Thankful Thursday | I started on my "scuffed" table
This week, I am thankful:
for my new carport outlet
I used it to plug in my orbital sander last week and oooh, it was so nice not to have to use the indoor plug with an extension cord.
You will be happy to know that I started working on my $5 "scuffed" Facebook Marketplace table. 😉
for signs of spring
I see more every time I go out for a walk!
for daylight after dinner
Ok, yes, the process of switching kinda blows, but I dooooooo really like how light it is toward the end of the day now.
It makes me feel like, "Oooh, spring really is on the way!"
that I have a few pairs of pliers now
A few weeks ago, I bought a little set of three pairs of pliers, and they've come in handy many times now.
Most recently, I used them to tighten up the legs of a table I'm rehabbing.
Slowly, slowly I will build up a collection of tools that I need. 🙂
A couple of times, I've seen someone in my Buy Nothing group offer a whole toolbox of extra tools but dang it, I have never been fast enough to snag one of those. It would be perfect for me!
Maybe one day...
for yogurt, berries, and chia seeds
I've been eating a lot of homemade yogurt with these two add-ins, hoping that perhaps all the good probiotics in my yogurt will help my poor struggling immune system to recuperate.
Also: it's a delicious combo. So even if it doesn't have any effect on my immune system, I'm still a happy camper.
Also, also: it's an inexpensive combo. Homemade yogurt is crazy cheap, chia seeds from Aldi are very affordable, and I usually can get berries pretty cheap at Sam's Club or Aldi.
that my mail from the IRS arrived
I needed a few statements before my CPA could file my business taxes (remember how I was on hold for over an hour trying to talk to someone at the IRS about this??), and the letters finally arrived.
Yay!
Normally I don't really like to get mail from the IRS, but this is an exception.
I also do not like to get mail from the Department of Motor Vehicles because they are always writing to tell me to send them money. 😉
for some upcoming sunshine
There have been quite a few cloudy days this last week (boooo!), so I am grateful that a lot of upcoming days are at least only going to be partly cloudy.
for a social cat
She really, really likes to be where we are. And if Zoe is home, you can almost always find the cat right by her.
When Zoe's out of the house, though, the cat will find me and come hang out, even if it's just her sitting on the rug on my office floor.
I think it's so cute that she just likes to be by people.
I really think that table shows promise! And it looks like you had a sunny day to work on it.
Cats rule.
This week I am thankful for
Less emotional upheaval
Lots of sunshine
A lovely family visit
Our 12 and 11 year old cats, that sense Spring is coming and lark about like kittens
Great collaboration at work, getting lots of work done and feeling capable and content in my job
I'm thankful the wind died down yesterday. It felt so cold on Tuesday and on Wednesday morning that I was wearing my winter coat when I went out. Finally there was more sun and warmth and less wind by the afternoon.
I'm thankful for yogurt, berries, chia seeds, and homemade granola. I have blueberries and chia seeds on my oatmeal every morning. I also snack on yogurt with granola and fruit almost every day. Chia seeds are affordable at Costco as are frozen berries. Some day I will try making yogurt but for now I buy the big buckets of organic Greek yogurt at Costco. I do have a neighbor that uses the empty containers.
I am thankful I like my new GYN. My other one retired after I saw her last year and she did give me the names of two that she recommended. One of them is now working at the hospital so I am using the other one. I went for my annual checkup yesterday and my new GYN is both professional and personable. I love that so many GYNs are women these days. Years ago they all seemed to be men.
I am thankful for my grandkitties. One is a real love bug and the other tolerates me if treats are in the offing. They make my daughter happy so they make me happy. DH is allergic to cats but can tolerate a quick visit to see them.
I am thankful a friend's daughter, home from college on spring break, will join a small gathering of friends tomorrow.
I am thankful for modern transportation. Reading and listening to books about the past really brings home what an advancement automobiles and highways, not to mention trains and planes, are. To be able to go from point A to point B quickly, and with the ability to transport many items, is amazing.
I am thankful for a stable life. I really feel for all those that lost the majority of their SNAP benefits this week.
I wish I was closer to you! I have extra tools :). I bet if you put a want on the freebie groups, people will provide.
1. Cats always. I have 2 that want to be close. And one who is always looking out the window.
2. Quiet that this time of year brings. Not a lot of events, but looking forward to all the spring concerts and some travel.
3. Small grocery bills due to less meals to make, using up pantry.
4. Coffee
5. Spring flowers
@Ingrid Knight, I was thinking the same thing about the tools - I recently cleaned out my husbands tool box and I have so many multiples! I need to find a single lady to gift them to!
@gina, May I make a small suggestion? First ask if any of your children would like the tools, especially if they ever worked alongside your husband doing jobs around the house. When my father in law died, my MIL made no such offers to my husband, even though he was the one who always worked on the cars and other jobs around the house with his dad--he has many memories of just watching his dad work, so he could learn! He was very hurt when she just told him she'd given tools away to FIL's "golf buddies", and that she hadn't even thought of giving the tools to any of her sons.
Of course, if your kids already have the tools they need, or have no interest, disregard my suggestion--but you may be surprised if you ask.
@gina, I too wish Kristen lived closer, so that I could give her a choice of my DH's plethora of tools. Despite my best efforts at selling, bartering, and giving away, I've still got a garage and half a basement full. Decreasing the number is going to be one of my major projects for this spring and summer.
@A. Marie, Do they still teach shop classes in high schools? Might be a nice way to pass them along.
@Ingrid Knight, Maybe talk to your library about starting a tool borrowing feature. Our library has one and it is such a great addition to the community. It seems like every time an old guy dies (not so much old women), the library grows. It did not start this way, but now it is in its own building and volunteers clean and maintain the tools and equipment.
