Thankful Thursday | I was stressing about the poppy seeds!
Unnecessary picture of Chiquita to start us out:
This week I am thankful:
that my poppy seed consumption did not screw me over
So yesterday morning I knew I had my health screening/drug test for my student nurse job.
I went to the gym, worked out, came home and made some breakfast, headed to the hospital, and when I got there, I was like, "OH NOOOOO. I PUT EVERYTHING BAGEL SEASONING ON MY EGGS."
And we all know that has poppy seeds in it.
Because I have almost no experience with drug screenings, I immediately started panic-googling to see if that small amount of poppy seeds was going to cause a problem.
I hadn't arrived at a definitive answer before my drug test but thank heavens, the urine drug test is processed on the spot. So a few minutes after the test, it was already clear that I had passed all the screens.
Whew. That saved me a lot of worrying (and further googling!)
for a nursing friend who understands me
One of my friends from clinical last semester is, like me, a very rule-following, squeaky-clean kind of person.
But also like me, she expends a not-insignificant amount of energy worrying that she has accidentally broken the rules.
So, I texted her about my poppy-seed-drug-test story when I got home. She was like, "OMG I WOULD HAVE BEEN FREAKING OUT." and I said, "I knew you would understand me."
Heh.
that my TB test is gonna do double-duty
I was due to get a new TB test done for the next semester of nursing school, and I was planning on having to pay for it myself.
BUT, I got a free TB test yesterday for my job at the hospital, so I can just submit those results for school. Woohoo!
That will save me time and money.
that my neighbor who fell is fine
About a week ago, on my way home, I found an older neighbor sitting in the road. I stopped to check on him, and he had apparently just fallen. He had a big ol' knot on his head and he was pretty confused, but he was able to remember where he lived.
I checked him over, helped him to his feet and walked him back to his house, and thankfully his wife was home, and she was able to take over from there.
(He wanted to walk home by himself and I was like, "Ummmmm, that will not be happening." Heh.)
Anyway, he was out walking his dog this past weekend and he popped by to let me know that he is ok. Yay!
Something funny about this story: when I am doing clinicals at the hospital, I am not allowed to ambulate patients without supervision. So I almost second-guessed whether it was ok to help my neighbor walk home.
But then I remembered I am not operating in any official capacity in my neighborhood. I'm free to help people walk here! 😉
that my branches are alllllll gone now
Last weekend, my neighbors and I only got as far as cutting up the branches, stacking them, and putting debris in yard waste bags.
But on Tuesday, Donna and I made three truck trips to the recycling center to dump it all into the yard waste dumpster (it gets recycled/composted there.)
Loading it into the truck isn't all that fun, but I have to say, throwing it over the edge into the dumpster is pretty fun, especially when it's the larger logs of wood.
It's kinda like a free rage room!
Donna said, "Flex and let me take a picture for your blog!" So here you go:
for some dry, cool air!
We have a nice string of not-humid days ahead with highs in the mid-7os, and to me, that is PERFECT weather.
All I could picture was the Seinfeld episode with poppy seeds! Glad everything went well.
@Michelle, Me too! Poor Elaine. I’m glad the poppy seeds didn’t prove to be an issue.
You know, I don't think I have ever had a job where I had to take a drug test. That never occurred to me until just now.
Anyway. Thankfuls:
--For my daughter, who continues to delight me with how different from her brothers she is. Not that she isn't energetic and, well, a child, but she is different in noticeable ways. She'll just sit and . . . color. Quietly. For like an hour. Or absent herself for awhile and reappear to tell me she organized all the shoes in the entryway. I love and appreciate all the unique things about all my kids, of course, but this girl is different from the other three in ways that often make me feel like I'm watching myself as a six-year-old. I have not felt like that much with my sons. 🙂
--For our semi-ghost village, in which my children roam all summer long. They aren't allowed to go up by the main road--where there is a lot of traffic from people passing through from Texas to the mountains--but within the square-mile confines of the village, they can be unsupervised to visit the lizard family, play in the old smokehouse, bring bread to our neighbor, etc. The feeling of independence as a child is a precious thing, and I'm so thankful they have that.
--For improvement in my very difficult parenting situation. It's been a rough couple of weeks, but it's better now.
--For my older brother, who was the only person I told about this situation, and who was very supportive and sympathetic. I am definitely not the sort of person who likes to talk about my problems, but having just one person be the recipient of my emotion-dump is helpful sometimes. I am thankful I still have a good relationship with my brother, and that he had some experience with this particular issue.
--For all the wildflowers that are appearing on the roadsides. I find new kinds every year. For such a dry place, the variety of wildflowers is surprising and delightful.
@kristin @ going country, I had two boys and a girl. My daughter was so different than the boys. My husband used to say my daughter was a mini-me. Besides looking much like me, we processed life similarly. We were best buddies, and I miss those days.
@kristin @ going country, I didn't ever really care whether I had a daughter or not because I was never particularly girly. After 3 boys, having a girl is a change that is unexpectedly delightful. (This-- in no way-- is putting down my boys: they are delightful in a different way.) The difference in how they play is remarkable. My youngest did the quiet cleaning thing two days ago. I thought she was off listening to some music and playing whatever, but she was really in our crazy basement cleaning. I didn't know until she came upstairs with two grocery bags full of trash.
@kristin @ going country, as the dad of an ADHD daughter and husband of an ADHD wife, I would sometimes love it if there was a time when someone would just disappear and come back after cleaning a whole bunch of stuff. 😛 It's an endless struggle around here.
I do envy you on the safety of your neighborhood. My town used to be that way but an influx of people who have no regard for the law has made it so that my daughter has to stay on the property most of the time.
@kristin @ going country,
Girls are different in their own special ways. I had 3 girls first, who were all sweet, quiet, and busy enough. Then a boy, and when he hit the toddler years, it was like a rocket went off.
I hope the parenting situation smooths out. There are things that crop up in parenting- esp as the kids age into teen and adulthood- that I would never in a million years have ever thought would happen. Tried and true parenting strategies stop working, other influences abound, and then it comes down to being patient and praying a lot. Going through this myself right now, and it's hard.
I'm thankful that the strawberry freezer jam I tried turned out. Being exact with measurements I not really my thing, and the process seemed so fiddling, but I managed it.
For the end of the school year- my one kid who struggles actually passed all his classes because he started to put some good effort in when it counted. Happy day!
