Thankful Thursday | I gotta go!
This will be a bit short because I need to leave for an exam. I wanted to get this up so you guys could participate, though!
This week, I am thankful:
for little green leaves
I'm starting to see them when I go for my walks! Yay!!
that daylight saving time is coming up
It's only a week from Sunday! Sweet.
That will temporarily make early morning walks a challenge, but the days will get longer pretty quickly, and it'll be light out at a decent hour again soon.
And more importantly: it won't be getting dark as early in the evening. I love that!
for the fun I am having in school
This week, I had two all-day sim labs at school, and honestly, they were a lot of fun. I learned so much, and I just always have fun interacting with my classmates and professors.
for the ease of wearing scrubs
Both days I had sim lab, I woke and thought, "Hmm, what should I wear?" And then I had the happy realization that I did not need to waste a single moment picking out something to wear.
Scrubs are simple.
for how much Chiquita likes to be with me
It IS annoying when she wants to be in the way of me typing, but most of the time it's charming how she hangs around me wherever I go.
for bright sunshine
I always, always appreciate this.
for trails by the water
Again...always full of appreciation for this!
for how easy it is to sit down and play the piano
A lot of other instruments require set-up, tuning, plugging in, installing reeds, and so on....but with a piano, you can just sit down and play any ol' time you want. I love that!
for real-life OB experience
As soon as I publish this post, I'm heading off for my second OB/Women's Health exam, and I am thinking that my personal experience with having babies is going to help me out here. We shall see!
I hope your exam goes well!
Thankful for sunshine, for my crazy cats, for finally being able to meet up with a friend yesterday after having had to reschedule multiple times, for a visit from my niece and her two little ones last night, and for the informative and understandable podcasts on bibleproject.com. I have learned so much from them!
@Kris, the Bible Project is amazing. I love the way the information is so organized, the summaries just excellent, and of course, the artwork blows my mind.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, I have been watching the videos for a few years now but only recently started listening to the podcasts. They are brilliant, and I love the humility of Tim Mackie and Jon Collins.
Thankful for the Internet where I read interesting and helpful articles every single day. I consider the following article frugal in that it may save me or someone else from falling for a sophisticated scam. It's also fascinating and horrifying.
https://www.thecut.com/article/amazon-scam-call-ftc-arrest-warrants.html
@MB in MN,
Horrifying is right! Wow! Thanks for posting that!
@JD, aren't you a leap year baby? Hope you have a wonderful birthday!!
@MB in MN, my mom fell for one of those. It was "only" $9,000, but when they called for me, she caved and called me. I should have called the police, then let her keep talking to the bad guys so that when they appeared to collect more money, they'd get arrested. Instead, I immediately changed her phone number, and then we went to the police who sighed, told me how I should have handled it, made a file, which got a little attention and then went silent.
So, I only skimmed the article you sent because it was too rough of a flashback for me.
Pay attention, Commentariat! There are bad people out there who are good liars.
@MB in MN, Thanks for sharing this. It's terrifying and I could easily see how someone could fall for the scam.
@MB in MN, that’s frightening.
@MB in MN, that's pretty scary: most of us think this couldn't happen to us, but reading this, the lady thought the same thing. Talking of scams: I had a telephone call come in on my land-line. The young man began by cheerfully saying " Hi Grandma, how's everything". I ummmed a bit and said "fine" to see where this would go; he proceeded to tell me he was my grandson, at which point I laughed (due to the shock of this) then I hung up the phone; I decided I did not want to hear any more in case I was talked into anything. BTW I do not have grandkids, let alone children, so I knew for sure this was the beginning of a scam. He was very cocky and sure of himself. I was totally shocked.
@MB in MN,
Wow! I found it interesting how adept these scammers are. They know how to break your will and undermine your judgement. Scary stuff.
@Linda in Canada, this one almost worked on my grandparents! They do have a few adult grandsons so when they got the “hi grandma” call they even responded with “hi Chris” which gave the scammers a name to work with. In this case the scam was that “Chris” was in jail in Mexico and needed money to get out and didn’t want his parents to know. Fortunately my grandma decided to call Chris’ mom before taking any action and she said Chris was sitting in her living room at that moment, not a jail in Mexico.
@LB, wow, just wow! So very happy to hear that your grandparents were not scammed. This makes me shudder.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, Oops, "called for more money". It was the Grandma angle, someone she swore sounded exactly like her grandson.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, i have not read the scam you listed yet. Just before coming to this blog i received a strange name with the comment that they have sent me an attached invoice. I jist deleted it rather than opening it to determine what it might be. Did not wish to take a chance. I havent the slightest idea what i would be receiving an invoice for. Should it be legit they can find another way of conacting me.
I am thankful for:
This weekly exercise
Disappearing shoulder problems. I have been working hard to stretch and roll the affected areas and it seems to be helping.
A day out yesterday with a friend. We I went with her to a city about 45 minutes away and after a quick errand we had lunch and then ice cream and had time to walk around the nice downtown and do a bit of window shopping.
