3. The heat in my apartment. It is quite cold outside which makes me more achy, so it's nice to feel warm and in less pain.
4. The hot soup and stew we've been having this week. It really warms you from the inside.
5. The dusting of snow we had this week was pretty to look at.
Glad you made it home Kristen!
My thankfuls are all weather related. We live in the deep south and rarely get snow and ice. It was a chippy 3 degrees when I got up yesterday and our roads are still covered in ice. Police have deemed all our roads impassable since Tuesday.
I'm thankful that I can work from home this week and not use all my vacation time.
I'm thankful that the temperature in our house has not been below 65 (which is where I set the thermostat).
I'm thankful that, so far, none of our pipes have burst.
I'm thankful to be healthy and strong enough to clear the front steps of ice and snow.
I'm thankful that our pregnant daughter safely navigated her way to work and back home yesterday. Her bosses decided that physical therapists are "essential workers" and refused to close the clinic.
Your vacation sounds like just what the doctor ordered! Again, one of my kids needs to move to a tropical locale...
Its been a hard week, so this is an exercise in finding the good:
*although I am taking my car in for possible repairs today, I have the funds to take care of it. Ditto with my recent fence repair, plumbing repair, and fridge diagnostics.
*we got sun yesterday and it has gradually warmed up, so I will get back to my walking program. Walking in 17 degrees is a no go for me.
*my heater works, no pipes burst, I had plenty of food to eat, and I did not get in trouble for not going to work on Monday. I can't say I am courageous, but I am resilient. I am thankful that I can persevere.
Three big things!
I'm glad you're back safely. How nice to be able to see your daughter!
This week I am thankful:
*that my in-laws made it safely for a visit.
*that my homeschool portfolios were accepted.
*that I have children/husband who are able to get the cooking and cleaning done while I baby my shoulder.
*for my friend who has a reading-related podcast and who runs some buddy-reads. We are currently reading Middlemarch, and I'm enjoying it so much--both the reading and small discussion.
*that my son is enjoying his classes so far this semester. Last semester he had two that he really didn't enjoy.
*for coffee, sleep, turtlenecks, children who love snow, friends, birds at the feeder, and eggs and bacon.
@Jody S., Middlemarch is riveting.
@Jody S.,
My dad recommended Middlemarch YEARS before I finally read it (because the title doesn't sound interesting and sometimes I get weird about old books). It was fantastic.
I'm crazy about George Eliot. There are three people buried in the UK for whom I've laid flowers on their grave and Mary Ann Evans was one. When my beautiful daughter was born, all I could think of was Silas Marner and Eppie, the golden-haired child. (Her hair wavers between gold and red, depending how short her hair is and the light.) I still believe she is the best blessing I have ever received, and as Eppie said in the book, "I can think of no happiness without [her]."
This week I am once again thankful to be near my (grown) kids. I think the years of being in your younger 20s are difficult in many ways. I'm thankful I'm near to help support them through some of that.
I am thankful for my pets. They bring me a lot of joy. My cat is so bad, but I love him.
I also am thankful for the heat! It is miserable outside. We don't have the snow in SC, just the cold.
and I'm thankful that my mom was a strong advocate for her own health and insisted on her doctor taking her seriously. Because she pushed she ended up at the cardiologist, wore a monitor for a week, and sure enough...needs a pacemaker. Her heart beat was going in the 20s at times and then up to the 140s....all while sitting doing nothing. It was also lagging for a few seconds between beats. We are thankful she didn't pass out or hurt herself during the many, many months that this has been happening. She should see the surgeon next week.
@Marlena, I also think the early 20s are especially difficult for many young adults. Perhaps it is because they suddenly don’t have a road map. High school, college, ????. So many options. So much confusion. I’m so glad your kiddos are close.
I'm glad you both made it back!
1. I'm thankful my daughter's flight to New Jersey had only 3 delays. She got to the hotel at 10:30 at night in the cold and snow and she's in the same time zone as home, so she was only a little past her bedtime.
2. My well pump points always have a tendency to stick at times. I have to take a stick and bang on the box that covers the points to get them unstuck. Stuck points mean my well doesn't work. I'm thankful that the other night, when it was in the low 20's F, the points didn't stick (well, until after I woke up at least), letting the lines freeze. Water lines in Florida are not usually buried deeply nor insulated where they run up into the house.