@Battra92, there is a youtube channel called "clutterbug". She struggles with ADHD and has videos on ways to help manage it in regards to cleaning / organizing. Maybe there is some information from her that would be helpful to your family. Both of my brothers have ADHD, so I understand a bit of the struggles.
Huh. My girl and boy are very alike when it comes to personality*. I literally couldn't imagine either decided to declutter or clean as a child. I need to add that to the list of qualities for my next bunch of kids. Cleans without being asked. Or told or nagged or threatened. Along with rule follower and non-smart-mouther havers.
@kristin @ going country, I have three boys and then my daughter. I’m an engineer and not dramatic. She is not like me in most ways. And she is completely different than her brothers. She is sooooo dramatic and she cares about what clothes she wears and has an opinion about everything and cries at the drop of a hat and is so verbal and already reading. She is only four. I’m not sure how the teen years are going to go…
I love her dearly, but she is not a mini-me at all, in looks or personality.
@kristin @ going country, we had about 18 months of very hard parenting with our oldest, and we still see flashes of it, but it is much better now. Be encouraged, and endure.
Also, my favorite wildflower — for as long as I can remember — is scarlet globemallow, which I'm sure you have. I love everything about it.
@Karen., I have scarlet globemallow on my table right now. 🙂
kristin @ going country,
Regarding sharing something with only one person, I love this quote from G. K. Chesterton, “There are no words to express the abyss between isolation and having one ally. It may be conceded to the mathematician that four is twice two. But two is not twice one; two is two thousand times one.”
Look at those arms! Way to go, fit and healthy Kristen!
This week I did a multi-store grocery shopping trip with combined errands, coupons and list in hand, and managed to knock $21 off the spending. Came in only a few dollars over budget, mostly due to finding organic canned tomatoes on the clearance rack for 50 cents a can and stocking up.
Other stuff: Safely laundered my old L.L. Bean wool house slippers with some Woolite we've had forever after seeing washing them mentioned in the product comments on Zappos. Did a very minor alteration to a thrifted shirt. Finally had to give up on mending a stuffed toy that the puppy kept tearing up and harvested the still good squeakers from it to transplant into other toys. Harvested the onions regrown from root stems of three green onions from the grocery store and got a gallon bag of chopped green and white onion to freeze.
So thankful for:
Time with my adult children and the grands at the beach for a BBQ on Memorial Day !
My ŌURA ring calculated my heart health to be -6 years my normal age due to my workouts.
Glad the poppy seeds didn't cause a problem. I would have been pacing the floors if it had been me!
This week I am thankful:
- that I can work from home while things are slow at the office
- that our son is going to help us load boxes on the moving truck this weekend
- that our grandson's other grandparents can keep him most of the days this week and next. This is our daughter's first week back to work and daycare doesn't start until June 10th. I am so busy with the move and getting our house ready to sell, that I can only keep him a few of days.
- that DH is available to meet with a painter tomorrow while I keep our grandbaby
- for our past frugality. We put down a large downpayment on the new house. While it makes me sad to see the saving account go down, it is nice to not pay PMI for now. Once our current house sells, we'll hopefully be debt free again.
There is no such thing as an unnecessary picture of Chiquita.
@JDinNM, I may have said this to myself out loud as well. She's necessary 😉
@reese, Come for the frugal tips. Stay for the cat pictures.
Re: the last photo, I need tickets for this gun show! 😛 In all seriousness, you look amazing, Kristen, and I definitely envy your arms!
When I worked in HR, we did drug screens after any accident involving a vehicle. One of our drivers tested positive and insisted he had done no drugs and requested an independent lab screen. Still positive, but when the director called the lab for results the lab tech suggested asking what he’d eaten. Lemon poppyseed muffins! His results weren’t high enough to indicate drug use but it is possible to have your muffin show up on a drug screen. So glad yours didn’t. (Our employee, who was a great worker, had a happy ending so it worked out.)
Hehe, I love your neighbor Donna. 🙂
I am thankful for cool weather today after a scorcher week;
For the polite manners of the sweet little cat that has adopted us;
For the sunny disposition of my DH;
For blooms on my potted primroses;
And for my doctor and his staff, and their help with a difficult condition.
This week I am thankful:
*that the college boy made it home.
*that the next boy graduated.
*that the next-next boy, who recently got his learner's permit, is such a good driver. It makes getting those driving hours in completely not stressful.
*for a visit from family.
*for the coffee I'm drinking.
*for all the friends who support our children (and us).
*for my daughter's bestie who turns sweet 16 this week.
*for my girls. They get me. It is indeed nice to have non-boy people in the house who understand.
*for the beautiful weather.
How much wood could Kristen chuck??? Lol
@Stephanie,
Exactly what I was saying! Too funny!
Very thankful that my Grad School BFF is here for a visit till next Tuesday. We're planning various adventures--but for right now, we're just sitting around the living room trying to outdo each other on the NYT Spelling Bee and yakking our heads off. This afternoon, while I get a preliminary crown done, I'm handing her the key to the Element and letting her run free at Wegmans (which is just down the road from the dentist's office). Goodness knows what she'll come back with!
Tell Donna she's a good neighbor and a good photographer, too. Cute photo of you! But speaking of good neighbor, your kind heart and nurse's instincts took over when you helped your older neighbor get home after his tumble. Glad he's OK! And I hear you on the poppyseed stuff: for years, I avoided poppy-seed dressing bc the company I worked for did unannounced random drug screenings among all the employees, not just the known stoners, and I greatly feared triggering a test due to the poppy seeds. (Joke was on me: I never once got tested in 20 years employment there. Although the druggies usually got tested and fired.)
