Thankful Thursday | I did not owe taxes!
New here? Thankful Thursday is our weekly effort to hunt for the good in our lives; a free mood-booster!
This week, I am thankful:
that I owed no taxes this year
I am exceedingly happy about this, which is why it's first on the list.
Last year, my estimated tax payments were way off, so I ended up owing $10,000 when I filed.
(Fortunately, I had enough saved to cover it.)
Plus, my new, larger estimated tax payments began immediately after that, so I spent a lot of 2020 feeling like I was playing serious catch-up.
I am happy to say that my estimated tax payments last year were more than enough, though. Not only did I not owe $10,000, I actually got a refund of over $1000.
Of course, I turned right around and sent that money out to pay my next estimated taxes.
Anyway, I am very happy to not face an underpayment penalty and a big tax bill. Yay!!
that I got to go into the library
Our libraries have been closed to in-person pickup for months and months now (curbside only).
The frustrating thing about that is that the curbside hours were sort of inconvenient and I kept thinking, "I should go pick up my holds!" only to remember that the library wasn't open for pickup at that time.
Anyway! You can pop by any time now to pick up holds and my heart was so happy doing that yesterday for the first time.
that things are so much better this spring
Sonia and I were remembering how last April, you couldn't even do curbside pickup at the library; there was no library access at all.
What a huge improvement this spring is over last, in so many ways.
that Mr. FG and Lisey did not have to go to a mass vax site
I am grateful for mass sites, of course. But they ARE kind of a headache.
So I am happy for Mr. FG and Lisey that they just got to go to a local pharmacy for their shots.
the promise of green leaves
A green tinge is spreading over the bare trees here, and it's especially noticeable if you see the trees from a distance.
Also, the oak trees are full of brownish yellow flowers, and while I know the immediate effect will be nasty yellow dust, I also know what follows the dust: beautiful green leaves.
So, I'm going to focus on being thankful for that.
for over-the-counter allergy eye drops
I don't have terrible spring allergies, but I definitely struggle with itchy eyes sometimes. So I am thankful for eye drops that help with that.
that I can plant some seeds soon
I'm not a big gardener but there are a few things I grow!
Pretty soon the ground will be warm enough for the purple bean hyacinths I grow every year.
(More about the purple hyacinths here.)
Plus I have a bunch of saved marigold flower seeds from last year, which I will probably just plant directly in the soil.
I love how hardy marigolds are and also how easy it is to save their seeds.
I ordered a free factory second self-watering pot from Orta (one of the gardening bundle bonuses), and I will start some basil plants in that.
for reliable cars
I can't even remember the last time that we had a car problem that wasn't just normal maintenance (or squirrel damage. Ha.)
That's a serious blessing!
for my anti-squirrel device
Speaking of squirrel damage...I have this electronic rodent deterrent device, and I put it into my engine compartment during squirrel nesting season every year.
You guys, it is MAGIC. I used to face expensive repairs every winter, and I have had zero squirrel nest issues since I started doing this.
The device costs under $25, it's pesticide free, and it lasts for years.
It is so, so nice to get into my car without wondering, "Will it start this time? Will there be a mess of sticks and leaves in my engine compartment?"
(One time I found three baby squirrels inside there!)
Anyway, this thing gets a one-million-star rating from me.
For time with my parents and siblings last week. It was kind of hard emotionally, but I'm still grateful I was able to be there.
For a husband who had no hesitation in holding down the fort--and the four kids in it--for the four days I was gone.
For older children, which makes it much less complicated to leave. Not less painful--this is the first time I have left in nine years, so there were a lot of emotions about that on their end and mine--but practically, it's a lot easier for a three-year-old to live without me than a one-year-old.
For cream in my coffee this morning. We've been out for awhile, but the tiny store in the village got some yesterday for us, and so this morning, all is right with the world. 🙂
Good morning!
With all the covid leaves happening at my work place (real or not-they don't have to be proven, tests aren't mandatory, they are endless, AND paid each time), I'm thankful I'm not salary. Lots of overtime pay adds up.