That the electricity stayed on last night after high winds arrived. I am thankful for the rain because that is the opposite of a drought and it wasn't snow.
That an oil change at the Honda dealership was quick. You never know and they don't make appointments for them. The dealership was having trouble with having enough employees during the pandemic but it seems their issues have been resolved.
That my youngest sister had time for a long conversation the other day. She has a lot on her plate.
I am thankful for Chiquita as well - your pictures of her make me laugh so often! Today's picture top them all!
I'm crossing my fingers for your exam, Kristen, although you certainly don't need luck because you prepare so well.
*I too am thankful for the happy changes that approaching springtime brings.
*Very thankful that my daughter who has covid has turned the corner and is feeling better.
*Thankful that no one else in the family has caught covid at this time.
*Thankful for a great two weeks away visiting family. The grandkids have grown so much since we last saw them in November.
*When I travel, I unplug so I am thankful for lots of Frugal Girl blog entries to catch up on. I get to binge read FG today!
Enjoy your live OB!
* a leap day, that feels like a bonus day (with congratulations to whoever has their special leap birthday today!)
* being appreciated at work, such a boost for self confidence
*still being shortlisted for Best Mom of the Northern Hemisphere 🙂
@JNL,
Thank you - today is my birthday (as noted in my comments) :).
AAnd I did not read right - it is not a live OB class but an exam.
Good luck Kristen!
Sadly, I don't get live OB until April! Boo!
I would say that that the promise of Spring is #1 on my list right now - for all of the reasons you mentioned! But also, I am thankful for
*my job, which adds structure to my weeks, and a steady income, not to mention the friends I have there which does add a lot of value to my life,
*my car, which is reliable and fuel-efficient and gets me to everywhere I need to go, safely, no matter the weather,
*my cooking skillz, which although they are not gourmet, keep us fed and eating reasonable and tasty meals, and
*a great check-up yesterday at my doctor's appointment!
Hopefully we will get a peek of sun today and I will "catch up" on my walking program, but also, its good to have the rain as my sprinkler system is on the blink!
Thankful for the sun (always)!
Thankful that the tornado that went through our area & nobody was killed. Confirmed F1 tornado at midnight 3 football fields wide & went for about 4 miles (I think) & golf ball size hail was not really expected in February.
Thankful I got gas first thing in morning on way to work, gas price went up after I pumped my fuel.
Not thankful that Shell (3 stations in town) raised price of gas 30 cents/gallon after tornado went through--other 4 gas stations did not raise price. Owner lives close to area hit by tornado.
Thankful that my job is flexible when I need to adjust my time. I work with good people. 🙂
Thankful that teen got class schedule locked in for fall. Teen happy with outcome & looking forward to classes...just have to make it through tis (tough) semester (Calculus 🙁 5th or 6th math class in 3 years).
Thankful rescue dog seems to be healed/back to normal after having problem with back leg/hip (?). Luckily we had similar experiences with other dogs & knew what to do & get right away. 🙂
@Regina,
Tornadoes are so scary! I'm thankful for your escape.
@Regina, We’ve only started having tornadoes in this area in the last few years. They are very scary! Thankfully, you are okay. Lovely how the community worked together.
@Regina, We must be in the same general area--the same tornado experience here! Thankfully it was just north of us around 4 am!
@Regina, and others affected by tornadoes, all these storms happening in February (?!?) are terrifying--both for all of you on the ground during these experiences, and in their longer-term implications for the planet. I'm thinking of you all.
Our community was hit with an EF2 Wednesday morning. This is the second time in Michigan weather recorded history that SE MI has had a February tornado. The first being in Wayne county exactly 50 years ago. Little bit o trivia for ya.
I am thankful no one was injured or killed.
That many residents went out into the community to help first responders with clearing roads, cutting trees & furnishing food to workers.
Thankful there was no damage on our street. It leveled a warehouse 1/4 mile from our house. Many others have damage.
That we had 120 seconds notice. Phone went off, power went out. We knew the combo was not good.
For weather geeks who stayed up for the night to track these storms for us.
For our line workers who worked in 8 degree wind chills to replace many broken power poles. Bless their hearts for working so quickly to restore power. We were out for 30 hours, some still don't have power. It was 72 degrees Tuesday. It went to the 20's with high winds and brutal wind chills Wednesday.
Thankful for my totally awesome neighbors. We have a generator so we ran power to one neighbor and water to the other. It's all about community right? We all agreed we dodged the bullet, others did not.
@Mar,
Thankful that your are also unharmed and undamaged from the tornado! I grew up with spring tornadoes being a thing - winter tornadoes were not a thing.
Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry you guys had a tornado, but I am grateful all the people are ok.
@Mar, Just reading your account gave me all the feels of our last tussle with a tornado. Our town escaped unscathed but a town just 20 minutes away was largely leveled. Photos were jaw dropping.
@Mar, I grew up in Goodrich, and read about the tornado in Grand Blanc last night with alarm. I'm glad that you are ok.