1, The tree that fell in last week's storm is all gone, at least the fallen part. Yard man came and gently got the limbs off the electric wire, then cut it up and hauled most of it off. I was only charged $125. Yes, that's a lot but the going rate is much, much more. The rest is getting stuffed into the green yard waste trash cans I roll to the curb
2. I had a fabulous Tuesday! I got to go to Bible study, and my two older friends, who I sit with on Sundays, were the only others there this week. They helped me work through my emotions about the bad roommate. Even though it's been a year, and I did what I had to do (evict her) to save my sanity, I have felt bad. [The roommate had really played me for a sucker and after many moons of not paying what she owed me, I'd storm in there demanding rent and would pay, at least part of it, and promise to be better...only to go back to her usual ways of not paying for months. (And causing lots of damage.) Although a lot of months, she'd just yell back and scream that she was "trying" to find other lodging. (Probably wasn't.) Turns out, the lawyer said, that she was timing it so that I couldn't evict her; in our state if you pay within X number of months, that sets the clock back again.] Anyway, there is a passage in Luke where Jesus tells his disciples to continually forgive someone who asks for pardon and let 'em back into your life...as long as there is true repentance. Well, I hadn't noticed the "true repentance" part, and my roommate certainly did NOT truly repent or mean to do better, as evidenced by her actions. It was a cycle of abuse, for sure! J. pointed that out to me, and M. said one of her pastors had advised "you should forgive, but you are allowed to set boundaries" (to protect yourself from further harm). That helped me a lot!
3. I then was able to go grab a burger (drive-thru) and eat it in the break room. Along with the 30-cent soda pop from the break room vending machine. (Hooray! They stocked it up again! We get soda pop at their cost as a perk.) Then I clocked in on time and worked the whole shift; it was a really good day. Even helped some storm/tornado victims coming to us from the next town.
4. I bought a nice little basil plant at work, having heard they're good for repelling mosquitoes, so I swung by the house to put it on the porch. Ran into the yard man and paid him. He was putting all the brush and limbs on his trailer to "haul it off to the dump".... actually, he's going to salvage anything he can sell as firewood, which is OK by me as long as the debris is gone. I was delayed long enough to write the check.
5. Then I drove to a new restaurant across town and had our Tuesday night get-together with the other gals at church! Got there before they ordered. Can't say much for the catfish dinner, but the conversation was great, and the price was semi-reasonable. I packed a lot of good things into one day, and wasn't even that tired when I got home late that night.
Thankful I am for the reminder to declare my gratitude to God for the family and friends we have. And for being able to read and enjoy YOUR adventures.
The poppy seeds story made me laugh. We had to take random drug tests at our old job, and every one of us squeaky-clean individuals who had to take it would immediately began to fret over what we might have innocently ingested that could trigger some sort of bad results.
My thanksgivings are:
1. That my road trip to the reunion was uneventful, with no incidents, unless one counts the looonnnng slowdown from south of Atlanta to north of Chattanooga that added about 3 hours to our trip. The weather was good, though, and no accidents happened around us.
2. That I had a great time seeing my old classmates again, our meal was surprisingly good, and that the atmosphere was fun and upbeat. Also, it was fun to take my older sister, who was a teen scout assistant with my brownie and later, girl scout troop, because the women who had been in my troop remembered her with delight.
3. That two of our former teachers came - my history teacher and my biology teacher. The history teacher still has a mind like a trap and can remember all kinds of details the rest of us forgot, in spite of his advanced age. He also went to the same church as my family, and he remembered my sister and me, as well as the rest of my family, quite well.
4. That my sister's sister-in-law graciously hosted my sister and me at her home all weekend. She's in her 80's and has some mobility issues, so this was not a small thing for her to do.
5. And to those of you who encouraged me to visit my old home: I'm so thankful for your encouragement, because I DID IT. I drove my sister and myself to our first family home, saw someone outside and walked up and explained who we were. We ended up getting a tour of our old home, had a fun and warm conversation in which we filled them in on the history of the house, and I left them (at their request) the printout that I had brought with me of a photo of my dad and grandfather building the house .
I had parked in front of the house and sat there a second before thinking, "Now how am I going to come back to the FG blog and tell them I went to the house but chickened out on approaching the current owners? I have to do it!"
6. Bonus: We took time to locate family graves in three cemeteries and clean the ones that needed it. While cleaning our parents' double headstone, who should stop by but a man who turned out to have been the little boy living across the little country road when my parents and I moved to the last house my parents lived in. His parents (now deceased) had been a tremendous help to us when we lost our parents in their house fire. We were so thankful to have a chance to see him again, and so pleased that he knew immediately which headstone we were cleaning, which is why he stopped.
@JD, wow, you were bold, and I am impressed! And I am just gobsmacked to learn of your parents. Holy cow, JD, you've been through some exceedingly tough times.
@JD, I second Central Calif. Artist Jana - what a terrible loss you had. It's so great that you took the time to go back, and got to visit with so many old friends. And even better - getting to tour through your old house and share with the new owners! I'm very glad to hear your car held up well; that's always my worry too, on long trips.
(And I'm totally with you and Kristen, as one of the squeaky clean people who worried about the silly random things that can show up on drug tests - because who's keeping track of whether there are poppy seeds or "THC free" hemp seeds or whatever in their food, on any given day?)
@JD, Yay! I'm glad the visit to your old home worked out and went so well.
@JD, this whole thing is amazing.
@JD, I'm so glad you had such a wonderful trip, in all respects. And the visit to your parents' and the other family members' graves was a true "Memorial Day" observance.
Oh, I am so glad that our invisible presence inspired you to get a tour of your old home. Yay!
And oh my, I did not know that about your parents. What a tough loss.
@JD, What a nice coincidence, to see the son of the people who helped you after such a horrible housefire. When we lived in Scotland, it was in what had been an old caretaker cottage on a large estate before the land was sold and divided up into smaller farms. We loved it when the former resident, quite elderly by then, stopped by and asked to see the inside of the place. He stayed all afternoon and shared a meal with us, telling us many wonderful stories about the area and estate before WWII.
@JD, that section of highway has been under construction for at least 38 years. You have my sympathies.
@JD,
Thanks, everyone! I absolutely used the encouragement from here to get this introvert out of the car and over to the old house.
Thanks for your kind comments! Losing both of our parents was incredibly hard, but the people who surrounded us with love and assistance is something we will always remember with great gratitude, and those particular neighbors went above and beyond, including opening their home to us to spend the nights as we worked to catalog the site for insurance. They strung extension cords from their house over to the burned house for lights, brought us water and food, and dug up and transplanted our parents' cherished roses into the church yard for us, plus so much more. They were serious gardeners, so we gave them our father's working farm tractor in thanks before we left for our homes, which almost brought them to tears, and we have never regretted giving it to them. Since they've both passed on since, seeing their son again was like a really special blessing.
Poppy seeds take a while to digest, in any case...and I remember getting caught up on my immunizations while I was in XR school, and it was free to me because I was working part-time at the hospital. What a relief! Every little bit helps.