Today, my second born turned 15. I'm thankful that he is who he is. He really thinks things through, but is also a hoot!
I'm thankful for pizza delivery once in a while. Some nights after working 12 hours, I'm just too tired to even move.
I'm also thankful for the days I get off of work on time and have a boat load of energy left! What a difference that makes to my day.
Kristen's, have you thought about doing podcasts?
Are you asking me and Kristin from Going Country?
I have thought about it; it seems less daunting than doing video. But on the other hand, I have no idea where to even start with a podcast!
I love this idea, and would certainly listen to it!
1. I am SO thankful that my family is still healthy, and that the vulnerable members (including pregnant-me) are at least partly vaccinated. There's a lot to be frustrated and worried about with Canada's vaccine situation, but we have been fortunate and I try to focus on that.
2. I got an iron infusion last week to manage anemia. The procedure wasn't more than mildly unpleasant, and I feel great! I don't remember the last time I had this much energy.
3. I'm on vacation again next week. Yay! We're under a stay-at-home order, but I don't care. I'm just going to cook and clean and sew.
4. The weather! Our local public garden has daffodils cheerfully blooming everywhere. It's so wonderful. Spring is such a hopeful season.
5. I got a raise for 2020-2021! It's just a 1% raise given to all provincial employees, but since our year runs from July-June, I'll start getting backpay today. I wasn't expecting it, and it's a lovely surprise.
I also got back pay on my little raise, which made for a very nice paycheck last week. I warned my husband not to expect all of them to look like that one, but it was so nice.
Yay!!!
I'm with you on #1. I'm a healthcare worker working in an Ottawa hospital and finding the vaccination situation here pretty disastrous...! Got my 1st shot in march, next on scheduled for June. At least I got one.
I was reading about the vaccine situation in Canada just this week. That must be so frustrating! I'm glad you were able to get at least one shot, though.
Hello, fellow health-care worker! It's hard to watch, isn't it? I can only hope that we get a grip on the situation soon.
That's a big woo-hoo on the taxes! Don't you hate owing taxes AND a penalty? We had that happen one year - after consulting with a CPA over our withholding amounts, no less - and it was like salt rubbed in a wound. Obviously, we stopped using that CPA. Nowadays, our taxes are more simple and I use the free Turbotax version.
My thankfuls:
I'm thankful for a 15 year old granddaughter who voluntarily went outside before the rain started and brought in my laundry off the clothesline, so I wouldn't have to stop what I was doing. When I was 15, I would have been completely oblivious to the fact that my grandmother might have appreciated help with that.
I'm thankful for that same grandchild and her mother, (our daughter) who cheerfully came over on a weeknight and helped me unload a file cabinet and water heater from my truck, then brought us dinner and ate with us.
I'm thankful for my husband that, after having had prostate cancer six years ago, his PSA numbers are still very low.
I'm thankful for the scarlet lilies that bloom spring after spring in our yard with zero care. My mother-in-law planted them almost 50 years ago.
I'm thankful that Kristen posted again about the squirrel repeller, because my daughter is starting to have a squirrel problem.
Yes, that penalty is adding insult to injury! And that's the reason I upped my estimated tax payments so much. The underpayment penalty quickly negates any benefit you'd see by holding onto that money until tax time.
1. Echoing many, but I'm also so thankful for having gotten my first vaccination last week. My husband is also scheduled to get his next week.
2. I started running last spring during the worst of the pandemic lockdowns. I'm so thankful that I have been able to keep it up and have felt healthy. I have a history of bad asthma, and lung disease has scarred me both mentally and physically. Running felt like a little victory every time and kept the fear of covid at bay.
3. I'm also thankful over a promotion and pay increase at work. It was a long time coming, and I'm thankful mine and my husband's jobs have been secure and on an upward trend.
4. Thankful that my youngest two are able to play baseball this spring. Being active and going outdoors with other people is a huge boost.
5. Thankful for my yard that is full of bloom this time of year, magnolia, cherries, daffodils, next come azaleas, irises, rhododendron, lilies, hostas.