Fun fact - my sister just saw an old photo posted on our hometown's FB page of people ice skating on the Ohio River between So. Illinois and West Kentucky in 1906. It was an unusually cold winter in 1906, obviously. My sister, who is older than me, remembered our great-uncle telling stories about ice skating on the Ohio one time. He would have been a young teen in 1906.
3. I'm thankful for a sweet care coordinator at church and for the kindness, sincerity and gentle good humor of a priest who is willing to help with some difficult faith issues DH is having.
4. I'm thankful for improvements like automatic transfers to savings from my checking. I am the world's worst at putting off things like regular savings deposits, but since signing up for auto-transfers, it's something I can do without effort.
5. I have always had dry skin on my hands, and cold weather exacerbates the problem. I'm thankful that the bleeding split on the very end of my thumb is finally healing. I'm right handed, so a painful skin split on my right thumb is really awkward. Keeping a bandage on it is nearly impossible.
@JD, for your hands, both to prevent splitting and to help it heal faster, try lanolin ointment. It is often used for breastfeeding mothers, but can help moisturize and heal all skin. I have a friend that had severe eczema, that had tried every prescription ointment out there, and this is the only thing that worked. Here is the one I use: https://www.amazon.com/Medela-Lanolin-Breastfeeding-Natural-Ingredient/dp/B08L68WR4B/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=27X1FA9K6QXY3&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.RmlA8K9LEWsCxqH1800s29xK0HCePmKmJpg5P8rSPD0VAW3fEFNxGywWu00J488u3_xGrAGkoT_vQA2loNh4bPg5aZ5QEvg2iu9k5bqaO5F1W2pGtlW-HkuI2IHkNr-9e-4-XIK2c47QgkUPzgpG0cBanRmvZ5gAdxkLWhc0iRjEBtsBpGI2UPcNjWtsx3Fp-0Iojz_DQnq2uwc6x-SL6tVUBk3IRvk9QLL1jMxUznoSqF9dGV0lDnos1H9ZLHd4aYnIfYB4aXZgVw_pU2xGt5aLwle5yF408N2uUswPHAI.6RkEXJpwVMCaqvnAujA3dxOKR0nNpDADh6bR_UMC4ws&dib_tag=se&keywords=lanolin+ointment&qid=1705593997&sprefix=lanolin%2Caps%2C146&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1
a tube lasts forever! The only caution is that if you are allergic to wool, you shouldn't use it. Hope it helps. Having skin split is so painful!
@JD, I put a dot of Superglue on those skin slits on my thumb and pointer finger that I get in the winter. Bandages don't stay on, because I'm constantly cooking/washing my hands. The Superglue covers it long enough for it to start healing.
@kristin @ going country,
I just might try that. I wash my hands all the time, too, which doesn't help the dry skin situation, but I'm not going to go to the bathroom, cook, eat, brush my teeth, bring in mail, pet/feed the dogs, garden or handle my contacts without washing my hands.
@Cheryl 90,
My sister tried that for irritation when nursing her son, then found out she was allergic to lanolin, ouch. I don't seem to be allergic, but my problem is, as stated above, I constantly wash off everything I put on my hands. I'm going to try that for my feet, though, so thanks for the reminder that the product exists. I had forgotten about it.
@JD,
There are "fingertips" available to cover bandaids on fingers and thumbs, I buy them at the pharmacy. They are often used by cooks and s7ch, and also very useful for "housewife's thumbs" as my mother used to call those slits. I have them too in winter. Use thick unperfumed body cream, cover with band aid, cover with finger tip.
Pro tip: change dish cloths and kitchen cloths twice a day and wash at least at 60C. In winter, the kitchen cloths dry slowly and the germs thrive., preventing healing.
@JD,
The Ohio River also froze over in 1977! That was 2 years before I moved here. I'll bet that photo from 1906 is cool!
I am so glad you made it home with time to recover. And that the visit with Lisey and being there with Zoe far exceeded the trials.
I am thankful I was able to attend Master Gardener's meeting Tuesday night by zoom. The polar vortex has slowed most of us to a standstill. And because of work conflicts I had not been able to attend for several months.
I am thankful that I did not suffer any long lasting injuries when I fell in the snow next to my car when I went out to warm it up. It was a little precarious figuring out how to get up but by reaching the car door handle and the back part of the side mirror, I managed. An added bonus: my right knee had been hurting from bone on bone joint pain and after hitting it square in the middle, it hasn't hurt much at all since then. Still, I don't recommend it as a treatment method.