*thankful for the rain lately and my green yard that I spend no money watering
*thankful its payday and I can pay my bills without transferring money out of my savings. I am doing my best to live totally within my means.
*thankful for a friend and a dietician who are encouraging me on my healthy eating and exercise plan.
*thankful for a good nights' sleep last night with no thunder!
For a restful holiday in which I do get some chores done, but I do not HAVE to.
I like that your transfer station composts yard waste. Some towns do, some don't. Ours does not. There is a business in town that will do it, but it costs money. Not everyone has the extra money for that, especially now. There is an abandoned business that I drive by regularly, on a main road into town. A good representation for our town. There was an abandoned school bus and other big pieces of trash. Finally the school bus was towed away and this week I noticed the other trash was finally cleaned up. Obviously people saw trash, just added to it, to save the cost of taking their stuff to the transfer station. This area is in the area of a stream that feeds into a local water supply.
@JEG,
Our city government will pick up brush at the curb -- it gets ground up into mulch and put on city parkland -- but there are lots of rules/restrictions. For one, it has to be cut and tied into 5 foot bundles. Bigger stuff has to be arranged for. The city will give you 96 gallon curbside recycling trashcans, limit 2 free ones, and anything you can cram in there will be picked up on yard recycling day. You can also fill up to 20 large paper bags, the kind designed for yard waste, and put them at the curb; this is mostly good for fallen leaves. But they won't pick up yard debris in cardboard boxes, plastic yard bags (much better than paper IMO), or anything not on their list. (You can sometimes put this in your regular trash can, but it won't be recycled and they might ticket you or not pick it up.) The yard waste pickup is only every other week, alternating with regular recycling (paper, plastic, cans, etc.). So if you can't comply with all that, you take it to the landfill and pay to dump it. Illegal dumping is a big thing, as a direct result, and they have cops who do nothing except chase down the offenders, ticket them, and make'em pay big fines for the cleanup.
@Fru-gal Lisa, that sounds like the same exact rules that my family has to follow in Florida. And those people don't mess around!
I guess I've been lucky as far as composting/yard waste is concerned because every where I've lived we could 1) do on own property or 2) have free outside local place to do. Drop of & get/take for free. I've gotten some good firewood at compost center along with free mulch & compost dirt (you shovel).
@Regina, Free compost? Fantastic!
I have bought some really good compost from a ministry here that grows fresh veggies for the inner city. Different people, often apartment dwellers, take them buckets of scraps for their composting machine. It'll make it in an hour, I think it is, or at any rate, in less than a day.
I'm thankful I live in Oregon, where much of the summer is what you describe!
I would 100000% summer in the PNW. It's just the winters that would do me in. lol
I had to google poppy seeds to understand why you were freaking out. 😉 I had no idea. Glad it all worked out. 🙂
Thankful that teen is improving on the health front. Tired after school? but able to make it through the school day. 🙂 And then take nap if needed.
Thankful that we have very friendly local police & that are willing to listen & help with non emergency situations.
Thankful I have materials on hand to make a (hopefully) temporary additional fencing this weekend to discourage neighbors who don't understand boundaries & private property.
Thankful that I found few items on my list last weekend at the local flea market. And that I got to see & visit people have not seen since last summer/fall.
Thankful I checked out ebay after reading comments other day about finding specific items looking for on there. It's been awhile since I've been on ebay (& ordered) but my password still worked & I was able to find older Tupperware purple pie slice containers for reasonable price. I ordered & will be here soon---only coming from across Lake Michigan.
Thankful neighbor made it back from trip safely & had nice chat with her.
Thankful for this space Kristen has created to learn & share from each other.
Have a happy weekend everyone. 🙂
We're having the same lovely, dry, cool air here, and are enjoying the heck out of it. Tuesday I took all the guys with me to go mulberry picking and we got three more pounds!
Thankful:
DS's wound revision procedure went splendidly. They did use general anesthesia, which gave him some anxiety, as he kept telling them his main goal was to not get admitted. Every other time he's gone in they've admitted him for three or more days. But he was literally done in an hour and we were home for lunch.
The doctor was able to bring the wound edges closer together; from a width of 4 centimeters to, at most in places, a centimeter! It looks like a more normal incision, and he even fixed a strange bit leftover from a previous surgery.
DS was thankful that he can SHOWER now. He grew tearful about that, of feeling normal again.
For a good good kitty who has mostly reformed from his door-darting ways. When we adopted him, the shelter lady warned us he was a door darter (which we knew, as he escaped his room nearly every time we worked there), and she advised us to squirt him with a water bottle if he got near the door. I wasn't a fan of that, so instead we worked on positively reinforcing the times he DIDN'T get near the door or try to get out. Now most of the time, when we go out the door, he sits politely and watches us. Sometimes he will even respond to "Sit, Clark!" and "Stay!" Super good cat.
Thankful for this little community, and how supportive everyone is.
@Karen A., Yay for your son's good progress and for medical appointments that go as expected, to hopefully help counter any medical ptsd!
I'm so happy that things are going better for your son now!
Thankful my brother hosted the Memorial Day get together. Afterwards I knew how tired and frustrated he was. 2 of us stayed to help clean up. It is a lot of work. I helped where I could.
For weather forecasts, we had frost last night so I covered my garden.
For the nice person who picked up some free items I listed on Marketplace. I was relieved someone piped up with a normal message asking to pick it up. Most all just send the "is this available" when you answer yes ...crickets... How I wish they would do away with canned Marketplace replies.
That "Cottonwood" seeds will soon be gone. Holy smokes it looks like it snowed.
That my dogs behaved so well on their last walk even with many distractions. 🙂
The last is my brother mentioned that him and his gal pal may be getting MARRIED! I may be more excited than he is...she is a peach. He has never been married and in his 60's.
I also went to the dump a few days ago and I LOVE getting rid of my stuff. Ours only charges a nominal fee (like $8 usd) and I find it incredibly satisfying.
Mine is actually free for individuals! Business have to pay, but as long as you are just a regular person with a load of stuff, there's no charge.
—It's so heartwarming to hear about neighbors helping one another. I live in a town and a neighborhood where we look out for one another, and it is truly something to be thankful for.
—My favorite cat Tucker had a campout last night. I was worried that he was toast, but he appeared this morning at 6, no worse for wear.