I am currently working on my taxes. Tax season is a bit stressful.....
I am thankful for many things little things today...
• A really good cup of coffee
• The sweet calico kitty who is asleep on my lap while I’m drinking this wonderful cup of coffee.
• The doors are open and letting in the cool morning air, because the worst of the oak pollen is behind us.
• The birds are singing as they greet the new day.
• I woke up feeling well. Yesterday, I did not feel like myself.
Good morning!
This week I am thankful
1. Our yard that is full of bloom. Our azaleas are gorgeous and seeing them makes me happy.
2. We have saved up enough to pay our huge federal tax bill and that we'll get almost $1000 back from the state.
3. My sister is bringing Mom to a cardiologist appointment in town so I'll get to visit with them both. They live 4 hours away so I don't get to see them often.
4. My husband and I both get our 2nd vaccine shot tomorrow.
5. The fiber internet line has finally been been replaced. We're hoping AT&T will be able to finish the job today. We've been without internet for 2 weeks!
Kristen, I have made a mental note of your anti-squirrel device because my husband and son park their cars next to our neighbors' enormous old oak tree, which is a squirrel haven. Our neighborhood has owls and occasionally hawks (we have seen them swooping by with squirrel bodies in their talons), so the raptors may be keeping the population up off the ground and away from cars for now.
I am thankful for a lovely weekend afternoon during which some much-needed yard work was done, that we all remain healthy and employed, that we are staying the course toward paying off our mortgage by November (six years early on a 15 year loan), and that my family receives our second vaccine in the third week of this month. And although our tax payment news was not as good as Kristen's, we owed only $1,100, which was a huge improvement over last year, when we owed the feds $7,000 because my husband accidentally messed up his withholding. That one hurt!
Ugh, I feel your pain from last year! I'm glad this year was better for you too.
Thankful for:
* Daughter being in a cast for the last month for a "possible scaphoid fracture". Just got x-rayed this morning and turns out it was not fractured. They just played it safe, which I appreciate! Now, rehab time! Fortunately this is my job, so I'll handle with.
* So happy too that our library offers curbside pickup even tho so many places are closed down right now
* VERY grateful that both my daughters have highly motivated teachers for their online schooling and that they both have structured schedules and the needed technology in place at home. We are hoping the schools will reopen before the end of the school year (june 23rd), but who knows...
* Grateful that both hubby (government) and I (hospital) have not had our jobs jeopardized by the Covid situation.
* Grateful for a paid-for house in a quiet neighborhood, with plenty of space for everyone and a nice size backyard to garden and hang out in
Thankful for old friends. I spent two days with one this week and we celebrated my birthday. Wonderful and relaxing.
Thankful that I rented my guest cottage to the first person who came to view it. So glad that's taken care of, but now I have to move all my stuff out. SIGH. Ha.
Thankful for my sweet dogs, who I missed during the two days I was gone. Silly, but that's how I roll.
Daffodils! How I love daffodils. The prettiest, happiest spring flower and they couldn't be easier to grow once planted.
Thankful for newer friends--we're hanging around the fire pit on my deck Saturday night and I'm enjoying thinking of things to serve.
Thankful for how funny son is--he sent me some hilarious texts when I was gone.
Thankful to be busy and successful enough that I can turn down writing offers.
You are a fellow April baby! My birthday is on the 27th.
I'm so glad you had a wonderful birthday!
Thankful
because my mom and partner are now eligible for vaccination!
for the excellent midwifery care we've been receiving through insurance without having to pay extra
for a week off work
that we can afford all baby stuff we need to buy (so far, ha) and got so much from others second-hand
for the hyacinths coming up on the terrace, spring signs!
That's odd about pick-up hours being inconvienient. Our library had pick up hours All Day when it was closed. Now that you can go in, the hours are less regular. But we can go in! I don't think my kids are going to remember how to behave in a library, since the world has been for 20ish% of their lives.
Coffee. It's cold today (unusually so for Oklahoma in April), and it's hitting the spot. Though, I don't know if coffee has never not hit the spot. I love it so much.