@A. Marie, If no one you knows wants the tools, a good place to donate them would be Habitat for Humanity. This is a charity that builds houses for needy people both locally and abroad; they sell the houses to the at no profit/no interest. Former President Jimmy Carter is HfH's most famous volunteer. Your local Habitat chapter would put those tools to good use building houses. Or perhaps they would sell them at their Habitat Re-Store thrift store -- and the proceeds would go toward their mission. Since a lot of the older tools are made to last, this would be a wonderful way to see that your DH's legacy lives on and that his workshop items are not wasted.
@Fru-gal Lisa, yes, I'm very familiar with H4H (my DH did some volunteer work for them back in the day). I'm going to call them this summer, after I pursue a few more gift/sell options (particularly the street-wide garage sale my neighbors and I are planning for the first week in June).
And @JDinNM, your question about shop classes actually prodded me into doing a search of our city school district's website. Nothing like the shop classes I remember from the 60s and 70s still exists. But there are plenty of more specific options--all of them, unfortunately, at two high schools on the other side of town. So I think I'll go with the ideas I've described above.
@A. Marie, Alas, the days of shop class and home economics seem to be over. And I think it's a shame.
Very thankful that (a) our big snow dump ended overnight Tuesday/Wednesday instead of continuing into Wednesday, and (b) we *only* got a foot here in my neighborhood. I know that areas south and east of us haven't been as lucky on either count, and I send my sympathies to our FG community members in those areas.
My first gift from my husband, twenty years ago, was a Leatherman multi-tool (I had mentioned wanting one, so it's not as unromantic as it sounds) and I keep it in my junk drawer in the kitchen so I always know where a pair of pliers and a screwdriver is. It's the only tool I can always find, because it's the only one I don't let anyone else use. My children--and husband--know that it's off limits and that if Mom's Leatherman ever disappears, someone is going to be in big trouble. 🙂
Thankfuls:
--That switching pillows at least partially helped the pain I was feeling in my neck and back when I got up. I seem to have suddenly switched from side-sleeping to back-sleeping, and my old pillow that I've used for over a decade had much more support for side sleeping. I think I still might need a new mattress, because my back still hurts when I wake up, but at least I can move my head freely now when I get up.
--That basketball, and its accompanying group text messaging, is over. I don't typically use my cell phone at all, so having to remember to check it and getting constant messages on it was stressful for me. I can retreat back into my Luddite shell now. 🙂
--That my older son seems to be liking FFA (Future Farmers of America). It seems to be a required course at school, but it involves a lot of public speaking and competition, so if he didn't like it, he would be pretty miserable.
--For the t-shirt I found on swap.com in my daughter's size that reads "Girls just wanna have fun." That's her favorite song (can you tell her mother is a child of the 80s?), and she was so happy with the shirt. Best five dollars I ever spent on a shirt.
--For YouTube. I may be a Luddite, but I do take advantage of videos to keep my children out of my face for awhile on bad weather days. We don't have a TV, but we do have a desktop computer, and we can usually find something on YouTube all of them will watch that isn't complete garbage (no small feat given the audience ranges from a 5-year-old girl to a 13-year-old boy).
@kristin @ going country,
80’s music was fun. The malaise that had embraced the country during the 70’s had finally retreated and it showed. I’m hoping that will happen again. In the meantime, I can’t help but to smile - and occasionally dance — when I hear “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go,” “Manic Monday,” or “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.”
@Bee, "Walkin' on Sunshine" always puts me in a good mood.
@AnnieH,
Yes!!! There were so many….
@kristin @ going country,
I think Group Text is one of the circles of hell. I'm happy that you are free.
Rebekah
@Rebekah in SoCal, you may be right.
Do you know what tree blossom that is? I'm curious. This week I am thankful:
*that my daughter has a soccer coach this spring that I know and like.
*that my family continues to be so supportive and encouraging concerning my recovery efforts. It's also great fun when they exercise their senses of humor while I do my facial exercises. I don't mind being made fun of when I look silly.
*that I've been in a silly and light-hearted mood this week.
*that we didn't lose electricity despite lots of high winds around here.
*that my youngest daughter is picking up that reading skill. We bought an early reading book at a thrift store last week, and I was surprised that when I opened it to read to her, she began reading and only needed help with a couple of words. I do not take for granted the gift I was given in that none of my children struggled with reading. They weren't all early readers, but there have been no major hurdles with reading. I completely expected that in 7 children, there would at least one struggling reader. So, so thankful!
*that I sold something on Etsy after a longer listing. It's a cute vintage children's book, and I'm thankful it will find a home.
*that I finished drinking coffee that was gifted to me that I didn't particularly like so that I may move on to drinking the coffee I do like 🙂
*for our well water. It tastes so good!
*that my children are now old enough to fold clothes.
@Jody S., That's a red maple flowering.
Yup, that's what I was gonna say! They're one of the first trees to get flowers in the spring around here.
@Rose, Thank you 🙂
This week I'm thankful...
* for sunshine. Especially in winter, we don't have many cloudy and overcast days where I live, and I really love that. Just yesterday it was cold and gray in the morning, and I could tell immediately that it affected my mood. I'm glad I don't have many of those days here.
* for quick answers from my CPA. There are some complications with my dad's taxes, and although the problem isn't fixed, at least I have some clarification.
* that I got my tax papers uploaded to the CPA. I thought it would take a lot longer than it did, so yippee, my part is done!
* for physical therapy. I've had some issues going on 3 years, and I'm hopeful that PT will get me back to where I was.
* for an especially beautiful worship song from church that's playing in my thoughts a lot lately.
@Brooke, may we know which song it is?
Thankful for the anticipation of St. Patrick's Day and of the family that will be here for the weekend. We are back to doing our yearly party, and everyone is excited. We never stopped having it (except for covid years) but with living so far away, we didn't have many people come to visit and celebrate so we would just end up celebrating with a few friends. Now family will be here. Should be a lot of fun.
@Maureen, Happy St. Patrick's Day! I hope you have a wonderful time celebrating.
This week feels like spring break for me, too, even tho I am not in school. Ha. Its almost the weekend and that makes me feel very happy. Also:
*I am not "on call" and can go and do as I please for two full days!