—A large painting sold the day after I delivered it to the resort store near our cabin!
—Our three cats survived when the new feeder failed to appear for Memorial Day weekend. They actually had to eat the dry food that they typically ignore, are all very accomplished hunters, were able to come and go from the garage because I had left the door cracked a bit, and had water in the bowl we keep filled for the deer.
—I have several friends who are very adamant about helping out with the yard and cats during cabin season, so there is no need to give that other person another chance.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, Oh, it's awful when a cat decides to have a campout. When Clark did it I didn't sleep all night.
- I am thankful that my body has been cooperating with my running the past couple of weeks.
- That I am healthy enough to exercise.
- That I have a generous community who knows that I am willing to take what they no longer have a use for.
- That I had enough saved up for necessary car repairs earlier this month. I often feel like I can be doing more, but it felt good to have enough in that moment without needing to dip deeper into savings.
- That my extended family will be expanding. I do love it when people find their person.
- That I can tell my mom things without worry of judgement. I can handle the conversations and opinions but I know that I am loved regardless of my choices.
- That my dad provided so much guidance in his life that I can carry with me as I am making life choices and decisions.
- That I am practicing living below my means, no matter how difficult it is sometimes. It will be easier than if I was not trying, and just spending it all each and every month.
1. I am officially under 200 lbs. This December will mark two years since I started Boot Camp determined to be healthy and strong. It has never been about a number or a size but this milestone is still joyful for me. My BMI is finally lower than 35 and my body fat percentage continues to go down. I feel the best I have ever felt in my life and I don't say that lightly. What a miracle it is to arrive at a place where I actually crave workouts & healthy foods. The gift of that is not lost on me.
2. For my little boys wonderful forgiving attitude when I realized that I forgot about basketball camp starting yesterday. I thought it would be a melt down and instead he looked at me and said 'no big deal Mom, you have had a lot on your plate this past week. I understand.' Gosh I love that kid.
3. For the mental health boost of my workouts. Exercise is not just physical, it is for your mind, emotions and general well-being. I am discovering this and I am so thankful. Regular exercise is almost like a super power.
4. For all the progress we continue to make on getting settled back into our house after being out for 5 months due to an insurance claim. people we have curtains up, most of the boxes are gone, I actually got to bathe in the tub in my mast bathroom, I can cook in my own kitchen. All of these things we take for granted every day but when they are gone you realize how much you truly love them.
5. For a dear loved one that I care for. This season of life is hard. Her illness is progressive, there is no cure and I watch her deteriorate in many ways daily. I am so focused on her practical care that I find it impossible to feel the emotional weight of it all. I am so glad that she is with me & that I am able to care for her in this way. It is an honor and a privilege that I had not imagined would be mine.
@Angie, It's really impressive how you've been able to stay on track with your health goals in the midst of all the things you're clearly juggling! (& I totally get it and agree @ the gift of craving healthier foods - me too)
I am cheering you on, and I'm particularly happy about how good you are feeling! That is the best reward for efforts in taking good care of your body.
@Angie, I send warm thoughts on all of your items, especially your #5. Having been there with my DH, I know how hard that is, and I'm glad for you that you can describe it as "an honor and a privilege."
Thankful for:
- a sunny day after many gray and dreary days.
- safe travels last weekend
- a friend who is recovering nicely after a major surgery
- an amazing boss and co-worker. I never take a great work environment for granted.
- living in a time where there are so many treatment options for medical issues.
- being able to cover all our needs, and be able to help our children here and there.
- that my parents health seems to be holding steady.
- for this blog and community.
1. One of my coworkers invited me to join her “team” at a puzzle competition this weekend! I told her I wouldn’t know until Friday evening since my weekend depends on how well my son’s team does in a tournament this week but I was thrilled just to be invited.
2. My son has a school project due next week and one of the components he picked for the project is cooking (yay!). He asked if he and his project partner could cook at our house and I am looking forward to watching this play out. I’m always thankful when he’s enthusiastic about school.
3. I’m so thankful for all the trees behind our house. Now that it’s spring the trees are full and I smile every single time I look out the windows.
4. My ex had a desk at his place that he didn’t need anymore so he offered to bring it to my house for our son to use. I’m thankful that even though our divorce was tough, we’ve worked really hard on being kind to each other and co-parenting. My son knows his parents are a united front on his needs/wants. The free desk is pretty great too.
5. Now that warmer temps are here our social calendar is filling up! We see people during the winter but everyone is so excited for sunshine that plans are being made more aggressively!
If you get a chance during a clinical, ask a PT or an OT for tips on ambulating patients. It's useful knowledge to have. In a situation like that where you aren't in a hospital setting with access to a gait belt, you can use a person's belt or waist band to help steady them. I'm glad that you helped your neighbor!
Today is graduation. Thankful that while my daughter has a hard cold, at least she isn't flat in bed. That the open house details are coming together. That my son is on his way home. That we are able to fund the grad party. That my friends are awesome at helping me out.
@Kris, Congratulations!! I hope you enjoy all of the celebrations this weekend!
I know part of my duties as a PCT will be ambulating patients, so I'm gonna get really good at that!
I did successfully help my neighbor get to his feet, using the information I know about assisting patients (and I used good position to not mess up my own back). 🙂
@Ruth T, thank you! It's a busy time but it's all good.
@Kristen, I think your summer experience will be valuable no matter where you end up in your nursing role. I'm excited for you. And hooray for getting your friend up while keeping your back safe.
I had a similar experience a year ago. I came out of a doctor's office, and in the parking lot, a man was on the ground. I checked on him and stood him up. He wasn't moving well at all but wanted me to walk him to the driver's side of his car. Nope. Unsafe for both of us. I got him safely to the passenger seat and that's as good as it was going to get. He was waiting for his wife during her appointment so I went back in and let the staff know what had happened. The odd thing was, I saw someone sitting in their car during all of this and they had to have seen what was happening, but they didn't acknowledge the situation. I understand if you can't physically help, but maybe call for help? Flag someone down in the parking lot? It was very strange to me that you wouldn't try to intervene.
@Kris, I second that suggestion about PT/OT. For ambulation, but also for transfering patients. There is many different ways of doing it safely and we do teach our nurses at the hospital if they need help. I'm a OT/PT assistant, this is our specialty 🙂
@Isa, I'm an OT and yes, we do know our transfer skills. 🙂
"So I almost second-guessed whether it was ok to help my neighbor walk home.”