Friends who are different from me and continue to excourage me and make me a better person. Hopefully I can do the same for these friends.
Closing on our new house tomorrow! Moving comes with so much work, but the new house will be up to code (no more aluminum wires improperly connected to modern appliances with copper wiring (without an electrical box) trying to start fires. We fixed that but it's made us wonder what else is hiding here), and is a much more functional layout for our disabled son and hard of hearing daughter.
The luxury to find a house that suits our family's needs and the means to acquire such a house.
Let's see:
I'm thankful that my dad is home and that his heart is doing well (he had a scare with it unrelated to his other issues.) I'm not so happy about some other things related to it (particularly with some people in my church) but I can't control that and I'm just thankful that he's home and recovering.
That I was able to see my Dad this week. My daughter really wants to see her grandparents so hopefully sooner rather than later.
I'm thankful that I can now work from home one day a week. It's not that I am worried about Covid (I'm still not the least bit scared of it) but having a day where I'm free from constant visits to my desk and constant phone calls is nice. I do need to figure out a desk situation and find a spot to keep it in my tiny house.
My daughter cleaned her room yesterday so not seeing that mess made me happy. Need to work on some of the rest of the house now.
For nice, clicky mechanical keyboards. They make typing a dream.
I, too, am a fan of clicky keyboards. The springback feel makes typing easier; mushy keyboards make me typo a lot more often.
1) I'm thankful I received my second vaccine last week
2) That (in person) school is starting for both of my kids next week!
3) My husband & I got a weekend away in Sonoma
4) For my parents, who are both fully vaccinated & were able to visit this week. Not only did they spend time with the kids while we were in Sonoma, they are generally very helpful & the kids both love having them around
5) Signs of spring all around. I picked my first radishes from our new garden bed.
Extra thankful for birds. More are showing up here in Minnesota every day. They bring so much joy.
Birds are delightful. I didn't understand the appeal of bird watching until having bird feeders in the backyard, convieniently placed so we can see them from our large breakfast nook area. I now recognize birds who come to visit. Last night we saw our first woodpecker of the season. They bring us a great amount of joy.
I will be SO THANKFUL when our library reopens. My local branch is closed completely so I need to drive to the next town for curbside pick up. It wouldn't be such a big deal if that was a direction my regular travels take me but its not. Like you, when I think to go pick up the library is closed. They must have a good reason for their schedule but it seems very odd to me. In the beginning of Covid, I made 3 trips for one book because I didn't pay close attention to what days & hours they are open.
Someone at our library got a great idea to purchase a set of used lockers (like the type used at a gym) and they set them up outside the library under the entrance roof and you can request your holds be put in a locker and they email you the locker number and the combination for the lock and you can pick up your holds whenever you want. Genius!
That's a fantastic idea!
I legit cannot wrap my head around while the libraries are still closed in some areas. I guess they want even more people to hang around Walmart.
Unfortunately, in my county there were several issues of physical assault on librarians over mask/distancing issues, so they shut down in-person service entirely for the safety of librarians.
(File under This is Why We Can't Have Nice Things.)
I don't understand why people take out their frustrations on the librarians; none of this is their fault or their decision, and it is really misdirected to attack the librarian!
I have a good friend who is a librarian. I know there has been verbal abuse directed at her and other librarians but so far, no physical abuse. Your story is super scary. It's also ultimately counterproductive, since it resulted in the library being shut down for in-person service.
Right? You think wearing a mask at the library is restrictive? Try having no library service at all!
Very counter productive. Sigh.
Every time I think I have heard about every possible idiotic behavior, I am surprised anew---this time that anyone would attack librarians. (Well, not that anyone should be attacked over masking, but librarians??!)
For the same reason other places are closed. People gather at libraries and librarians are as much at risk as anyone, maybe more so if they skew older. Perhaps your libraries are large and uncrowded; mine definitely are not.
I still think the whole closing of places was counter productive and all it did was lead to more spread as people were in their cramped pod apartments spreading it throughout the building via the ventilation systems.