*The week at work has not been so terrible that I feel the need to vent (which is a good thing as venting doesn't give you any long-term relief)
*I signed up at my favorite winery to help with finishing trials for a couple of their wines and this is really geeky stuff that I am excited to learn about! Plus it fits in with my goal to socialize with other adults, ha ha.
I'm excited that spring is here, too!
I’m thankful that my daughter’s end-of-chemo imaging and bloodwork came back yesterday showing no signs of remaining cancer! I’m also thankful that she’s finally feeling well enough to play with my other daughter again, and they’re having so much fun. It’s been a hard winter for them both and it warms my heart to see them happy.
@Sarah, Oh, this post makes me so happy! Congratulations to your daughter!
@Sarah, That's great news about your daughter's imaging and bloodwork!
@Sarah, Great news!
Oh Sarah, that is such good news!!
@Sarah, YAY! That's great news! Happy for all of you!
@Sarah, your thankful list cheers me to no end! Such wonderful news for you. Thank you for perspective...what a blessing.
@Sarah, So happy about this wonderful news for your daughter, your family and you. The relief must be tremendous.
@Sarah, Here's to a Thankful Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and years and years and years to come. I can't even begin to imagine how hard this has been for all of you.
@Sarah, I'm adding my voice to the Hallelujah Chorus here. Good news indeed!
@Sarah, That's wonderful!
@Sarah, the day my granddaughter rang the bell is one of the happiest days of my life. I am so happy for your family!
@Sarah, What a relief for you! Another reason to celebrate this spring. So glad for all of you.
@Sarah, What a wonderful feeling to see them playing! So very happy for you!
@Sarah, I think you trumped everybody else's thankfuls! Yay!
(Not that it's a contest...)
@Sarah, that’s so wonderful to hear! May this be the beginning of a cancer free forever for her. ❤️
Cats are awesome. Thanks for sharing yours with us (signed, a sad allergic individual who would love to have two or three cats).
I'm thankful for texting technology that lets us check in with our oldest at the end of the day (he's on his very first business trip ever, and will be gone for a month, the longest he's ever been away from family!)
Thankful for an adult son who is not afraid to say he misses his parents and siblings 😉 but who is showing up and doing the work he needs to do.
Thankful for my other kids who are really getting along pretty darn well, considering the dynamic has changed a bit.
Thankful for the lovely sunset I got to see the other night, and that our house is on a hill where we can see the sunset easily in the evenings.
I’m loving the signs of spring also. I saw some tulips yesterday!
This week I’m thankful that our new wall oven & microwave will be installed tomorrow (happy dance). It’s been a little disconcerting to look up and see that the control panel has randomly faded to black or has suddenly come back to bright, & to hear the occasional “end of cooking” signal when nothing is cooking. I also finally received the insurance proceeds I was told to expect, after stop payment & reissue had to be done.
And another biggie - I am finally able to return to Silver Sneakers classes after all my foot issues. Yay for regular exercise! Also thankful for the excitement of my granddaughter on her birthday this week. The wonder & joy of children is contagious.
Have a wonderful day, all!
I can’t wait to see the “scuffed” table when you are finished.
This week I am especially thankful for coffee. I find the time change and waking up in the dark extremely difficult.
It was my turn to host the monthly meeting of my club’s chapter. I have had very little time lately so this felt like a bit of a burden. Although I didn’t feel my house was “company ready,” I had plenty of good food and wine. I am thankful I made it through and so thankful for the nearby Trader Joe’s. I was able to pull things off quickly and economically.
I am thankful my cousin is quickly recovering from heart surgery. It’s all I can do to keep myself from traveling the 1000 miles to take care of the family. With the support from their church and the help of the adult children, they are managing well.
I am so thankful for my grandson. He stayed with me for the day last Friday. I had so much fun. He is 8 months old now and has a great personality. He reminds me of my son in many ways,
Wishing everyone a week full of blessings.
For good neighbors! My husband was out of town for training this week and I commute over forty miles away. My oldest had a science fair at school, so my youngest walked home. They had locked the house in the morning before school and my youngest had to walk back up to school to get the key from oldest. Well, the youngest didn't know and just couldn't get the key to turn in the lock. Luckily it was in the high thirties yesterday. It dawned on me to call and check on him as soon as I left work yesterday. He didn't answer, so I called my oldest. He said I gave him the key and told him how to use it. Well I called three neighbors and finally got ahold of the third one and her daughter ran over and got him into the house. Whew! Poor guy!
- I'm thankful for my savings account dedicated to car maintenance because my 13-year-old Honda Pilot needed a large, expensive repair this week
- I'm thankful DH can drop me off at my office on his way to work while we are down to one car
- I'm thankful for the gorgeous sunrise this morning. It was a great start to my day.
- I'm thankful spring flowers.
- I'm thankful for allergy medicine. While I love spring, I'm really allergic to tree pollen.
I too am loving the sunlight after dinner!!! Nice easy going dog walls!
My cat is very social with us but very mean and ANTISOCIAL with visitors. We love her anyway. She spends lots of time purring loudly on our laps or hiding from others.
I am thankful for getting thru each of my days. I have some tough things going on right now but am trying to be gracious and finding small joys.
I am thankful NCAA MARCH MADNESS starts today. A great and fun diversion.
Your kitty is the softest looking one! And yay for a furniture rehab to follow.
Right now I’m thankful for good medical treatment, doctors and nurses. And for happening upon a smoothie recipe that sets a high standard for protein and fiber for breakfast. It’s so delicious, almost as a bonus.
And I'll bet you listened to The Nutcracker the whole time you were on hold.....
This week I am thankful for
1. A job with time off for vacation
2. My excellent family and my good relationship with my sisters
3. Healthy coping skills
4. Good Health
The work you've done so far on the scuffed (ha) table looks promising.
I'm thankful it's Thankful Thursday, for starters.