@Mar, I'm so sorry for what happened to your town! Clean up is hard (and long!), but does bring about some beautiful community moments that we Michiganders don't always get in February. I'm glad you are safe and around good people.
@Mar, so glad you're okay. Tornadoes are terrifying. Forty years ago, an unexpected F3 tornado hit our area and demolished our apartment complex along with homes and businesses, and one person died. My husband was home and he hung on to the base of the toilet for dear life. Frugal-ish tip: Since I had backup insurance records and pictures (stored at work, this was the 80s), our insurance company cut us a check on the spot for our losses.
@Mar,
Yikes, I'm so glad you are safe! And thankful you have a community pulling together. My parent's neighborhood was hit by a tornado in the early/mid-1980s; most houses, including theirs, had varying amounts of damage, but a house two doors down from them was levelled. Fortunately, no one was home in that house, and there were no deaths in their neighborhood.
My area (SW Ohio) had some of the same wild temperature swings, high winds, tons of rain, possibly some hail - probably part of the same storm system - but no tornadoes. Thankful for that.
@MB in MN, Wow. Now I don’t regret cowering in the basement, which is what our iPhone told us to do. When the tornado touched down in the nearby town, photos showed big trucks in people's yards, houses gone, and much worse.
@Mar,
In many cases, Rescue Workers, Disaster Recovery Workers, and First Responders are unsung heroes. There are those people who seem to run towards danger to help us all.
@Bee, thank you all for the kind words, and yes they run towards danger.
Thankful for my "Velcro" dog who (just like Chiquita) only wants to be where I am. And catch frisbees. And go for long walks. She's a neighborhood favorite ("Everybody knows Maisie!") and the guys have made a list of who's in line in what order to get her if anything should "happen" to me. Yikes.
@JDinNM,
The Marvelous Ms. Maisie. 🙂
Thankful for the good rest after working two nights. Went to bed early afternoon yesterday intending to get up in the evening to do some things. Welp, per usual slept right on until 3a and woke up hungry and thirsty with a doggo that needed to go out.
Day two (yesterday was day one, but hardly counts...) of a week's vacation. Thankful for today to get some chores done (laundry, vacuuming, packing) before leaving early tomorrow afternoon for a long weekend in a not so far away community for a Saturday gardening seminar.
Thankful I will get to have time with several members of my family in that community.
Thankful for the kennel where my beloved Molly can stay. She has a good time, walks in like she owns the place and the proprietors enjoy her. She is a mutt, poodle(?), beagle, and they raise purebred Aussies, Corgies, and Wire Hair Terriers but they love her just the same. And contrary to thought, it is not expensive.
Thankful for the warmup today. We went from 70 degrees down to 14 in less than 24 hours. I did not, and will not complain, as God knows what He's doing. It will be good to focus on gardening things while experiencing warmer weather.
Oh, I am also thankful I was able to get my hair cut and permed early this week. Nothing like having a new do to make you feel better!
And above all, thankful for this blog, the ability to share our joys and sorrows and know that others care. Yesterday's post was a testament to that.
@Chrissy, I wholeheartedly agree with you regarding yesterday’s discussion under Kristen’s guidance. The points apply to anything one is going through and not just divorce. So many helpful ideas.
May your exam & OB rotation go smoothly!
Very thankful my hip replacement, 4 weeks out, is so much better & improves in small increments each day.
Robins! Daffodils! Trees budding! Spring showing even at the end of February
Progress on the shouse that will hopefully be done the end of April.
That driving is now easier & HWP & I can attend granddaughters volleyball tournaments.
Always for the constant love of my Savior, Jesus Christ, no matter how I mess up.
I have to dash, too! So quickly--I am thankful:
*that my college boy is coming home for the weekend. There are some really late/early arrivals/departures for his plane (especially considering the almost 2 hour driver for us), but he'll be home!
*for the coffee I'm drinking and for the coffee beans that arrived in the mail yesterday.
*for face therapy.
*for the crocuses.
*for well water that tastes good to me.
*for my husband. He's a keeper.
I'm thankful for my home.
I'm thankful I finally got past my block about a big work project that's due next week.
I'm thankful for my dentist and endodontist, who is working me in tomorrow for an extraction so that I don't have to wait a month.
I'm thankful for my weekly phone call with my mom. We always have plenty to talk about.
I'm thankful that I found a recipe for baked steel-cut oats to try. It's been sitting in my pantry unopened since I realized that microwaving it is not recommended. Turns out it's not such a bargain compared to the microwavable old-fashioned oats. II don't have the patience for it in the morning. Ha.
@Dee in AZ,
https://www.wellplated.com/steel-cut-oats-recipe/
This is the recipe that I use. You can make a batch, put it in the refrigerator, then just microwave whatever amount you need. I add some cinnamon sugar and dried fruit.
@Deb, thanks! I’ll give it a try.
Not terribly thankful for another snowy day, except that it's been a dry, not very snowy winter in Central NY and we need the moisture.