Do you, by chance, have data to support your idea? As it happens, I have some.
Homes and apartment buildings circulate air once every few weeks (at most - you can open your windows to make it less than one day).
Office buildings circulate air once every 8-10 years, with no option to open windows. (Source: internal study at [name removed], the engineering and construction company that employed me.)
Since we're on the subject, aircraft circulate air every 8 minutes.
Now I am very thankful that my library opened up to in person last November and has stayed open all this time. I was surprised that they opened up in November because our covid cases were going up but I held my breath and they opened on schedule.
If it is happening for you, you assume it is happening for everyone. And now I see that is not the case.
I’m a long time reader, but rarely post. After suffering a horrible injury and subsequent rescue while hiking last week, I thought it would help my recovery to express my thankfulness.
I’m thankful for the volunteer fire department who coordinated a complicated rescue in rough terrain to get me to an ambulance.
I’m thankful for the EMTs for hiking in to get me pain medication and some relief after waiting 2 hours for rescue.
I’m thankful that I live near a major trauma hospital and the surgeons there are experienced in repairing the type of leg fracture I have.
I’m thankful that my husband remained so calm in a terrifying situation because that helped me remain calm too.
Finally I’m thankful for this exercise. Since I’m expecting a long recovery and a huge temporary change to my lifestyle, I will definitely need to remind myself why I’m thankful.
Heather, that sounds terrifying. I hike frequently and have had thoughts of "what if ....". I'm sorry for your injury and wish you well on your healing process.
Glad you're okay-ish. Praying for you to see lots of reasons for thankfulness in the next weeks and months.
WOW! Healing thoughts to you.
Heather, I just prayed for you. May God give you complete healing. I understand the "what ifs". My family has been there. Sometimes God puts you on your back so you can look up to Him.
Oh wow, Heather! I'm so glad to hear of your rescue, and I am also so sorry to hear of your injury. I hope your recovery goes as smoothly as possible.
Oh no. I'm so sorry for your injury, and the way it happened. This happened to my mother a few years ago when she broke her leg while hiking a mountain. She's back to hiking again, now, though, and I hope you will be soon too. Good luck with your recovery.
I’m so sorry that you were in this situation. Sending you positive thoughts of love and strength and wishing you a speedy recovery.
Also thank you for recognizing the men and women who participate in mountain search and rescue. (This includes one of my sons.) The bravery and skill of these teams is nothing short of amazing. When I was in the Tetons last year hiking in Cascade Canyon, I witnessed this firsthand as a crew dropped from a helicopter into heavily wooded and rocky terrain to rescue an older hiker who was having a heart attack. They are truly unsung heroes.
Thank you everyone for your well wishes and prayers.
I am very thankful that my husband and I were able to get our first dose of COVID vaccine last week! The vaccine is still in very high demand in our city, so we wanted to leave those doses for people who needed them more. Instead, we drove to another county where they had a huge surplus. Other than the drive, it was super easy.
1. Baked oatmeal. I made it this morning for our breakfast and it's one of my absolute favorites.
2. For our car repair fund. I don't think about it often but right now my van needs brakes and some kind of work on the air conditioning, and I'm sooo thankful we contribute a bit every month for times like this! The work will be "free" because we already paid for it to our own account.
3. That summer is almost here!!!!! I cannot wait for a break from kids' schoolwork!!!!!!
4. For our back deck. Right now it's just blank and bare from the winter but I know how beautiful it will look when we haul out the patio furniture and put out pots of flowers and turn on the twinkle lights. Summer is my least fave, but I do adore the summer nights on the deck with the twinkle lights, tiki torches, candles, sounds of tree frogs in the woods beside us, and a nice cup of tea (or glass of wine).
5. We've been seeing squirrels in our yard! Gray, red, and fox squirrels. We've lived here 3 years and we are just now seeing them. I've been putting out peanuts/sunflower seeds to attract them and I guess it worked. I hope our neighbors don't mind. Our neighborhood kind of seems like people here don't care for wildlife. I guess we're the weirdos. We adore seeing and feeding the birds and squirrels as long as they aren't doing damage.