1. I'm thankful that a grandchild's outpatient surgery yesterday went just fine with no problems. She should be back in school on Monday following this week's Spring break with no issues. I'm grateful that these days, the little problem she had is so simple to fix with a quick surgery.
2. I'm thankful that although our temperature at night suddenly dropped from 60's to 30's, we didn't end up with frost on all those blooming and budding plants. The 30's should be over for the rest of this week.
3. I'm grateful for the cards and letter from some of my husband's old high school friends. My husband was moved around so much as a kid due to his dad's job that he didn't stay anyplace long enough to make any friends until high school, and those friends he only knew for a little over two years before he graduated and moved again. That they still think of him and contact him from several hundred miles - and 50 years - away is something for which we are both thankful .
4. I'm thankful for Crock Pots, again. Coming home to a ready-to-eat meal is wonderful.
5. I'm thankful for fountain pens. I love writing with mine.
@JD, I hear you on your #3. My DH didn't move around as a child the way yours did, but I'm thankful nevertheless for the two friends from his high school years who still do keep in touch, plus our others. (A few folks seem to have distanced themselves because of their own fear of Alzheimer's and mortality, but only a few. And I figure that anyone who is too chicken to keep up with us for the long haul can go...well, never mind.)
@A. Marie, When my husband had cancer and things looked grim, I saw someone in the grocery store who said she wanted to visit but "hospitals are just so hard for me, all those smells..." The only excuse I have is that the stress overwhelmed me because I ended up screaming a tirade about how "This is not about you, you self centered blah, blah, blah." I remember the produce person coming over to calm me down. I am with you, if someone is too chicken or self-centered to be there at the hardest of times, they can go to hell.
@A. Marie,
I always find it so strange when people feel the need to stay away under your (or similar) circumstances....when my MIL was slowly dying of multi-infarct dementia three years ago, only a very few friends stepped up to prop up my DH and I. We were desperate for so much - a home cooked meal, for example- but folks stayed away in droves. I am eternally grateful for those friends who stepped up, and try to pay it forward.
@Liz B.,
Not sure why my comment showed up twice.
Your cat really is soooo adorable! I love when they act all cool and aloof, but mysteriously they just keep showing up wherever you happen to be. Just hanging out. 🙂 I was out puttering in the garden yesterday and my little cat Mya was just walking around with me and it really made me smile. She's my buddy!
Such an adorable kitty! I had a cat that liked to sit near people with one paw touching them while he slept. He wouldn't just climb into anyone's lap but mine, unless they invited him to.
This week I am thankful for:
1. Being able to get together for brunch with friends we haven't seen in a long time this past weekend.
2. The lemon ricotta pancakes at said brunch...so yummy!
3. Accomplishing another major task at work this week. And for co-workers who are a pleasure to work with.
4. There is a new little snake plant coming up in the pot with my original plant. It's so cute!
5. Claude Debussy's "Clair de Lune." It's such a beautiful piece of music.
@AnnieH, your #5. My mother's favorite. Think of her every time I hear it.
Seeing your dilemma with tools, Kristen, makes me glad for mine. I used to say I have more tools than most guys in our church fellowship. Back in the late 70's, when my Mom asked me what I wanted for Christmas, I told her a Swiss Army knife. I still have the toothpick and tweezers! It has been the handiest thing. I do have to remember to take it out of my purse if I travel by air.
I am thankful for trash day. I was able to straighten up some cupboards by combining like items, and getting rid of way outdated foods. Plus, it helped me to be mindful of what inventory I do have. By the time I finished I had ample space and an extra trash bag full of packaging.
Thankful for friends who helped transition from age 69 to 70 by having a small gathering. I do not feel this old (well, in my brain) and most people are astonished when I tell them my age. I remember all to well when my Dad died at 67 and my Mom died ten days later at 70 in March of 2001.
Aww, happy birthday to you! And what a mix of feelings it must be to surpass the age your own parents reached. I'm glad you had friends to help you celebrate your day.
@Chrissy, Happy Birthday from someone who also asked for (and received) a Swiss Army Knife as a little girl. And who still has it. Girls just do wanna have fun, just like the boys.
Thankful this week for:
-We didn't lose power, even when the majority of our unfortunate neighbors did.
-We did, however, lose WiFi for two days, but it just turned on this morning, and that makes me happy
-That all of the storm damage was easily fixable. We swept, gathered fallen branches, have attempted to save our fallen palm tree (jury is still out on this one), put the patio furniture back together, etc. Many of our neighbors weren't as lucky
-That we are actually getting some sunshine, instead of what feels like the non-stop rain. Hurrah
-My baby turns 16 tomorrow. I absolutely can't believe this. He has been a surprise since day one (my kids are 13 months apart. The mini pill + breastfeeding isn't totally effective, it seems), & I'm so thankful that he came into our lives, even though we most certainly weren't ready for a second child with another infant. Can't imagine our lives without him.
One of my kids was a tremendously shocking surprise, but I feel the same way about her that you do about your son. 🙂
This week I'm thankful for:
1. Good friends. Our neighbors are going to be on TV tomorrow night, so I and a couple local friends are planning a drinking game around the show. (Neighbors, while nice, are also shameless self promoters, so the snark will be flowing.)
2. Embroidery. Clears my mind every time.
3. Paychecks! Got my first pay in two months. STD insurance denied me, so I have to deal with that, too, sigh.
4. Almost finished decluttering financially, with little bits of money and old 401ks, etc, all in one place.
5. not finished decluttering physically, but it'll happen.
What do you like to embroider? You should share some pics in the Facebook group!
Short term disability insurance has an unfortunate result when abbreviated. lol
@Kristen, thanks for clearing up the mystery of the short term disability insurance. . . I was puzzling over that unfortunate acronym, wondering what in the world.
@Kristen, thank you for clarifying that perplexing acronym!!
Kristen, can't you do an "ask" on your Buy Nothing Group? Just post a picture of tools for attention and ask if anyone has tools to give away. Yeah, I hear you on not being fast enough. I've been in these groups for decades and things have become so competitive lately like it's a sport or something.