Thankful that I don't have to go anywhere in the snow (the local media inform me that there's already been a bad accident at my freeway exit). I can stay home, build a fire in the woodburner, and watch the blue jays figure out how to get at the peanuts that are under 3" of snow on the platform feeder. (I dusted off and filled that feeder at 7 this morning, and it's been snowing an inch an hour since then.)
Thankful for a good book, Lyanda Lynn Haupt's The Urban Bestiary. Most of the urban wildlife she describes can be found on our street, except for black bears and cougars--and I'm sure it's only a matter of time before we have black bears!
@A. Marie, Thanks for your recommendation about the Saving Jemima book - I enjoyed that! (Also picked up Helen MacDonald's Vesper Flights, which I'm saving for the waiting room of a bunch of appointments I have coming up)
@A. Marie,
The plant my daughter manages has black bears and a Florida panther in and out of their compound. The night guards are always wary and use golf carts on their rounds. The bears and panther are after the feral hogs breeding incessantly inside the compound, so the predators are considered a good - if dangerous - thing.
@A. Marie, I am most likely not too far from you as the crow flies, Southern Ontario, and I agree with you, we need the moisture. To be more specific, the farmers need the ground to be frozen (good freeze and thaw) to get good crops the following growing season. So far we have had only 2 snowstorms, but in general the temperatures have been very mild, in fact quite balmy for February, we're getting temps in the +12 to 13 degree Celcius range. Though we have been having a lot of rain. My grass is still green sigh.
@JD, I sometimes think of putting up a "Support Your Local Apex Predator" sign at the entrance to the small city park at the end of our cul-de-sac. No bears or panthers here yet, but I think our local coyotes are picking off ailing deer and anything else that's smaller than they are.
@Linda in Canada, I agree re: the weather conditions in your and my locations. And I fear I'm going to end up replacing a lot of perennial herbs because of the constant freeze/thaw cycles. They need more snow cover than they've been getting the last few years.
@A. Marie,
I used to see black bears with some regularity in the part of Florida where I live. Hundreds of thousands of acres have been developed over the last two decades. Where there were once forests, lakes, and swamps, there are now tract homes and golf courses. However, bobcats and coyotes are still seen frequently along with other wildlife.
@A. Marie, the wildlife-impaired people here get on Next Door and freak out every time a coyote is sighted. You'd think Godzilla was in the neighborhood from all the carrying on!
This week I am thankful:
• Our house passed inspection! Our buyers promised not to nitpick (no house is perfect) but you never know what can come up during a home inspection. I’ve been putting off packing to move until the inspection happened but now I can start!
• My son gets to go on a school trip to Chicago this weekend and I get to go along as a chaperone. He’s been excited for this trip since he learned about it a year and a half ago. He’s worked for it academically, showed up early to school for practice, and fundraised. I’m excited to see him experience this trip and I’m so proud of the work he’s put in to go.
• My parents live close. They attend my son’s games and concerts, come over for dinner often, house/dog sit, we can share items so we both save money, and my favorite is that they can just stop by when they are in town. As an adult I haven’t always lived near my parents so I feel grateful that I do.
• We have had some beautiful sunny days.
My cats used to reach under the door like that, and it always made me laugh.
Thanksgivings, both birthday and non-birthday:
1. I'm thankful there is a 29th of February today because it's my real, actual, true, no-kidding birthday! I don't get excited about birthdays until I have a real one.
2. I'm thankful that my office is going to take me out to lunch, my choice of restaurants, for my birthday. Twice in one month I am going out to lunch!
3. I'm not thankful for daylight savings time, because it puts me right back to getting up and getting ready for work in the dark, just as I was starting to see lighter skies as I get ready for work, BUT I will at least get home when it's not black dark on the days I visit my husband after work. Getting up in black darkness has never been easy for me. Still, I can at least be thankful for a little extra light in the evening to feed animals, water plants, weed garden beds, etc.
4. I'm thankful for the many birthday wishes texted and called to me this morning. My birthday is incredibly easy for others to remember, so they usually do and are nice enough to send greetings.
5. I'm thankful for the frilly white pear blossoms, the tiny lime-green mulberry leaves, the pink blueberry blossoms, a scattering of the first fuchsia azalea blooms, the tiny green and red lettuce leaves, the ripening-to-orange loquats (if we don't get a late freeze, we'll have loquats this year), the lavender tinted horsemint and the migrating goldfinches changing from dull gray-brown to brilliant yellow, even though the rascals empty my birdfeeder every two days.
@JD, I join the Commentariat and all your friends/family in wishing you a very happy Leap Birthday!
Happy, happy birthday, dear JD!! You are such an important part of our community here.
@JD, Hope your birthday is filled with things that bring you joy!
@JD,
Happy Birthday!
I hope you are able to take advantage of the few leap day promos...Krispy Kreme is giving away free dozen donuts for everyone born on Leap Day!
I was married on leap day and my nephew was born on this day - he is 8 today!
Enjoy your special day.
@JD, Happy Leap Year Birthday!! I love that you found positives about having a once every four years birthday and that everyone remembers it. I look forward to your posts each week.