A fully-trained nurse wasn’t available so the right question was: would he be better walking home alone or walking with you?
- My dog, noisy as he is. He loves sitting at the other end of the couch when I put my feet up and even more when I use him as a legrest.
- My friend, who asked me if I wanted to see the remastered The Third Man with them. The cinematography is stunning! A master study in chiaroscuro.
- My large desk. Turns out having plenty of surface space - not to mention all my supplies and filing in one place - makes a vast difference in how easy/hard it is to keep on top of paperwork. I’m working away the challenging bits of the backlog now.
- Meeting potential new friends.
@WilliamB, after 21 years in this community, I finally have a friend. Like an actual friend. So your last is pretty sweet.
Haha yes, exactly. I was the most skilled helper available because I was the person who was there!
@Karen., I’m so happy for you. I’m glad you were able to leave the door open for a new person to come in, even after many years.
Way to go on the yard work!
This week I'm thankful:
* that we live in town. I've had to make 2 grocery trip stops and 2 trips to school already today for end-of-year stuff. At least we're only 5 minutes from school and there's a grocery store on the way.
* that I got to see my middle kiddo's speech therapist this morning. He does speech at school, so I don't often see her. But it was nice to be able to thank her in person before the year ended.
* that I like the other parents in my 4th grader's class. Since that class is so heavy on firstborns, we all know each other pretty well. (You can do more playdates and such with your firstborn that the youngers tag along to, which is where I'm coming from in that statement.) I saw a few of them this morning and will see more this afternoon and I enjoy being with them.
* that Field Day on Tuesday was 70 degrees instead of 90 degrees. YES!
* for the time I've had with some friends who are getting ready to move. We have sent our boys to kindergarten together, gone on field trips together, served together, exercised together, spent lots of time together, and I'm thankful that we've had them in our lives the past 3 years. Big-time bonus: they're moving to the town we moved here from 9 years ago (that is a 9-hour drive away) and their contact there works with one of our closest friends! They're going to be in good hands in their new town. 🙂
@Ruth T, I wish our summer weather was always like this! I hated hot and sweaty field days.
I'm sure the speech therapist is thrilled about your active role with your child. A dream parent!
The very slow house painter we hired has not yet finished under the eaves. (family member) I'm 75 but was so sick of waiting for this project to be done that I decided I would climb on a ladder and do it myself. I was not happy about any part of this. This morning I was girding my loins to start when my 81 year old husband said, "You're too old for this, too. We're gonna pay someone else." My sigh of relief blew leaves off trees on the other side of the country.
Gotta love that man.
Aww, yay! The relief you feel is a sign that hiring someone is the right choice.
Thankful Thursday always comes at exactly the moment in the week I need a gratefulness pick-me-up. Thank you.
I am thankful . . .
-That my cancer wasn't that bad. It feels weird to even imply that I would compare my cancer situation to anyone else's. We're all fighting our own battles. But for most of human history, my cancer diagnosis in July would have been the beginning of the end. Here I am in 2024 enjoying the best cancer care the world has ever known, and there is a not insignificant chance that I will live a long, healthy life after this. I will never stop being grateful.
-That my husband and children are healthy. I would rather go through this last year fifty times than see any of them experience the big C.
-For the friends who encourage me. I'm just sitting here thinking about the text conversations and in-person conversations I have had just in the past week with folks who inspire me with their work and life and support me in my own.
-For the dinner plans this evening. We are about to move into the office space we have been renovating for the last couple months, and we're having an employee and her husband over to celebrate/consider desk locations. They are fun to hang out with. We're getting Greek Fest food, which is amazing. And the office is coming together beautifully. I couldn't ask for more.
I am so so glad that there are effective treatment options for you!
I agree that Chiquita pics are not unnecessary!
Thankful for:
-a beautiful, cooler, non-humid stretch of days this week
-a pleasant screened back porch on which to sit and enjoy those days
-the last stitch from my dental surgery came out last evening and my mouth feels so much better
-since my knee surgery had to be put off until August, we were able to plan a couple of short trips for June and July
-now that school is out, thankful for some extra time to spends with the grands who live nearby. (Both girls, but with entirely different personalities and so fun to see their individuality evolve!)
I’m so thankful for the beautiful weather and for the almost-daily walks my husband and I have been enjoying. I’m thankful I can walk and even dance in spite of pain in my hip joint… not sure if it’s arthritis or inflammation.
That said, I’m thankful for medical folks who help their patients to stay well or to improve health by identifying causes for various aches and pains. I have some appointments upcoming.
I’m thankful for measurable progress in downsizing our household. Our hope is to move to a one-level dwelling at some point in the next few years.
I’m thankful for good friends. I read an article yesterday which spoke of an “epidemic” of loneliness in our world today. Reading that motivated me all the more to reach out to family, friends , neighbors to see if everyone is ok and to organize little gatherings for coffee/ dessert or a meal or a walk in the neighborhood. I’m not very outgoing by nature but I’ve learned so much from my husband about how to reach out to folks with interest, kindness and compassion. All that said, I’m thankful I don’t experience loneliness too often.
And I’m thankful for how my husband makes me laugh.
I’m thankful for good books. I’m enjoying some Amor Towles writings of late.
@Martha O., the audio version of Amor Towles "Lincoln Highway" is one of the best audio books I've ever heard.
And good for you doing your best to fight that "epidemic" of loneliness. I've read about it too, and think that if people would put down their little devices, make eye contact, and just say hello, it would certainly take the edge off for folks.
Having good neighbors is awesome! You have great neighbors and you ARE a great neighbor!
Thankful Thursday: glad to see you smiling and not afraid to show off those awesome muscles! Thankful to be on vacation with my family for our first ever vacation in 15 yrs. Thankful for daily provisions. Thankful for unexpected moments with my 12 yr old daughter this morning. Thankful for fabulous weather on vacation! Thankful for my MIL graciously handling the husbandry on our behalf so we could take a vacation!!! Thankful for the old soul that is my 14 (nearly 15) yr old daughter. Thankful for a reliable vehicle to travel in. Thankful for the chance to have new adventures as a family (going white water rafting today). Thankful for people like you who take the time to learn medicine to help those who do and will need it ( self included). Blessings- Kristina
Thankful: our neck of the woods (NWA:) got hit by several tornadoes Sat night. I'm grateful that our place has minimal damage. For being able to help others on my days off. I've conquered chainsaw skills! That we have enough food despite shortages from various stores being hit. Decent weather for cleanup in the community.