I think Ebay, FB Marketplace, and similar platforms may have something to do with it :(. The thrift stores/ garage sales where I live are more expensive than the department stores. The other day, I stopped by at an estate sale and found a round Corelle serving dish I bought for $2 a while back. This one had a $24 sticker on it (marker stains on the back) (!?!).
Yeah, I probably should do that. I also could really use some things like a shovel and a rake; I could buy them but I know those are the types of things people tend to accumulate extras of, and I'd be delighted to take them off of someone's hands.
@Kristen, All of us could offer to send you some but the cumulative shipping costs would be enough to buy you an Ace Hardware franchise. Go Local!
Right? Tools are too heavy to ship!
I'm thankful for knowing how to bake. After 15 years of experimenting, reading recipe reviews, and baking blogs, I've learned enough to be able to bake for friends and family for special occasions and it comes in really handy. It's fun to be able to "gift" a homemade baked good.
Similarly, I'm thankful for the gift of being about to (passably) play the piano. It's something that you can always make forward progress on and it serves my little teeny church well.
I'm thankful for the ability to learn and study. I hear many people say that things are "over their head" and refuse to even pick up a book or try to learn. This makes me more than a little sad. I experience intellectual overwhelm too, but I've learned that perseverance in study always yields fruit.
I'm thankful for the self-knowledge (and self-comfort) that I know that things take me a long time to learn and lots of work. I know that I have to devote extra time studying, practicing, and asking for help to learn things that others around me. BUT! I always do learn if I stick with it. Knowing this helps me when I'm 'in the thick of it' and feeling discouraged at slow/no progress.
I'm thankful for the library! Always always always thankful for this.
Spring is coming here too. I can tell because the snow is melting faster, more driveway is visible and there’s more slick ice. Yay!
I’m working hard for my thankfulness today, not because I don’t have so much beauty in my life but because the hard is trying to black out the beauty. So here’s to pushing back against that:
1. Friends who give hugs and tell stories that make me laugh.
2. Minnesota Department of education that recognizes and approves of my out of state teacher education, making it easier to get a professional license here. I just have to track down some test scores (or retake) rather than go back to college.
3. The ability to shovel snow. I removed so much snow from the long sidewalk and 20 steps from our house, including the 12ft snow bank the plow left right in front of the steps. I was exhausted by the end, but it felt so good to soak up the sun and fresh air and not be in pain the next day.
4. UV is now high enough for a few hours each day to get vitamin d from exposure. So I shoveled in short sleeves.
5. My new vacuum that does such a better job than my previous one. Having a working tool is much more motivating than having a broken one.
I’m also enjoying the evening light!
I’m thankful:
My daughter was home for spring break last week and my son comes home on Saturday for a visit. Love to have them home for a bit.
I’m working on losing weight. I have bad knees and that makes exercise tough, but I’m having slow but steady results focusing on my food for now which I’m grateful for. I’m hoping the exercise gets a little easier when I’m down a bit more.
The car dealer’s service dept noticed my back tires were bald. Car only has 13k miles so we didn’t think to check. Not happy to replace tires so soon but grateful to avoid an accident.
I’m thankful my mom doesn’t live very far now that she needs more assistance.
I'm thankful to be reading all these comments. It's been a hard week, actually a hard month, due to some family relationships, and it's kind of hard not to dwell on it.
But, I am thankful:
That I finally scheduled dental appointments for hubby and me. It's going to be a huge financial outlay, but we are way overdue for some dental work and procrastinating will just make it worse.
For new acquaintances. Another church member and I got together this week to stuff and tape plastic eggs for the big Easter Egg hunt we do for the community. Turns out we both have husbands with prostate cancer, depression and multiple other health issues, and both know how it is to be the rock in our families. It's nice to be able to empathize with and encourage each other.
For retirement (again), even though it's been almost 7 years now. Not fond of the lower income, but I am grateful for the uncommitted time to be able to help out on church projects, to deliver gifts from one group member to another, to read, to binge-watch TV series I missed when working, to go on walks with the dog. Working night shift really messes up your body, and it is nice not to be dealing with the constant fatigue.
For yellow. Seeing yellow forsythia bushes and daffodils after such a gray, colorless winter is such a feast for the eyes.
@Stephanie D, I envy you finding a new friend who completely understands your life. What a gift!
1. For connections in our community to knowledgeable tradesmen. We have a leak that we are trying to diagnose and both a plumber and a roofer visited my home this week and since I know them both & the quality of their work it has made this leak experience not so bad. We still don't know where it is coming from but as we try to diagnose it is a relief to know they are just a phone call away.
2. For allergy medication. Pollen has arrived here in Georgia and man oh man it is something else this season. Zyrtec is my good friend.
3. For the ability to complete exercises and get through boot camp workouts that I was not able to 3 months ago. Progress is such a wonderful thing!
4. For wise counsel.
5. For the coming Spring season. It appears that we are in our last cold spell for the winter season and it can't be done soon enough for me never mind for all those dealing with feet of snow across the nation.
I am thankful for a week of friendship. I have been blessed to have extra time this week with friends I don’t often get to see. Lunch on Monday with a friend I haven’t seen in a couple of month. Supper and talking till the late hours with my best friend who lives three hours away but was staying an hour away for a seminar. Time with a sweet friend yesterday before church, and plans to hang out with my homeschooling mom friends while our teens gather Friday night.
Plus, I get to keep my three-year-old great niece today. I’m very thankful!