@JD, Happy Birthday! Wow, you have a truly special birthday. Did your parents call you "Sadie"? No one seems to remember that today is Sadie Hawkins Day or what that means (myself included).
@JD, Happy Actual Birthday! I have a nephew who has a Leap Year birthday, and he never liked having to choose Feb 28th or March 1 on the "off years" as he called them!
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, Sadie Hawkins Day originated with the old-time comic strip Lil'Abner (which I am old enough to remember). Here's what Wikipedia has to say:
"The date for Sadie Hawkins Day most commonly reported is November 13, two days before the first appearance in the comics. The date has on occasion been confused for February 29 (Leap Day), the date for Bachelor's Day according to the original Irish tradition of women being allowed to propose marriage.
"Al Capp finally set the date for Sadie Hawkins Day as November 26, in his last Li'l Abner daily strip on November 5, 1977."
So if Leap Day isn't Sadie Hawkins Day, it does have a long tradition of being associated with women's pursuit of men. (And my high school actually used to have a Sadie Hawkins Day dance, where the girls invited the boys and everybody dressed up like Lil'Abner characters. Gag me.)
@JD, Happy ACTUAL birthday!! 🙂
@JD, happy birthday! Wishing you a memorable day filled with your favorite activities and people. My youngest niece shares your birthday - she's either 6 or 24 depending how you count the years.
Replying to all -
Thank you, all - goodness, so many good wishes!
Blue Gate Farmgirl, thanks for the KK doughnut tip! I know some people who would love to share those.
Karen A., my mother decided when I was born that my birthday would always be the last day of February, whether it was 28 or 29. I also consider the other 3 years to be "off years." My mind says they don't even count. Unfortunately, my body says they do.
@JD, Indeed, a very Happy Birthday!
@JD, Happy Birthday! Are you free of your apprenticeship yet? (G&S reference, y'all.)
@A. Marie, thank you! I was hoping someone here would be able to 'splain it to me. My high school also did a Sadie Hawkins dance, just picking a Friday near the end of February. No one really had a clue what it was about, except that girls were supposed to ask the guys to the dance, or maybe to dance once there. But not this little gray duck.
@A. Marie, my high school had the same dance. I loved it.
I'm so happy for you that you are enjoying school and made friends there! When I went back to university in my 40's I had a totally different experience than you (didn't feel like I fitted in), so this must be really nice to experience it differently 🙂
My 5 thankful for today:
- The snow is almost all melted. This is a first, as we usually have (a looooooot of!) snow until at least April. This is scary regarding the state of our planet, but on the personal front I'm enjoying this very much.
- My teen being willing to work on our relationship. We always were close, but it's been more challenging lately and it's hard on both of us.
- Being able to pick-up a couple extra shifts on a floor (hospital) where my workload is greatly reduced compared to my usual tasks.
- Having the financial means (with insurances) to pay for therapy for our family members. And great coverage for it.
- Zenni Optical. I had my eyes exam yesterday, and they were trying to sell me 400$ glasses. No thanks! I buy my glasses online with Zenni Optical for a fraction of the price and I've never had any problems with then (30 pairs so far. Yes, I went a little crazy there....). And the shipping is very fast. Zenni for life!
I wonder if for me, it helps that I am at a community college. I think I have heard that community colleges tend to have a student body comprised of more varied life stages. If I was the sole 45 year old amidst a sea of 20 year olds, I probably would feel a little out of place too!
@Kristen, Nah, it helps that you are a super nice and social person, lol! I'm very introverted/ ackward in crowds, I don't put myself out there, so that's on me.
@isa, I have been pondering Zenni Optical, because I have a very expensive prescription--my uncorrected vision is basically 20/8000. So I have to get the highest end lenses to make sure they're not coke-bottle-bottom thick. Do you think Zenni would work for that high a prescription? Two of my sons unfortunately got my vision as well, so they need the premium lenses that can be made as thin as possible.
@Karen A., FYI, I just got an email from Zenni saying they're offering 29% off lenses today in honor of leap year, so in case you want to try: Promo Code
LEAPDEFQNA51
@Karen A., I don't know what the price would be, or if they even would do them. My prescription is pretty basic. You can always input your prescription on their website and check the price 🙂
I am grateful....
-that my Big Scary Exam is done!
-that my apartment has a beautiful view
-that my parents will return from snowbirding next week
-that my building has a pool, so I get to go swimming in about 10 minutes
-that I have so many things to look forward to, now that I don't have to spend every spare minute studying
YAY for an exam being done. Do you have your results yet?
@Kristen, nope, it'll take a month for the results. But it was as hard as a practice test, so I likely passed. I studied for 8 months--the longest I've ever studied for anything! My goodness, I'm glad it's over.
Sheesh, that's a lot of preparing! I bet it paid off. Keep us posted!
Our old Ollie Cat used to reach under the bathroom door like that. After he fished my bra under the door a few times, I learned to not leave clothes on the floor while showering. He thought it was a grand toy!