I am thankful that even with thermostat set at 68 that even when my house is 65, I am fairly comfortable. My pipes have not frozen.
I am thankful for the sunshine yesterday and the slight warmup. It allowed me to get Molly to the groomer and have her deshed and spa day. She has a little red insulated coat for the below zero days, but she has had a lot of loose hair for a couple of weeks and it's nice to cut down on my wearing of the same.
I am thankful for a good evaluation at work AND for the change at the helm that has us returning to accountability. While the young adults in this circle have a good work ethic and show respectability, it is not so with many of the young adults today. As an "old style nurse" I have not seen so many disrespectful, entitled people in my life. It is particularly difficult to maintain high standards of care in this field when work attendance and job performance is allowed to lag without repercussion. Our leaders want our team to step up or get out. So glad.
• I had a stellar performance review yesterday that was topped off with a promotion! The promotion was completely unexpected and I hugged my boss when she told me.
• I’m still coming down from the high of a work trip I went on last week. Not only did I learn so much and had some valuable take-aways for a future project (which was the point of the trip), the 90s nostalgia was making my middle school/high school self so happy. The conference included a trip to SeaWorld (which I visited in middle school), a keynote by the Clintons, a Boyz II Men concert, and a keynote by Blossom herself!
• The sunshine has finally broken through the clouds. If feels like almost all of January has been cloudy and dreary but the sun has finally started shining and it makes the below zero temps almost tolerable.
• My 13 year old is still asking to spend time with his grandparents when he has days off of school.
• My cough that I have had since October is finally starting to ease up. So far it looks like I’m fending off the cold my husband has been dealing with this week.
• I’m thankful for this exercise this morning – the process of buying a new house while trying to sell ours is weighing heavy.
@Geneva, may we know what you do for a living? A job that includes a trip to SeaWorld sounds intriguing!
@Geneva, Congratulations on your promotion! Sounds like you had an excellent week. I saw BoyzIIMen in 1994...I wouldn't mind seeing them again! My tweens clown on me all the time for singing 90s R&B.
@Geneva, Wow! This is an exciting list!! Congratulations on the promotion!
Flight delays are the worst. I remember in college I was visiting family in the UK, and unlike you I did NOT give myself a travel cushion and was desperately trying to make it home in time for Christmas. Five flights and me telling a gate agent to just get me somewhere West of the Rockies, I made it home.
This week I am thankful for:
1. Sleep. In an incredibly unusual twist, I was able to sleep thru the night every day I was at work. This NEVER happens, especially as this is our busiest season. So I am thankful for the gift.
2. Stars. Living in LA, I almost never see stars; but up in the mountains they are everywhere. On a call to Salt Lake City this week, I saw more stars than I think I ever have.
3. Past Heather's cleaning. I deep cleaned my house before I left for this rotation, so I came back to a house that needs minimal upkeep now.
4. My husband's birthday. He grew up in a household that did minimal celebrations for holidays and events, there fore has almost no expectations for his birthday today. It is nice to make him the star over a a few days.
5. Clean sheets. Makes a world of difference.
@Heather, Sleep is so good. My children are growing up so quickly, and I am often wistful for their younger days. But I am never wistful for the chronic sleep-deprived state I experienced in their younger days.
This week I'm thankful:
* that I'm fine with today being another day off school. My kids have been off for almost a full week now, but our last 3 days were so full that I'm happy to have a day mostly at home. (My 5yo that hasn't started school yet feels differently... this morning she told me, "I cannot take another day of them having no school." It was so hard to not laugh!!)
* that I got to hang with a friend for most of Tuesday. Our kids are all friends and it's the perfect playdate scenario.
* that my kids have done well with all of the not-fun things we've had to do this week. I had to take all 3 to the dentist, the pediatrician, and the hospital on Monday but they handled it great.
* that I was able to get a workout in this morning. They've felt few and far between for the last month, so I'm really thankful that it worked out even with the change in plans.
* for coffee and my favorite creamer.
Glad you both are back and recovering from your travel ordeals, and really glad you had a nice visit with Lisey in Hawaii. The snow sounds lovely.