To finally have an acceptable job offer...so many places just aren't willing to pay me for my time and I am educated to be a teacher but don't have my license and when I left the system it was a 5 year cycle and now it is a 10 year cycle and it takes almost 2 years of college classes to get it back...and who even knows if it is worth it? I could spend that money and decide it is not...so I would rather dabble back in public education first before making that commitment. Now I need to wait to see if I for the permanent sub offer or just accept the Teacher Assistant position...if the principal doesn't email back by lunch I will call to finalize...I have been lifeguarding at the pool and subbing and I just need to do one job for awhile...small miracles because I have been interviewing since the beginning of January and turning down so many jobs because they would not pay enough for my skills...I also know that my Scout unit snagged three new Scouts which has been another hard battle because I had left the teaching profession to be a professional Scouter and wanted to return but they gave the position to someone else without letting my know, my old volunteers informed me...a courtesy email would have been nice...whatever! Time to enjoy the sun and wait to call the other school back with y answer
I am very, very, very thankful this week to learn that after six rounds of chemotherapy and a double mastectomy, our 37 year old daughter is now CANCER FREE!!!! Everything else this week pales in comparison.
YAYYYY!!
@Barb, hip hip hooray! There's a long history of breast cancer in my family, so I can guess from experience with relatives what a thrill your news must be.
@Barb, Congratulations! Am so happy for you.
@Barb, How terrific for your daughter and family!
After the hardest of weeks (including a full day in the emergency department and 2 nights in the hospital) and not good news (my cancer has progressed and the chemo is not working) I am most thankful for -
1. Incredibly awesome health care teams that have rallied and worked together to help me. And universal health care (I cannot imagine having a financial burden added to this journey). And an oncologist who is still helping me fight this disease.
2. Being able to breathe again. One will never know the fear and anxiety a person feels when they cannot breathe properly unless they've experienced it. I hope I never have to again.
3. Being able to eat and drink again. I am loving my food and ice water and I am making up for lost time, eating like it's my job. I even liked the hospital food, lol.
4. My family who immediately rallied, looked after my daughter and my cats and home and were there for us every step of the way.
5. My faith (and hope) in my God that everything will work out as it's meant to work out. For despite a crappy prognosis, the gift to still see the world with joy.
6. For the world wide web and the being able to connect with all of you lovely people. Thank you, Kristen.
Oh, Leann, I am so sorry you've had such an awful week. I'm glad you are feeling a little better now, and I'm so glad your oncologist has helped you find some more ways to fight the cancer.
@Leann, I send you good thoughts and best wishes for the road ahead.
@Leann, Prayers for you!
@Leann, I am humbled by your ability to still see the good in life. Sending good wishes your way.
@Lindsey, Exactly! Also grateful for good oncologists, my daughter started out with a not so good one and stayed with them too long, when we finally moved on it was like night and day! Sometimes, as women, we accept less than ideal relationships with our doctors than we should. And yes, it’s definitely a relationship with an oncologist!
@Leann,
I admire your outlook in the fave of your bad news. Grateful that you have a medical team with new options to treat your cancer. As a hospital dietitian, I can also say that eating *is* your job, lol!
@Liz B.,
Face, not fave
The scuffed table looks like it's going to come along well, Kristen.
I am thankful for the amazingly heady perfume from the very old snowball bush in our front yard. Also thankful for the couple of weeks of warmer weather we had, even if it did not last. As always, so thankful for my sweet family and our tribe of critters, especially our youngest rescued cat who is so funny and sweet.
I’m thankful that my worry over our upcoming Disney trip ( my stamina is the issue, I was diagnosed with Psoriatuc Arthritis last year), was lessened a little bit as we went to the Houston Livestock Show/carnival/ exhibit yesterday. We stayed seven hours, walking the whole time, and yes, my feet hurt and I was tired when I got home. BUT I MADE IT. my Fitbit showed I logged 9,564 steps.
@SandyH,
You rock! I have a bad knee, so I'm always worried about being able to walk at places like that....but you did it!
Unsolicited "it worked for me" advice, (but I am thankful for these things): After being on multiple rounds of antibiotics last year, only to find out I had a nasal polyp that had to be removed by surgery, I have found drinking Kefir or Kombucha and adding kimchi or sourkraut to some meals, to be helpful in restoring my damaged immune system (and the related digestive issues). Aldi has some of these items, so they're not too expensive. (Because I am not a "crunchy" enough person to make them myself, but I admire those who do!) I have a friend who gives me homemade elderberry syrup which seems to help immunity as well. Or maybe it's the placebo effect of having someone else who cares about my health? 🙂
@Karen @ Living Unabridged,
FYI- look for sauerkraut that has been fermented. Not all sauerkraut is made that way.
THE DROUGHT IS OFFICIALLY OVER! So thankful, and this week is all about rain, over 11" in the past week!
-that we couldn't afford riverfront when we moved here 24 years ago, so we are in an area that isn't flooding
-lots of wildflowers on the one sunny day I went walking
-the daffodils have held up through the rain
-the county responded quickly to direct traffic around a place where the highway is undermined by water and worked on it all night
-intense green everywhere
Yay for rain for you guys out there!
This week :
* 2022 taxes are done and sent
* Having 7 different groceries store close to home, so I can pick and choose where to go and for what items
* My ability to read, and a great public library.
* My Buy Nothing group : it's very active and people pick up promptly. I gave about 25 items in the last 48 hours. Love it! (I hate clutter)
* 2 university classes I'm taking this summer are working perfectly, schedule wise, with my work schedule. Work on M- W-F, classes on Tu-Th, perfect.
I've been wondering if you were still making yogurt! I started making about 7 years ago after reading your posts, but used non fat milk. It was good, but stopped after a few months. About 2 months ago I started making it again and it is so much fun and economical! I buy whole milk when it is on sale plus I strain it after it's done and in the fridge over night. Each quart I strain about 3.50 cups of whey. It's the creamest and most delicious yogurt! I save the whey to make bread, bagels, naan, and pizza dough. Thank you for sharing your recipe for yogurt!
Yeah, I went for quite a few months without making any, especially because I wasn't even living in my own home (I was living with my parents for the first part of 2022). But now I'm back in a groove. 🙂
Thankful for Wyman's frozen wild blueberries (and pumpkin seed granola) to go with the morning yogurt. I have a hard time getting through quarts of fresh fruit before it goes bad and I prefer the wild rather than tame blueberries.