Today I am thankful that the daffodils are starting to bloom and March comes tomorrow. Also that I have had very little seasonal depression this winter due to getting outside with our new pup.
It required spending some money with the internet's richest shopkeeper, but I am so thankful to have finally found the right bed wedge for my husband to help his sleep issues.
@Ruby,
Internet's richest shopkeeper... Love it! ☺☺
Just when you think there can’t be cuter Chiquita pics, there are. So, I’m putting this first for thankfulness because they always make me smile.
Very thankful that I’m regaining some mobility and stamina. Little by little, from being incapacitated for so long. I lost muscle mass and ability to walk up stairs and the like. Frightening. Working to build up enough stamina to get back on my formerly daily trail walks by walking around the house. It’s a slow process but I can see a little gain toward ten times around.
Also look forward to Spring and warmer temps to meet my ability to stay on my feet longer, which, together, will let me get back outside again soon.
Extra thankful for my caring DH, who shouldered all the work for months (except gift shopping, no one can really shop for you if you’ve always been the gift shopper :/). It was a strain for him at his age but he remained cheerful and my biggest cheerleader.
Good for you for working so hard to get your strength back. I am cheering you on!
@Kristen, Aww. Your cheers mean a lot to me. I’m actually using your work ethic of persistence and determination, with a dash of always looking for the good, to motivate myself. You are a worthy influencer!
I am thankful that you are loving school and having fun!!
Also thankful for having a wonderful visit with our youngest last weekend, for delightful weather, for improvement and less pain for my hubby's back issues, for our fur babies that bring us so much laughter and love, and this coming weekend is a chance to relax and recharge after a very busy week.
Good luck, Kristen!
I am grateful that the sun is starting to come out more. And grateful for a winter swim with a blue sky!
Grateful for friendly colleagues whom I had lunch with.
Grateful for all the free community classes I can attend.
THANKFULS:
1. The Chiquita paw photo
2. A sunny day to do yardening (for pay!) at a local vacation rental
3. A substantial storm coming that will put measurable snow in the mountains and keep us green in the hills
4. A painting sold
5. A thorough evaluation of the neuropathy this week and a second opinion coming next week
6. Fun renewed communication with a very dear cousin who went silent through some rough times in recent years (Divorce and pre-divorce is a hellish situation).
My daughter used to stick her fingers under the door while I was in the bathroom. LOL One time she got her finger stuck and that was fun. 😉
An exam on stuff in your wheelhouse... Sweet!
This week I'm thankful:
* for a bright, sunny day today!
* that my little plants in my greenhouse (set up in my dining room this year) are starting to grow.
* that my 5yo daughter is such a delight! As I'm typing this, she says, "Mama, you make the best salads!" She really is a sweetie.
* that my parents were willing to watch my kids last weekend so my husband, my brother, and I could go to a comedy show. It was 2.5 hours away and we had an awesome time! Which leads to...
* that my brother and I have found something to bond over and do together. He and I are so very different and we live an hour apart. But we have gone to two Dustin Nickerson shows together now and one show for another comedian. We have found our thing to bond over! I'm so happy.
Cats are wonderful companions. I mean, they can be. Clark also likes to follow me around, and has to be right there when I'm cleaning the bathroom. He is fascinated by the bathtub and wants to sit in it while water flows towards his paws.
My #1 Thankful Thing today is that we were left unscathed by the EF-1 tornado that touched down near us, literally just about five miles north, and destroyed a lot of buildings up there. It happened around 4 am on Wednesday and somehow I slept right through it, but DH and three of the boys (and Clark) sheltered in the hallway until it passed over. My oldest apparently heard it as well but decided to shelter in his closet. 😀 We didn't even lose power, thank God.
#2--thankful in a small way for my Irish teapot that we bought 25 years ago on our honeymoon. I don't know what I was thinking when I bought it, as we were walking/taking public transit all over Ireland, but DH didn't blink when I put a bubble-wrapped teapot in our luggage and he schlepped it all around. Since my electric kettle died I've been boiling a pot of water in the morning and making a pot of tea to last me all day (heating cups up in the microwave as needed, but you do not want to *make* the tea with microwaved water, ick!). It reminds me of our lovely trip there and I'm so glad it's lasted through all our moves.
#3--thankful for the Purina allergen reducing food that makes it possible for us to have a kitty again. Clark is a delightful little weirdo and the boys are all the perfect age to enjoy him.
I am thankful that I get to work fully remotely, BUT with a really fantastic, diverse team of awesome people, at a job that is interesting and challenging, for a decent salary. Nothing exceptional, but decent and fair.
I'm thankful to have been handed a life where I have options and resources (not just financial) to live a good life and provide for my children and not be forced (so far, I do appreciate things can and do change) to have to make impossible choices or unduly go without.
I'm very grateful to have been taught how to be frugal and cook economically by a war-child mom.
@Caro, except for the part about the children (I have none), your thankfuls could have been my thankfuls during my working days. I had a remote working situation similar to yours for 36 years, and my employers were (and still are) princes and princesses among men and women.