Ok I just realized it's weird that I mentioned being thankful for seeing squirrels when several people have mentioned having issues with them. I hope I didn't just jinx myself. Lol
Haha! I am happy to see squirrels. I just want them not to make nests in my car!
The noise/light device has made it possible for me to coexist happily with squirrels. 🙂
I live for the sightings of squirrels, chipmunk and deer in our yard. You are not alone, so don't feel bad. Whatever brings you joy is great.
The purple hyacinth plant is so pretty. If anyone has pets that eat plants - like mine do - do not let them get this one.
We are fixing up items around the house to make use of them and just not buying anything besides essentials.
Reading your comments on taxes makes me thankful we're not self-employed - our goal is always to pay taxes when we file our returns (better that money earning interest for us than giving the government an interest-free loan!) but we've never actually succeeded since we got married. We've had a new kid nearly every year since our oldest was born in 2014, which has made figuring our withholdings tricky.
I'm thankful that if we were going to get sick anyway, it was while our big van was in the shop - which meant we no longer needed to worry about getting a rental. Hunkering down at home was the rule for the week!
I'm thankful for:
* a caring community. Yesterday in my zoom Bible study group I shared that I was feeling really worn out, needed more uninterrupted sleep than I was getting, and that I'd gotten even less alone time than usual with having all the kids home over spring break. (The years are short, but the days are long, right?) One of the ladies from my group came over this morning to watch the kids for a couple of hours while I got groceries by myself! It was a huge blessing to me and the kids were SO excited to have someone new to play with and be loved by.
* a library staff that knows us well. Our library closed a couple of days ago due to rising case numbers (this was hard news to swallow as we treasure our library time) but they're still open for curbside pickup. Children's books are much easier to browse for in-person, but many of the staff know us well enough that I can just ask them to pick out 25 or so books that they think we would like and I think that'll work just fine. It makes the curbside thing feel less daunting. And thankfully I got to go on Friday with my 7yo and she loaded up on enough books to keep us going for a while! This all is so much better than being completely closed like last spring!!!
* signs of spring that are all around!!
Also thankful for libraries. My card expired last week so I went in person to the library yesterday (hooray!), dealt with that and while I was there I picked up two "real" books. I'm super thankful for my Libby app but there is something wonderful about holding a hard copy.
Thankful that hubby got vaccine #2 yesterday and my 17 year old son gets #1 today. Waiting (impatiently) for the vaccine process to start for younger teens (my daughter is 15).
Thankful for my complimentary membership to a nature center in a neighboring city. It made for a fun day with my kids and it was a treat to go somewhere new.
Oh, I went on my bi-annual trek the the laundromat to wash comforters today. Which made me realize how blessed I am to have my own washer and dryer. Man, is that expensive, as well as a hassle!
So true! I am ever grateful to have a washer and dryer in my house.
Supposedly before school starts back up in the fall for, I think, 11-15. It might go lower than that. Dr Fauci had a report not too long ago. My daughter turned 15 today! And has a chronic illness that is thankfully getting under control, but her willingness to leave the house has been pretty low with all the stupid running around our area. So I also can’t wait for full family vaccination!
Thankful this week....
1. My husband got his second COVid vaccine dose today. This is a relief to me as he is a front line worker with one kidney and diabetes. I know they are not 100% effective but at the very least I can rest knowing if we get COVid we have done all we can do to fight it.
2. Counseling. I have been blessed to not have gotten COVid that I know of but I got all the stress of it and I am so grateful to have the chance to speak with someone and work on stress management. What a relief.
3. This week we had dirt delivered for the garden and the space was tilled and prepped for planting. We saved money and we didn't have to take on the work ourselves. The planting and upkeep will be ours to manage but this major work is taken care of. Hooray!
4. For sunshine & birds and all the joys of Spring. I am with you Kristen....this Spring looks blessedly different than last year's did.
5. Again for my husband who is tolerant without end. We all have our moments but I am so glad to be doing life by his side.