Thankful I discovered that chia seeds get caught between my teeth before I left the house. No more chia seeds for moi!
Thankful that we're finally getting some rain and my spring flowering bulbs are peeking out.
Thankful that I bought a new outdoor doormat yesterday and got it in place before a muddy morning. Although the dog prefers to wipe her paws on my pants. At least she doesn't track the mud into the house!
Thankful for an internet that lets me Google "how save overcooked salmon" and find some promising recipes. Stay tuned for Friday WIS WIA! This should be exciting.
Oh, so true about the chia seeds; I always have to check my teeth before I leave!
@Kristen,
This is gonna sound crazy, but I sort of love that about chia seeds. Several hours later I get this little jellied reminder of my breakfast and I'm all like "ooh, secret chia snack!" The embarrassment was of course lessened when I was always in a mask-extra secret chia snack...
@Becca, Why, yes! That does sound crazy. ;-}
@JDinNM,
But did you laugh? If so, my work here is done. Now excuse me while I go enjoy a secret snack...
@Becca, I chuckled. Not a deep down belly laugh, but still a show of appreciation for your great good humor on this rainy overcast day. Thanks!
I seem to be in a similar place as you were last week, Kristen. I am about two weeks out from clearing a second bout of COVID and now have an unpleasant cold. I hope it's not going to be a pattern...
Anyway, this week I am thankful that I have lots of sick leave accumulated and also that I work with lots of people who can cover my class. Sometimes I find it annoying to have "too many cooks in the kitchen" with this new job, but when I need to be out sick, it's really nice.
I am also thankful for my cats. One of them kindly shared her (actually MY) pillow with me this morning while I slept in. The other one has some sort of issue that is causing him to pee gallons every day necessitating exhausting daily litter box changes, but today I looked at him and thought "well, at least you're worth the trouble." I'm hoping that it is just residual effects from a recent round of steroids, but I am beginning to suspect it might actually be something more like diabetes. Anyway, if he has to suddenly be an older cat that needs this much care, I'm glad at least that he still has a wonderful personality. I know that is not always the case with aging cats.
Finally, I am thankful to see the sun today! I am going to try and get out in it a little bit this afternoon if it warms up enough. Yay for free vitamin D!
Ugh, so much sympathy to you! It really stinks to be sick twice in a row.
I hope that you feel more like yourself soon.
@Becca, it might also be kidney issues. If you can, I'd try to get a urinalysis done as soon as you can make it happen! Good luck!
I never thought I would be happy for Daylight Savings (I am such a fall/winter person), but this year I am right there with you.
This week I am thankful for:
1. My car. The combination of snow + rain has made slush and flooding a real problem all over the Sierra's. I am so happy I have a four wheel drive car that is reliable and decent gas mileage.
2. The New York Times. I pay for a subscription every year, so I get my news and best recipes from there (the blueberry muffin recipe is unmatched).
3. A little more daylight. I am still more pro-winter than summer but it is nice going on a run at 5pm and it isn't pitch black.
4. My garden. I have been a horrible plant mom lately and had resigned myself to starting from scratch but when I went outside, there were lots of little shoots that survived the weather and my neglect.
5. Good ice cream. A spoonful or two of really good ice cream (Jeni's is amazing!) really makes the end of the day better.
I have been intrigued by chia seeds (and their health benefits) for a while. I actually picked up a bag of them at Aldi this week... only to put them right back on the shelf because I wasn't confident of what I would do with them. Are they an item that you use often and in multiple ways or is it something that's more of a here-and-there item?
This week I'm thankful for:
* the time change. I love the extra daylight and it's been extremely helpful in all of the yard cleanup we are doing from our downed trees. It finally feels like we're really making progress!!
* living close to my parents. My dad took me out for a birthday brunch today (since he can't be there for my real birthday celebration) and my mom is coming to babysit my 2 youngest kids tonight while my oldest child, my husband, and I are at an event. My mom pops by most every Saturday and I'm thankful that my kids get to have at least one set of grandparents close by. Also thankful that the other set makes an effort to have a great relationship from a distance.
* my Aldi greenhouse!!!!! I've had a rough couple of years with seed-starting thanks to cats that like to dig up plants. But I got a little greenhouse from Aldi that has 4 shelves and is cat-proof and my baby peppers and tomatoes are doing great!!! I love it so much!
* a break in snow. I appreciate the chance to take my dog outside to play in the grass instead of snow.
* a friend helping me get my daughter's earring back in last night. 48 hours out from getting her ears pierced, an earring fell out and did NOT want to go back in. My friend finally got it back in through the back, so even though the earring is backwards, at least it is in. We were getting to the point where I was starting to think it wasn't going to go back in at all. Phew!
@Ruth T,
I use chia seeds the same way I would use chopped nuts or sesame seeds-like I sprinkle them on yogurt, cereal, salad, etc. Sometime I mix them into juice like Kristen mentioned once. You can also add them to flexible recipes like granola or muffins. I know people also use them as egg replacer, but I don't do a lot of baking, so I don't have personal experience with that.
@Ruth T, I would also recommend staying a bit close to the house the first time or two you try them! For some people, chia seeds and their guts don't agree. But rest assured that even if they don't work out for you, you can always make a chia pet with the leftover seeds 😉
@Rachel, I am one of those individuals! Chia seeds are no friend of mine.
I use chia seeds to make this drink: https://www.thefrugalgirl.com/how-to-make-3-ingredient-chia-drinks/
And other than that I mostly sprinkle them on yogurt, although sometimes I also stir them into my oatmeal to thicken it up a bit.
Thanks, all! Sounds like it's worth a try. And if it goes south, my kids will surely get a kick out of a chia pet.
@Ruth T, I'm a little late to the party but I use chia seeds in overnight oats and also put them in my iced tea. Boba places often use a similar add-in so it makes me feel like I'm having an expensive tea when I'm just using a 10 cent tea bag. Another yummy recipe is to soak a couple tablespoons of chia overnight in coconut milk, along with some maple syrup. In the morning, top with fresh fruit and/or granola.