I love that you are using your real life experience to excel in your nursing studies. This week I finished reading A Mid-Wife's Tale, which is a classic history of widwifery in the early American Republic. I "read" it in grad school, but I finally got a chance to really spend some time with it now that I am laid up from surgery. Anyway, one of the points that the author makes is that this moment is when we see the transition from "social medicine" to scientific methods of knowing and passing on knowledge. Using your experience isn't the same thing as social medicine, but it did put me in mind of how helpful I have found nurses' real life experience. When my children were born I remember really noting the expertise of the nurses who told me they had many children. Going through chemo there was one nurse who became a nurse because of her own experience with breast cancer. It meant so much to have someone who really, truly knew exactly what I was going through. All the love and good vibes to you as you become one of those nurses.
Beyond excellent medical professionals, I am thankful this week for:
-Another week of progress post surgery. Recovery is harder than I imagined. It sucks. It will get better I know.
-My mom and my husband who are my lifelines. What in the world would I do without them?
-Books and writing. Writing makes me feel alive, and books get me through these quiet days of doing nothing.
You’re going to rock the exam!!
Loving the spring flowers blooming, forsythia, daphne, daffodils, crocus and violets blooming in the yard.
Grateful for my nursing experience to help a special friend as she navigates her health issues and end of life decisions. She has endured such tragedy in the past few months, it is my goal to encourage her independence and final wishes.
Thankful for the stormy day so that I can get paperwork finished and some baked goods in the freezer.
That the local yarn store's knit group is just my kind of people. That was totally luck - I walked in to find I fit right in. Usually it takes multiple tries and some rookie time before you find a group that fits you and vice versa. Not this time. Now I have to relearn how to resist buying more yarn.
That my new house still makes me grin when I look around. I wonder for how long I'll walk into a room and be happy just looking at it. This is doubly true for how well my plants are thriving. So much light!
For the huge LR TV the previous owners included in the sale. I never, ever would have bought one that big and I'm not sure I would have gotten one for the LR at all. Even so I'm enjoying this one for its detail, clarity, and deep blacks.
My doggie. He's a boxer mutt and so might as well carry a roll of toilet paper with him because boxer will. not. leave you alone in the bathroom. Annoying as he is about getting in the way and barking at everyone who comes into the house, how could I resist such a cuddlebug.
That I can afford a frugal fail. I made well over a gallon of chicken biryani using a spice mix from an Asian supermarket. I don't like it. I'm thankful that I don't need to force myself to eat it, instead giving it to my roommate or saving it for a dinner party.
Hope your exam went well Kristen! Chiquita is so cute, I used to have a cat like that who followed me around, very special.
Thankful for a lot this week, it’s been a good week!
1. Amazing weather forecasted for our camping trip this weekend.
2. A calm week at work and getting to the bottom of my looong to do list
3. My kids going off happily to school everyday now (last year the schools were new and there was a lot more angst and drop offs).
4. So many butterflies in our garden
5. A work from home day today with an early finish to leave for camping.
6. Early mornings when it’s still dark and quiet in the house and I can drink coffee and read blogs in peace (right now!)
Kristen, I just know you're gonna rock that exam!
I'm thankful for....
....our wonderful, kind and gentle vet, and her assistant, who took such good care of our kitty (Punkins) when we had to euthanize him on Monday. She talked us through the process, did not rush us at all, offered all the time we needed and wanted with him, and then talked us through the complications that arose. She told us she could tell he was much loved (so very true).
.......my husband, who understands that I, especially, am grieving the loss of our Punkins. He comforts me when I cry, and does not complain that I am withdrawn/sleepwalking through life right now. He's as big of an animal lover as I am, and has such a big heart. I am so grateful.
....for the outpouring of support from friends and family as I grieve the loss of my little buddy. Most of them are big animal lovers, too, and they "get it".
......for the yummy Tomato Florentine soup and yogurt/granola parfait they serve in the cafeteria at work, and the fact that my lunches are free on work days. I will always be grateful for the delicious meals they serve (free is icing on the cake).
.....for my son turning 14 this week, and the marvelous young man he has turned into. He has a new-found passion for the French language, loves being a rock and roll drummer, and is hilariously funny. He still holds my hand when out in public (but not around his friends, of course), and still likes to hang around with his old fogey mom and dad. I know that will change, but I'm soaking up every minute of it while it lasts.
.....and for this community, always.
@Liz B., I'm sorry your Punkins is gone. He was lucky to have you and vice versa. Thinking of you as you mourn his passing and rejoice his being.
@Liz B., I am so sorry about the loss of your sweet cat. The kindest thing is so hard, and your vet was wonderful making it go well.
@Ruby, and @MB in MN,
Thank you so much for your kind words. It truly was a final act of love, and though it was very hard, we could not watch him suffer.
I'm thankful that our first grandchild was safely delivered via C-section and that both mother and baby are doing well.
I'm thankful for all the wonderful nurses and lactation consultants that helped DD during her hospital stay.