Your stories (poppy seed antics and helping your neighbor) made me smile!
Recently I volunteered to work the first aid station at a run fundraiser. It was hard for me to focus on the fact cuts and scrapes and mild stuff were all I had to worry about, and to call 911 for anything else. I wasn’t in “official medical provider” mode, just
“Pretend I’m just putting bandaids in cuts mode”
(FYI nobody needed any first aid- whew!!) The
I understand the poppy seed freak out and I am glad that it was a non issue. I used a CBD salve for a overstressed muscle before a drug test and almost have myself a panic attack.
It has been awhile since I have done one of these but this week I am thankful for:
1. My garden. I usually have a huge summer garden but was barred from my backyard last year bc it was a death trap while I was on crutches. But this summer it is full of tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers etc. I was even able to bribe my husband to build another raised bed for my watermelon.
2. I am seeing my old medic partner next week. They were my work sister-wife and left me to start nursing school in Seattle. And I will be up there for a mini family reunion next week, so I get to see them.
3. My work family. I have a dumb little group of feral possums I call my coworkers but I genuinely enjoy them.
4. My niblings. It's so amazing to see them grow from the newborn potatoes that they were these incredible little humans with such different personalities. And there is nothing I love more than being the cool/fun aunt that let's them make brownies for breakfast and shows them how to shoot the paper straw wrapper (much to their parents chagrin).
5. My father in law. But I say that w/ a giant astrik. I never actually met him. He was not a good person and my husband had not spoken to him in 12 years before he died. However, the house that he left my husband and his brothers is allowing us to put a down payment on an incredible property near where I work that would let us have a true homestead and workshop for my husband. Nothing is finalized so manifest for us!
We live in a neighborhood where neighbors watch out for neighbors. An elderly woman fell in her driveway and immediately a neighbor who saw it summoned 2 other neighbors. 1 stayed with her husband with memory issues, 1 drove her to the ER. Original stayed and took care of their trash bins. You are that kind of neighbor.
All pictures of Chiquita are very necessary.
I’m thankful that although my dad passed away last Friday his actual passing was pain free and gentle. I got to say goodbye and he slipped away peacefully 10 minutes later with my mom by his side. They’ve been married 64 years so the chasm is vast for mom. I’ve been more realistic with his coming death as he had many, many co-morbidities but it’s still a big hole in my life. I’m an only child so it’s all on me.
I’m grateful for a loving DH and two DSs who talk freely about my dad who they adored. They are also generous with their hugs which comforts me greatly.
I’m thankful for a group of close women friends who have circled around me and whilst they aren’t the sort to bring casseroles or cakes their calls and messages are constant and caring.
I’m hugely grateful for my own organisation skills which mean I can take on the burden of organising the funeral for mom. I can do it easily which comforts me.
@Joanne in the U.K., What a comfort that you were able to be there, but I'm very sorry for your loss.
@Joanne in the U.K., I"m sorry for your loss.
@Suz, thank you xxx
@Jody S, thank you xx
@Joanne in the U.K., I send love and sympathy to you and your family, especially your mom.
@Joanne in the U.K., so sorry for your loss from one only child to another.
@Joanne in the U.K., I'm sorry for your loss and glad that you have support around you.
@A. Marie, thank you xxx
@Lindsey, thank you xxx
@Anita Isaac, thank you xxx
Thankful for:
* Not having been seriously hurt when in a car accident last week. The airbags deployed and I slammed my head in it, so I was feeling a little fuzzy afterward, and many bruises all over, some pain in one arm, but nothing broken
* Dealing with car insurance companie not being a pain in the tushy like it can sometimes be
* Having found a new car that will be ready to go in a week. Everything is backed-up here, hard to get a new car at the moment
* Being able to rest at home for a couple weeks
* Being alone in the car when the accident happened. So grateful my kids were not with me!
OK, I already went my turn, but here is another something I'm thankful for -- and it's a biggie! (It just now happened.)
My 16 y.o. doggie got out. Again. She'd earlier gotten out late last January. And the same thing happened again: I forgot to close the gate and somehow she got out of the house when I wasn't looking. Only this time, it is 90 degrees F. (The January weather was mild.) Not sure how long she had been gone.
Prayer works! I found her after only 15 or 20 min. She was on the Target parking lot, over on the side where there aren't that many cars (whew!), about 3/4 a mile from my home. She was wet -- it looks like she either ran through a sprinkler or someone squirted her. A nice young lady and her boyfriend helped me chase her. Not that my dog can run, but I'm not fast either. Got her leash on her (the dog, not the lady) and carried her to the car, and we are now home safe and sound. Inside where it's cool. She is enjoying a Dixie cup of Blue Bell Ice Cream, even as I write this. (I know, I know...)
Thank you, Jesus, for answered prayers!!
Thankful for:
1. Reading your comment about helping your fallen neighbor reminded me again of my good fortune in having five people spring to help when I fell in a parking lot on the way home from our Last Hurrah trip. I am thankful for them all over again and hope they have all had some good fortune since then.
2. For aluminum foil. I am now entering my yearly rant about how I hate 24 hours of daylight, how oppressive it is, how it screws with your body rhythms. Foil taped over our bedroom windows is far more effective than any blackout curtains we have purchased. And since half the people I know also have foiled windows, our house fits right in. How I look forward to June 21 and losing more and more daylight every day until darkness returns sometime in August.
3. For our rescue Dane, now 11 months old and still a puppy pain in the butt. Husband accidently locked our elderly rescue lab out of the house. Clobber Paws kept barking at us, which is not normal. After a few minutes of commenting how weird it was for Clobber to bark and run back and forth to the front door, we heard a feeble bark and realized it was Houndini, staring in the study window and barking away to try and get our attention. We opened the front door and Clobber ran out and came back dragging our old dog by the scruff of his neck---not sure way, since the old dog was trying to get to his feet and come in but I guess Clobber just wanted to be sure he made it home before we locked them both out. Houndini used to run away when we first got him but he is aging quickly now and just wants to lie on his comfy bed and snooze the evenings away.