We had a cold blast here, and I am very, very thankful that the electricity stayed on. So did my water -- I had all the faucets streaming so thankfully no frozen pipes. Thankful that Monday was a holiday so I didn't have to drive to work in the frozen precipitation, snow, sleet or whatever it was. Tuesday, the schools started 2 hours late so the streets were OK when I left; I still get paid for an entire day--thankful for that. Finally, I'm thankful that we are going to have a nice(r), warm(er) day today.
Glad you made it home, Kristen. I was in a similar boat a week before you, landing in the heavy wind and rain storm plaguing the mid-Atlantic. I am also thankful there were no issues with the flights despite the awful conditions, in fact, the flight crew and passengers all spontaneously expressed their gratitude after landing by clapping and commending the captain.
I was very thankful that my neighbor picked us up from the airport, driving out in the storm through some flooded streets.
I picked up influenza from the funeral I had attended, several of us got either covid or the flu. I'm so thankful it is finally getting better, and that there are medicines available if I had complications.
My son hit a stick while sledding yesterday and came home with a heavily bleeding head. So thankful it was only a surface cut although he also got a nasty bump.
Very thankful we haven't lost power and can enjoy the snow from the comforts of a warm home.
Glad to see that you made it home from Paradise @Kristen! Thanks for the pictures!!
I am thankful that I finally have scheduled appointments with local adjusters to begin assessing the damage to our home so that we can start on repairs.
I am VERY thankful that we had the means to purchase plastic sheeting to cover walls in our home that the mitigation company left open. Cold air was pouring into our home from the attic and our bedroom went down to 40 degrees. I love sleeping with my bedroom cool but this was a bit much.
Also VERY thankful for our HVAC system which is running well & a wood burning fireplace to help warm things up.
A repeated gratitude for my workouts that are helping me to release stress and get through this fiasco in the calmest, coolest and most collected manner possible.
And for noise cancelling headphones which will allow me to work from home while most of the repairs are happening.
@Angie, did a tree fall on your house? Or a tornado remove your roof? Sounds very stressful on all counts.
So happy you both made it home! When I travel internationally for work (and, also can't sleep on planes), I often skip a full night's sleep, and it's miserable! I feel you. It takes me at least a week to catch back up with sleep, and get my energy back. Hope your recovery is easy & you are ready to get back to school when it starts.
1) Thrilled that we had a wonderful trip to see my nephew/college tour. The college tour was super disappointing (logistics, not the college itself) & the travel wasn't cheap, so I was pretty frustrated on Saturday. Luckily, we headed to see my nephew & the rest of the trip was fabulous. So happy we had the extra bonus of seeing my nephew & the ranch where he works. Otherwise, it would have been a super disappointing & frustrating experience.
2) I've been sick, but I'm grateful I'm starting to feel better. I am definitely turning the corner, no longer have a fever, and the congestion/ear pressure is also getting better.
3) Feel grateful I was able to get a same day appointment, and get checked out. I need to fly again on Monday (work), so it was important to get treated ASAP.
4) That I was able to take one day almost entirely off (just did one quick call) & another day resting between meetings. That definitely helped my recovery.
5) Grateful that DS17 is pretty resilient. I'm not enjoying this phase of college planning, where you get the nos (he's gotten in to a lot, but the ones you hear back from last are most likely to be the "no" responses). It's hard to watch your kids dealing with this, even when they handle it well. Failure & disappointment is definitely part of life, so I'm happy he has a good attitude & has a bunch of great college options available to him.
This week I am Thankful for:
The usuals--My Hubby and Kiddos: life wouldn't be the same without them.
My sister: she and I always make time for each other, for good things or bad things. It's amazing how wonderful it is to have a sister who also lives close enough to let our kids grow up together.
For Prilosec! Bye bye acid reflux
Rain! CA really needs it and looks like we'll be getting a good amount starting tomorrow
Girl Scouts! It's so exciting to be able to now be a leader for my little Daisy. I hope she enjoys Girl Scouts as much as I did (shout out to any fellow Gold Award earners out there!)
@Gina from NorCal, I only got the silver award, but did GS from 1st-12th grade (and worked at a gs camp as a counselor when I was in college) I’m very much looking forward to my 3 year old daughter being a Daisy and I also plan to be a leader!