I'm thankful for my caring daughter and daughter-in-law that worked together to fix our evening meal last evening. I had a bad reaction to some meds for an outpatient procedure that left me on the couch most of day. But all better today.
Thankful that full-throttle farm mode will start in several days. Anxious to see what kind of crop year the Lord will give us.
I'm thankful...
To be done my stats classes AND the group project! Only studying and the final exam left.
That we finally are having some warm weather this week. It's been a pretty spring, but cold!
That soon I will be able to book my vaccination appointment. It will probably be the AstraZeneca vaccine. I did the math, and living here in Canada I am 155 times more likely to die of covid than from the AZ vaccine, so that made that choice a no-brainer for me. (No disrespect to those whose opinions on vaccines differ.) I can't wait!
For a diagnosis of ADHD. It's incredible how just learning about how my brain works is helping my life, and finding my "tribe" is a wonderful eye-opener. I will be trying meds, but even if they don't work out I know my life will already be massively improved by this new understanding.
For a lovely man in my city who replaced the glass in some pictures I have in exchange for a casserole and some baked goods. He takes care of his wife, who has Alzheimer's, and apparently what I brought was perfect for their Easter dinner with friends. I felt really good about that!
Off subject:
Kristen, what brand allergy eye drops do you use successfully? (if you don’t mind sharing?) I suffer from dry eyes and am always on the lookout. Thanks!
We've been longtime Zaditor users, but our eye doctor now recommends Pataday, so we are giving that a try.
Thank you for the info!
I love marigolds! I remember when I was a kid my mom showing me the seeds in the flower.
I'm thankful for:
- À visit from a language consultant and the extra inspiration and motivation it gave me.
- Our family is in pretty good health right now.
- The fresh salad I just ate.
- My comfy bed.
- À headache that went away (and the ibuprofen that helped with that).
- The alone time I got today.
- Good internet.
- God's faithfulness to show me weaknesses and help me.
Sounds like you guys are a week or so ahead of us, season-wise!
I'm thankful for:
1. Lovely spring weather. It's a bit chilly, but we're trying to get a handle on our garden/landscape beds and some weed situations in the lawn, and having a stretch of chilly weather gives the grass a head start on the weeds, and gives me a chance to weed the beds between the ground thawing and the hot weather of summer that makes them grow, well, like weeds!
2. Working a fairly flexible job. My kids went back to school full-time this week, and being able to walk my daughter to school every morning has been a huge blessing. I wouldn't be able to do that if I *had* to be working every morning by a certain time!
3. Our neighborhood. I love all the different walking options, the public park that has a beach on our local lake, and all the other walkers! I'm so grateful to live in an area with mature trees, lots of sidewalks, and a community of bikers that has trained all the local drivers to be careful in our neighborhood!
4. My family. Ever and again, this pandemic has made so, so grateful for having a kind & loving husband, and children who are just plain fun.
5. Vaccines. The stress level in our household dropped by about 95% when all the adults in our extended family became fully vaccinated. My kids get to give their grandparents hugs again, I got to see my parents in person for the first time in 19 months, and that constant "what if I get sick?" that has been floating in the back of my mind since last March is just way down to something manageable. I didn't even realize how stressed out I was about that until it was gone.
Love your #4!
I am thankful that my arm is healed enough from surgery last fall that I was approved to resume everyday activities. I'm still not allowed to throw a ball or such, but it's a go for lifting/pulling/pushing.
I decided to put this to the test with a trip to BJ's. I was thankful to see Clorox wipes available for the first time in over a year. I didn't buy any, but it was a welcome "returning to normal" sight.
I am thankful that when our washing machine gave out last week, we were able financially & logistically to get it replaced promptly. Being without a washer with many kids, especially during sports season, would have been quite a hassle. I'm also thankful that I was fairly caught up on laundry when the motor gave out and that we didn't need any specific item twice during the time it was out of service.