4. For tuberous begonias. So easy to grow, so lovely to look at.
5. For the husband, always the husband.
Pictures of Chiquita are never unnecessary! 🙂
So glad the poppy seeds didn't cause you problems. I, too, would have been stressing about that.
Hahahahahaha! I'm laughing so hard at you and your poppy seeds!!! I'm glad the test was fine, you silly goose, you!
I'm thankful
--that we just got our porch tiled.
- For cashews (much cheaper here than in the US!)
- New full gas tanks for our gas stove
- My two teens
- Access to God's Word and the ability to read
Oh, those were poppy seeds. I was originally thinking, "man, that's a lot of pepper".
Good to see Kristen look so "fierce." Chiquita is in such a funny place and expression!
Thankful for the burst of energy yesterday that allowed me to get my "color pots" planted. (Flower pots in various area filled with colorful annuals. Each year is a dif color hue. This year is purple with peachy yellow.) Also planted a few more herbs and peppers. I have been enjoying shishito peppers the last two summers. And I "straightened" up the back porch and side yard area. Also set up a shelving system outside of the potting shed for big pots and planters. In so doing I noticed a wonderful surprise! There was a (basketball shaped) hornets nest right under the corner eave of the shed! I appreciate that it means there is a more balanced ecological system in my small haven. The hornets are a good pest control in themselves, with aphids and mosquitos. And with all of the flora, I have lots of mosquitoes.
Then I was determined no matter what time it was, last night, to use up the old bananas I'd mentioned Tuesday, apricots that were dying one by one from the Misfits box and make a strawberry rhubarb crisp or pie. Plus, I had not eaten a substantial meal all day, but scrapped on weird and not balanced stuff. So I was thankful to make three loaves of banana black walnut bread, a cherry apricot clafouti, and a strawberry rhubarb crisp. I was eating an air fryer cheese burger (no bun) at 3a along with a wedged, roasted potato, asparagus, and mushrooms. Showered and went to bed after 5a.
Got up to look at the newly planted pots and was thankful to see a hummingbird happily inspecting them as well. As I was looking at them through the back screen door, "he" (I rarely see a male) inspected the flowers up close and personal on the back porch.
While the reason is sad, I am thankful, if the Lord is willing, to be able to visit with my "little" brother on Sunday evening. His very good friend of many years succumbed to transplant rejection of both lungs. He did outlive all of the other transplant patients of that time era in that region. Visitation is that evening. If I can, I will try to make it to the funeral Mon morning but I begin working second shift that day. My bro and I are in unique situations. I am eldest of 6 (loss of 2) and he is youngest. Neither of us are married so I feel like we need to be of support to one another in situations like this. He is equally supportive of me. And sometimes, in "normal" situations, we just plain have fun together.
Today I am thankful that . . .
1. School events I was responsible for planning/pulling off went well, including our Sports Day and a double field trip to two semi-local spots. I don't love organizing things such as this, but think they are worthwhile for the kids, so I am glad to have them done successfully.
2. We have had a cool, rainy spring. After several summers of forest fires in our province, and a warm, dry winter with only 60% of the regular snowpack, the weather this spring has been a relief. I hope it continues for a while longer!
3. I have family locally to do life with and celebrate occasions.
4. There is excitement, spiritual maturity, and passion in many young people in my town/church. I am encouraged to see young people with purpose.
5. God gives strength and courage to carry on through weariness and challenge.
Always beginning with a picture of Chiquita is a good idea! Smile!
The last month and a half has been super hard for me to really reflect on what I need to be grateful for. Hoping it's not too much personal info, but I just got out of a 6 month relationship in which I thought all was very good. It was my first relationship after becoming a widow almost 4 years ago. Anyway, the break up was unexpected and I lost money, lots of it that I'm trying to recuperate. But seeing this blog had made me decided to start listing things I'm grateful for on a daily basis, so here goes my list:
1- being able to take long walks in my subdivision where i can be safe even later in the evening.
2- since I tend to be frugal minded, being able to save money by not going out and driving around w my ex.
3- big one... being able to spend more time with my kiddos because I'm home alot more instead of dates (this one has me regretful alot).
4- didn't mean to but having lost some weight and that means I can closet shop instead of going store shopping .
5- being able to start going back to church and having emotional support.
@Laura, That’s a rough thing to go through. Good for you for looking at the positives!
A cat picture is never unnecessary.
So glad your neighbor got safely home and is doing well! I agree, Donna seems awesome. And whoo girl, those arms!!! Keep it up!
I'm thankful:
--that my financial choices leave me in a position to decide whether I want to buy certain things instead of not having the option. This week: a wig lol (long story, my insurance might pay, but it's complicated as usual).
--for my husband's support when my medical treatments have mental health effects around the edges and it's part of weathering the storm.
--for the coffee shop in my town. There's only one, and I barely live in a town. But we have a little place open 3 days/week with a most interesting/welcoming/inspiring proprietor. I got to spend a little time there yesterday and it's a gem.
--for spring fruit and fresh ice cream!
--for my dad.
It’s funny you mention a rage room because I was just trying to find something my friend and I could bring to dump or recycling for that very purpose! Also I love Chiquita’s random paparazzi appearances!!
1. For how many friends & family I have who will support in the hard seasons of life & walk through all the unknowns with me.
2. For my sister in law who is a great resource and very much my rock.
3. For sunny days
4. For having less migraines as I visit home!
5. For a generous community I can easily rehome things in via the Buy Nothing Group as my family is downsizing & I help in that process
So happy to hear everything went well with your testing! It's good to have a friend you can talk to about things like that.
I'm thankful for ...
1) The wonderful time we had with my mother and sister in law. It was only a few days but we crammed so many activities during that Memorial Day weekend. We had a BBQ and roasted marshmallows at home, picnic at the park, walk along the river. We also played board games at home and the girls got to do a craft with their aunt.
2) Girls are out of school and we've had a lot of fun times so far like walks, scooter rides, bike rides & times at the playgrounds and along the riverwalk. We've also watched movies, played card and boardgames.
3) My diligent husband. He's not one that easily gives up and I admire that so much about him. For example, he was trying to make popovers but the problem was they wouldn't rise. He finally got them to rise this weekend and was so excited.
4) The start of summer. It's getting warmer here which means more enjoyable weather and more fun outdoor activities to do together.
5) A more relaxed schedule like a break from waking up or getting the girls to bed early to get the girls ready for school & volunteer activities since the girls are off school this summer.