I'm thankful that we live close to DD so I have been able to stay with them 3 nights since they were released from the hospital on Sunday. This Nana is exhausted from lack of sleep but my heart of overflowing with joy and love.
I'm thankful that my workplace is very flexible and I have been able to take off a lot these last few weeks between doctor's appointments, taking BFF for cataract surgery twice, and birth of our grandson.
I'm thankful that the MRI results on my ankle showed surgery is not necessary at this time. Only a partial tear in my Anterior Talofibular ligament and no damage to the tendons. More PT in my future but that's much preferred to surgery, that would be followed by PT.
I'm with you on the sunshine!! It literally and figuratively brightens my day!
My family
yummy pizza buffet we were treated to today
coffee
my computer
I’m sure I’ve shared most of these before but, as an older widow who is both from another country and a recent transplant from another state, I am so thankful for the technology that:
1. Allows me to pick my groceries online and pickup outside the store while feeling very low with a chest infection.
2. Means that my 6 year old grandson can FaceTime me from the other side of the country to show me his recently lost tooth. Letters and photos are great but being able to interact visually in real time is wonderful.
3. Has introduced me to a FB friendship group that includes a fun bunch of yarn crafters. Our weekly meetings are so interesting and get me out of my usual hermit like rut .
4. For the Libby app where I am both listening and reading to books for free!
5. Let’s me read blogs like Kristen’s where kind people are so supportive.
I am thankful that I can show up and play pickleball at our neighborhood courts and I’m not the worst player there. (This wasn’t always the case.)
I am thankful that I finished two sewing projects that have been in my works in process bin for ever.
I am thankful that I didn’t have to the grocery this week. All meals were from the pantry, fridge and freezer.
I am thankful that bloodwork done today came back with all good numbers after some odd results last month.
I am thankful I have all the paperwork ready to take to accountant for tax preparation.
1. I’m thankful for Gods protection on the road today. I didn’t check the radar before heading to a store 45 min away. Drove into a snowstorm with very poor road visibility.
2. For my toddler who brightens the most dreary day.
3. Thankful that my health ailments turned out to be a vitamin D deficiency and nothing more serious.
4. Thankful for sunnier days ahead.
Hope you did well on your exam and enjoyed your time in OB!
My Thankfuls
1) My youngest cuddles
2) Sense of taste to taste yummy foods.
3) My husband’s skill to fix simple electronics.
4) Our love to read and movie mania at home.
5) Warmer weather melting snow off our driveway and sidewalks.
We’ve been laid up with COVID in our house. Slim pickings in thankfulness but I’ll go with:
- each of us got the worst of it at different times so it wasn’t so rough with taking care of the little. And we’re on the mend!
- grocery delivery is readily available here
- teleworking takes the pressure off returning to work
- I finished reading a book I really enjoyed
- I got a good review at work
While not missing a blizzard, large snow dump, ice/sleet/"wintry mix", and/or bitter cold, it is JUST too early for seeing green. Or robins - they are back way too early. The ones here and at my parents have cover but a lot places don't.
Good luck on your exam.
Thankful for having the discretionary funds to hire out the restoration of the property we bought. Phase one is done and it looks so much better.
I’m thankful for longer daylight. I really need that sunshine!
I’m thankful for a good ophthalmologist and a good exam yesterday. I’ve been wearing glasses since I was 18 months old and have had many eye exams through the years. I’m always nervous that something “bad” will be found but always SO thankful when all is well. And it is!
I’m grateful to have a “new” used car again. I was sharing my car with my daughter since she totaled her car a few months ago. But now she’s keeping my 12-year old car we were sharing and I’m driving a “new” used car that I really like. I’m also grateful for how short an adjustment time I needed to feel comfortable with the car.
I’m grateful for monthly breakfasts with close friends. It’s always so refreshing to catch up with each other and leave feeling so encouraged.
Yay for your own car again! It is so nice to have your own transportation. 🙂
I am thankful that my daughter was only "kicked out" of daycare for one day. (pink eye)
I am thankful for in home laundry! (We washed seven loads in one day to hopefully prevent the spread of pink eye throughout the family.)
I am thankful that we discovered an amazingly efficient Urgent Care. (We walked in without preregistering and got home with our perscription in one hour flat,)
I am thankful that my husband was able to flex his work schedule and help with childcare.
I am thankful that I had some accrued sick leave and was able to spend time with my daughter when she was home with pink eye.
@Rebekah in SoCal, in and out of Urgent Care with or without preregistering is a win-win. I'd dealt with pink eye (conjunctivitis) with my grandparents' cat - he got it TWICE when I was cat sitting for him. I remember my sister having it - she got the few weird disease stuff or a worse case of regular stuff. I had five "pox" when I had chicken pox, she was covered from scalp to between her toes. My mom got her revenge when both my kids were covered in pox lol...
I am thankful for this little corner of the internet! As a single mom by choice who lives in a ridiculously high cost of living area, it can be easy to get bogged down in feeling discouraged. Thanks to all of you (and especially Kristen!) for reminding me that there are always bright spots. I just have to remember to look for them.
What is a sim lab?