This week I am thankful:
That I didn't have to do my usual long-distance commute this week. It has been an enormous blessing to have dinner with my family every night.
That I had the opportunity to interview for an academic position that, if I get it, will have me home with the family every night during the week. You better believe I am praying hard on this one!
That my car's battery decided to die right in front of our house during business hours. Our mechanic is on the other side of the block, so I called the office, and he came over with a jumper box about five minutes. I hated to buy a new battery, but it is what it is and could have been so much worse.
That my friend is home healthy with a healthy baby. She had a couple of scares during her pregnancy, so I am over the moon for her that things have gone as well as they did. The baby will be a week old tomorrow, and I have already had the pleasure of getting to hold her.
Thankful we have had some sunny days (interspersed with snowy ones, haha); for my sweet and slightly smug cat--he fills our lives with fun and coziness; for the week we had with my son last week when he was home for spring break; for the ability to pull up retro Christian music hits on YouTube--lately I've been in the mood to hear them again; for getting some hours at work.
I am thankful for the two inches of rain this week. It will keep my clay soil soft so that I can dig out more of our St. Augustine grass.
I am thankful for spring blossoms on my fruit trees. Everything should be green in a couple of weeks.
I am thankful for the new tea that arrived from my favorite tea shop (Temecula Spice and Tea Merchants--check out their stock b/c they ship all over).
I am thankful that my husband loved the pork vindaloo I made yesterday. (He claims to dislike curry so I am always nervous, but I see a lot of pork vindaloo in our future.)
I am thankful for a chance to dig in the garden this afternoon.
That table looks better already!
Thankful for:
1. Sumo oranges. Honestly, we cannot get enough of them.
2. Our mailman, who is always smiling even when he is trudging through snow and ice at 30 below and colder. This morning it was 17 below when I saw him and he chirped, "Spring is almost here!" His smile is contagious.
3. My German friend who comes to dinner once a month. We alternate who provides the food and she always brings genuine German food. I like it but the husband positively swoons when she walks in with some version of tubed meat.
4. Our World Ice Carving Championship festival. People come from all over the world to carve intricate ice sculptures and there are also slides and other kid type things carved out of ice for a sort of ice playground. If you are interested in seeing some photos go to https://www.icealaskaphotos.com/home
5. The husband, always the husband.
@Lindsey, and three Alaska Natives won the Iditarod!
@JDinNM, I know!! I was actually tempted to put that but then I would feel compelled to explain the Iditarod and sometimes that leads to a lot of flak about dog sled racing. I especially love that the first place winner is the grandson of the guy who pioneered the race.
@Lindsey, but the dogs LOVE it! They're born to race! All you have to do is watch them at the starting line ... then POW! It's a beautiful thing to see.
1. Quality time with my dog, who is old and has cancer. She does not appear to be in pain, but she is getting more loving. It's as if she knows. Our time left together may not be long but we can make it a good time and cherish every day.
2. Roommate fixed some Rice-a-Roni and shared some with me (we usually cook for ourselves only), and so I will have a nice hot lunch today. I always "brown-bag" it. (Oh, and I found a new-to-me vinyl tote at the thrift store so I now I have bigger, better lunch bag.)
3. Trees trimmed before this coming weekend's freeze; less chance of having an oak topple over. Bonus: the price I paid was affordable.
4. Belated birthday present of a box of English tea bags has led to my developing a nice new indulgence: having a cup of hot tea when I get home from work. Very relaxing. Frugal luxury...which also was the title of a great book I once read.
5. Being able to schedule a CT scan this coming Saturday so that I didn't have to miss any work to get the diagnostic test.
I love your kitty, that she is so loving and such a people person. My kitties, the senior 19 and the junior 14 are not "pick me up" cats, and are also not so much "pet me" cats, they will tolerate a little petting and then give me "the look", and then walk away; Senior cat will nip at me. But still, cuteness abounds.
My BIG thankful carries on from my FFT the BIG one on Tuesday by not hiring a plumber for the clogged drain from my kitchen sink, saving big bucks. The Thankful part comes in because I had run the dishwasher on Thursday night, and at the end of the run there was a little backup of water in the sink. That could have been a Major flood. Friday the sink had totally plugged. I am counting my blessings. HB snaked the pipe 6 times from the top, and had to cut the pipe in the basement, and snake up twice from the bottom. He says there were 2 clogged points. This was 2.5 hours, with me cleaning up for another 2 hours; at which point HB asked if I want him to mop the floors: YES please! Thankful!
For the lovely sunshine today, it is a balmy 8C and so beautiful out. The best walking weather. Tomorrow we are expecting rain ALL day. This sunshine is EVERYTHING!
For a very pleasant grocery shop this morning; the store was not very full, so I got in and out in a decent amount of time.
So glad your sink drain is working properly again! I can imagine your relief.
My BUY NOTHING group has a “WISHFUL WEDNESDAY” where you can post an “ASK..” for ANYTHING..large or small! Of course, on ANY day , you can post and ask if anyone has extra tools, for instance, on our site.Maybe yours too!!
Can I make an IG post request? Can you just...have a hey day (or is it hay day? Weird it'd be about hay... horseeeeee. Sorry. Back to the question) and dedicate a whole post or five to the cat? I love seeing her hanging about!!
This week, I’m super thankful that a legal issue connected to my health is finally sorted out, and in my favour.
It means that I can replace my car for a newer and safer one, and to take my debt down to zero. It’s truly life changing, and I’m still struggling to process it in the very best of ways.
Love this! I’m thankful for warm weather, time to spend cooking from scratch, an upcoming vacation with a friend, and the ability to live with my parents for a little bit to save money.
I wanted to say, buy nothing is just as much about asking for what you need as it is giving things away. You could put feelers out for spare tools! Or ask to get (or even borrow) some when there is one you need.