1. I am thankful that you got a wonderful visit in a beautiful place and are now safely home. 2.I am beyond grateful that our area is above freezing (we had lows in the -20 degree ranges, not counting wind chill!) It is amazing how warm 35 degrees feels in comparison! We still have a lot of winter to go, but I am leaning into this "heat" wave for as long as it lasts. 3. For my job. I know that I list this one a lot, but it is soo nice to work with great people and for great people. My job is also one where I can share my faith and that means the world to me. 4. For snow plow drivers who keep our roads clear. Most of my area would be homebound for months without their work. 5. For my hubby who can always make me laugh and is always supportive of me. 6. For my fur babies, who provide snuggles and much entertainment. They bring me joy. 7. That today is my "Friday". I really appreciate my three day weekends. 8. That my parents are in relatively good health and that they live close so when their health needs change, I will be able to help and support them. 9. That the days are getting noticeably longer. I feel so much better when the days are longer! 10. For incredible neighbors. We live in an area where we know many of our neighbors, and really enjoy spending time together. We all help each other with winter chores and little projects. Such a blessing!
I’m thankful for mostly being back to a normal schedule. 🙂
I’m thankful for kind friends, who reach out In Various ways and who are understanding when I’m not quite ready to talk.
I’m thankful for my family. Who still love me even when my emotions make no sense, and therefore I make no sense. Semi-Instant humility.
I’m thankful for… being scared? Change is on the horizon for me and I’m thankful that I can (remind myself to be?) be logical. Going out side of my comfort zone is scary, but that’s usually when the best changes happen. But ughhhhhhhhhhhhh I don’t like how it feeeeellllsssss!!:)
I’m thankful for your blog Kirsten 🙂
I'm thankful, along with everyone else, that Kristen is finally home and had such a good time with Lisey and Zoe in HI!
Also thankful that I'm getting the Element into my Goodyear shop tomorrow for a free winter car check, which will include checking my tires for slow leaks. My tire pressure light is on again, and although it may just be because of the cold this time, I'll feel better when the Goodyear folks assess the situation. (Especially since I'm supposed to be taking the Thruway on Saturday to my JASNA region's annual luncheon for Jane's and Cassandra's birthdays--although the weather forecast for Saturday is not promising.)
And thankful that the cold weather, while keeping me largely housebound, has enabled me to make considerable progress on a January decluttering. So far, I’ve gotten two boxes packed for the antiques/collectibles charity auction I donate to annually; another box and a floor lamp set aside for the Salvation Army or the Rescue Mission; three more boxes for the new local secondhand-housewares shop when it reopens in the spring; and two boxes of books for a local library's book sale.
@A. Marie,
You are welcome to come de-clutter my house next! It sounds like you are making great progress on your house!
So glad you’re home and rested a bit. Man, I worried about you being stuck when we didn’t hear yesterday but I kept a good thought.
I’m thankful for the light amount of snow on Tuesday, and a neighbor who cleared our driveway. And then, for the sunshine yesterday to help melt the ice on driveways and roads.
More snow tomorrow—sigh.
Thankful for all the ways to keep warm during this deep freeze. And for continuing to bounce back from an awful bronchitis.
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Just trying to remember that I could complain but it;s better to rejoice in what I do have versus what's been going wrong these past few weeks.
Thankful items:
My daughter can go to both her friend's birthday party and her cousin's birthday party. It will require a bit of driving but that's okay. She hasn't seen any of my side of the family since Thanksgiving so we can give Christmas presents while there.
Thankful that while it's winter here, we're not getting the terrible winter that so many people are getting.
Thankful for some time with my family.
@Battra92,
That verse has carried me through some really difficult times. Thanks for including it here.
My kids have studied abroad and my youngest has lived in Korea and currently is in Australia. I have visited them wherever they live because I like to explore where they live but also, as you said, picture where they are when I talk to them. It's just makes my mom heart a bit calmer and I feel like I'm a part of their world. So happy you got to see where Lisey is living and visit her world!
I think you should set up a "In Case The Frugal Girl & Co Get Stuck In Transit" group - I'm sure you have readers in each of your potential stuck cities who would be able to help! I used to live in Chicago, now live in STL. In case you get stuck in STL ever. 🙂
Haha, that is true. I need an app.
Glad you are safely home.
Seems like a lot of my thankfulness is centered around the weather. Thankful my son got back to university in the upper peninsula of Michigan ahead of the storm this past Friday, that my 35 mile commute to work Saturday was much better than I anticipated it would be, that we had remote church on Sunday, which kept us all safe, that I have been able to go snowshoeing a couple of times ( don't hate me ....I like the snow), and for the things we take for granted--electricity, indoor heat and plumbing, warm blankets and clothes.