Wow that is so great about your taxes -- yahoo! And I hear you on the mass Vac sites -- my daughter was able to go through a pharmacy, too -- and there were tons of openings. Happy to get it any which way but easy is always preferred 😉
Boy, howdy -- So much happier this April! Although the last Mar/April here in SoCal was extraordinarily gorgeous -- so much greenery and flowers -- we must have had a lot of rain that year. Or maybe I just had time to notice it since I was hunkered down in my car (the only socially distant "out" allowed) from March 13 thru mid-April waiting to find out What Would Happen To Us All. So this year isn't as pretty or green but it is way way better and I am thankful.
Thankful my husband is working on his first job since last February due to COVID. And it is with folks he really likes and enjoys working with.
Thankful for my wonderful coworkers who celebrated my birthday so so nicely with food and decorations and gift cards. So much fun yesterday and they are just the best. Also, that they are always thinking of ways to improve things for the kids -- they really love them and take on extra duties just because they care about them. Pretty lovely folks 🙂
Thankful it is Thursday and the last hybrid day -- our district returns to all day school on Monday. Sighhh . . . but, hey, I am so thankful to my district for paying all of us this whole time and working to keep everyone employed even though we worked shorter hours. And they are continuing to offer free lunch and breakfasts to ALL students -- love that!
Yes; the contrast between last spring and this spring is tremendous!
I am thankful for spring! Today we visited the beautiful Bartlett Arboretum in the tiny town of Belle Plaine, KS. Masses of tulips, blooming shrubs and trees, and a sweet lake with a bridge. So good for my soul.
Also thankful that I will get my second vaccine on Saturday, and my husband has had both of his. Many of our friends and family are getting vaccinated, so I see in-person activities in the future!
Our wonderful library system. All the branches are open again, so you can go in and browse the shelves, and not just pick up holds at a drive up. Yes!!
The gorgeous Flint Hills of Kansas. They are greening up! We always love driving and hiking through them. So peaceful and beautiful at any time of year, but spring is the best.
My sweet husband and our three acres on the river. Luckily we enjoy spending time together!
I remember visiting that arboretum with my parents when we lived in Wichita!
I don’t think I cannot overstate the joy I got from resumed access to the library. I LOVE being able to browse the shelves to make up my mind. I’m definitely a book window shopper and my teenage kids are too.
I’m glad you finally have access and cannot imagine waiting so long. (Bless your heart)
I did not expect to feel as happy as I did, walking in there to pick up my holds!
I am a librarian and it makes me so happy to hear everyone's comments about the library. And I also want to mention that we are so happy to see all of you back inside browsing. We've missed our patrons so much 🙂
For a covid vaccination, for all that it's making me not only tired but extremely irritable. The side effects will pass quickly, the immunization will not.
For good negotiating tactics. It took three hours for Apple to troubleshoot, and fail to fix my old phone. get my new phone going, and transfer data from my old phone. (One hour for all three would be reasonable.) For this trouble I also received complementary wall wart, leather case, and Belkin screen cover. The phone was $420; the complementary items $110.
That the person who bought my papasan did not flake out of me. (Also for the $125 I sold it for.)
That my helpful neighbors bombarded me with offers of a bundt pan within a half hour of my asking to borrow one.
That I will be eligible to book an appointment for my covid vaccine from my next Friday! They will now be available to all over 16. I should be fully vaccinated within 6 weeks. I'm holding back happy tears as I type this - while it will not be immediately possible, I'm one step closer to getting on a plane and visiting my family that I haven't seen in 2.5 years.
That my boyfriend and I don't bicker! Bickering really stresses me out and I'm happy we're not doing it.
That I managed to shop for and cook delicious homemade meals all week. I always feel a bit crabby when I eat (and spend a lot of money on) takeout.
We purchased these and they really, really work! Before this, we had a rodent that died in my car and the smell was horrible for months! This device works well and we now have them in each vehicle. Thank you for recommending them.
1. Thankful for being able to help out with my grandaughter's online math class.
2. For the chance to watch the grandsons' baseball games for the first time since 2019.
3. For the new patio pavers and being able to pay for them. Took the money from savings but I know it will be replaced quickly.
4. Our COVID first shots.
5. The beautiful weather.