I am thankful for my new fancy electric tea kettle which really does make my morning coffee so much better. (We are able to get the kettle to hold the water at set temperature which allows a better extraction for pour over coffee.) My husband has noticed the improvement too.
I am thankful for the simple pleasure of morning coffee.
I am thankful for my daughter and the joy she brings.
I am thankful for our community hiking "club." We missed a few months of hike while I recovered from pregnancy and when our family returned for the January hike people noticed. When people notice your absence (or presence) it means (to me) that I have found a community to belong to and that is something I've been hoping to find in our "new" town. (We moved nearly two years ago.)
I am thankful that my brothers family visited on Sunday to meet my baby and we got some cousins pictures!
So glad your home and what a fun time with your daughter -priceless!!!!!
1. That a kidney stone passed quickly. I have only one kidney so a stone that blocks things can be lethal; I have already had one incident of ending up having surgery because of a stone.
2. The husband comes home in five more days. We have spent most of our marriage working together, so together 24/7, so it feels very odd to have only Pound Hound to discuss politics with.
3. A friend sent me to a site that makes dresses with huge pockets. It is a small company and all of the clothing has science themes. I ordered a dress of the constellations, so black with stars. I love it and I love, love, love the pockets. I believe Pound Hound could fit in one of them!
4. I ran across a book about medieval manuscripts called Meeting with Remarkable Manuscripts. Six hundred pages filled with amazing photos and an author adept at telling history through these meticulously painted/printed texts. I am in awe of his expertise. It has been a while since I found a book that pulls me into another age so well that I sort of have to shake my head when I need to come back to this life.
5. I found a skin sewer who can fix the fur around my husband's winter parka. It has what is called a sunshine hood, so when you pull the hood up the fur stands up and can be pulled forward to almost cover your face against the elements. The parks is 20 years old and was made by an Alaska native who died a few years ago, so it is dear to us and we wanted to find someone who could duplicate her style. (Please no lectures on using fur. It contributes to the subsistence economy of remote villages and it is warmer than any man made fabric. I have worn mine at a wind chill of 90 below zero and stayed warm.)
Speaking of cold, I saw a cartoon of a southern state saying, "Thanks for coming to visit, Alaska. You can go home now."
I am so sorry you had a kidney stone! But I am glad it's passed.
No judgment at all about using fur from me. Or leather, to be honest. Fake leather is usually petroleum based and has such poor longevity, it seems like a waste of money.
I am thankful for the sunshine we had today, glorious! For the amazing daycare staff my toddler has (I can't begin to explain what it means to be able to leave a little one with such a good and safe feeling). For warmth in my beautiful apartment. For co-workers that I really enjoy working with. For not being sick this week after many weeks of colds.
So happy you got to see your daughter in Hawaii! My daughter also got a job in Hawaii when she graduated from PT school and we got to visit her in Hawaii.
I'm thankful that my hubby survived a stroke at the start of the new year. So incredibly thankful for God's amazing love, grace and mercy shown to us by sparing his precious life!
It's such a good place to visit a kid. 😉
I'm glad with you that your hubby is still here.
@Maria, As a stroke survivor, I’m super glad your DH is okay!
Thankfuls:
1. I got all my reference photos organized into pictures for drawing and pictures for painting, each set in the proper building, and I was able to weed out those that were no longer useful. I love organizing stuff. 😎
2. The fun of getting books on Libby and Kindle (an app on the phone, not another device)
3. More rain on the way!
4. My wonderful drawing students—a variety of interesting people, lovely personalities, who become real friends and make friends with one another.
5. That I haven't flown anywhere since 2019.
So glad you finally made it home, Kristen!
I am thankful for the one good school day I got in this week. I'm also thankful to have another snow day off tomorrow, but I am glad I had a full normal day with my students today first, because I got a lot done.
I'm thankful you're still not at ORD. While we had a "heat wave" today, it is snowing again plus the winds are picking up. And it will be cold again - I'm not in Chicago proper but close enough. THEN come Monday, calling for rain, then rain/snow (maybe sleet!) on Tuesday.
However it was nice to not have to tie the scarf around my face today when I was outside.
I just looked outside to see the freshly falling snow. Freezing cold weather doesn’t delight me but I really love experiencing at least one snowy event during winter. It’s really beautiful! As you mentioned Kristen, the snow seems to brighten everything.
I’m happy for you, Kristen, that you were able to visit Lisey and to enjoy time in Hawaii. Your photos are gorgeous. My brother lives in Hawaii but I have never been able to visit him. Maybe one day…
I’m thankful my daughter doesn’t have any long-term physical injuries from her recent car accident though she has increased fear about driving now. I’m thankful insurance has come through with some money towards a “ new” used car for her.
I’m thankful our power stayed on earlier this week during the snow event and I’m hoping power stays on today during the current snow. We do have generators though so I’m glad for that.
I’m grateful for some successful painting projects this week. Since before Christmas, I’ve been in a creative slump. But I’ve been playing with my watercolors a few times each day this week and I think I’m back on track. I’m thankful, too, for my dear husband who is so supportive of my creative endeavors.
I’m thankful for my husband who seems able to fix anything around the house and is quick to do so when we have a problem. I’m also so grateful for how he loves to read, dance, work hard ( he’ll probably never retire) and help people. He’s compassionate, kind, a good listener and encourager and can be so, so funny. I’m very thankful for him.
I’m also glad he can usually work from home.
I’m thankful our little pup Wally is feeling better. He was a little sick yesterday morning but by evening he was back to his chipper little self. He brings us such joy.
I find your pictures of hikes and walks near your house to be incredibly beautiful! I often wish I lived in an area that had options like those!
Nevertheless, I'm grateful to live in a neighborhood with (very small) greenbelts near open space so I can actually go out for a walk or bike ride and enjoy nature a little. funny thing, when I moved here I really appreciated the greenbelts, and then my neighbor basically implied that they are a joke because they're so small. They might be small, but they are really nice to have!
Yesterday was my first day back in the office since we all had to go back 2 days a week starting this month, and to my surprise I actually enjoyed being there with a lot of my coworkers. I appreciate working with people I like.
I'm grateful that I can ride my bike safely to work, and I have a very secure place to park it when I get there. I'm also grateful that I can afford a nice pedal-assist ebike and that I only live a few miles away so that I can get my kids out the door and take my dog for a short walk before having to leave the house.
I am grateful that I can afford two litter robots. I absolutely love my cats, and I hate cleaning litter boxes.
I feel like I have a lot of things I could choose for the last thing I'm grateful for, but not one thing is jumping out at me.
@Candace, wait, wait, what? What in the heck are litter robots? I am pretty sick of shoveling cat poop myself. Please fill me in.
I had to google "greenbelt"! The pictures I saw looked like they are very nice to have.
Home sweet home!
This week I'm thankful for:
- A warm house. It's getting pretty cold here (-25 Celsius/-13 Fahrenheit), so we are using the wood stove a lot (on top of regular heat).
- To have access to a ''food surplus'' program that is open to everyone regardless of income. This not-in-the-best-shape/couple days past the best-before date food gets given by groceries and then we get to go and pick a basket of veggies, fruits, a pint of milk, a tub of yogurt and a loaf or two of bread, all for 15$ (Canadian). VERY good deal! And it saves this food from the garbage.
- To have a family doctor that take our issues seriously. And to have a family doctor, period. Very hard to get one here in Quebec, Canada.
- That my weight loss has now slowed down but didn't halt completely. 61 pounds down, 19 to go for goal, I'll get there!
- To be an assertive person. I am someone who will not get bullied into anything or spoken harshly to without reacting. You treat me well; I'll treat you well. I'm not bending over backwards for rude people, never did, never will.
Have a great weekend!
I'm chiming in late here with my thankful Thursday, but it is always a good day to be grateful. 🙂
I'm thankful that:
-We are finally settling into a routine in the new year. I participated in an online workshop for the first two weeks of the year. The kids were still out of the school the first week, and then last week between holidays and weather, they went to school very little. If that wasn't enough, I usually spend the first few weeks of the year preparing my books and gathering financial documents and information for tax prep for ourselves, our businesses, and our church. This week finally feels like we are back in our normal rhythm. I thrive on rhythm.
-My last MRI came back with no trace of cancer. An MRI is just a picture. It can't really detect cancer. But they don't see now what they saw in August before I started chemo. I still have surgery and radiation ahead of me, which feels very doable after chemo.
-I am done with chemo!!!! Thank goodness for this life-saving treatment. But good gracious I pray for the day when researchers develop forms of chemo that are easier on the body. I would do it again every time, but I sure am glad it is over.