Thankful Thursday | It's going to stay!
I got lots of feedback from you all when I asked if we should keep doing Thankful Thursdays, and 100% of the feedback was of the "yes!" variety.
Which either means all of you want them to continue, or that the people who feel differently are just...quiet.
Anyway, many of you shared how helpful these posts are, even if you just read and don't participate in the comments.
So, for the foreseeable future, I'll keep doing them.
_____
This week, I am thankful:
that I can now submit medical bills online
I just discovered this week that online submission is now available through our health insurance!
Before, I had to print and fill out a form and send in paper copies of bills, but they now have an easy-peasy online submission tool.
Yay for less paperwork!
for all the feedback you guys gave me about Thankful Thursdays
Sometimes as I've been typing these posts up, I've wondered, "Are these really serving my readers?"
So it was really helpful to hear that reading my lists helps you to see things you could be thankful for too.
that I finally got into the beta for a new blog theme
Google is rolling out a bunch of new standards for websites, and Mediavine, my ad company, has been working on a blog theme that automatically helps sites meet those standards.
I've been on the beta waiting list forever (like over a year) so I emailed them last week, and apparently I got skipped somehow.
(Good thing I asked!)
Anyway, I'm in now and I am very happy about it because I really do not want my site to be failing Google's standards.
There are still some issues to be worked out, so thank you in advance for your patience. If something isn't working for you, just send me an email with a screenshot, and I will work with Mediavine to get it figured out.
(By the way, if you are using Internet Explorer, you will run into issues. Internet Explorer is an older, unsupported browser, and Microsoft would tell you to use Edge instead. Firefox and Chrome are also good options.)
for a week of cooler weather
This week has been such a lovely change; cooler temperatures, less humidity.
I'm always appreciative of that, especially in mid-June!
for the mulberry trees by the streets
No one else ever seems to pick them, so I always grab some when I walk by them in the mornings.
I think a lot of people probably just don't know that mulberries are edible and delicious.
I hope my cells appreciate all the mulberry antioxidants I'm sending their way of late.
for a body that works well
The other night, I was saying to Mr. FG that it would be pretty awful if we were not able to scratch when something itches; I think that would be maddening.
So, I felt thankful that my nerves and muscles are all working properly.
that I still get to avoid waiting rooms
This week, the girls had dentist and orthodontist appointments, and I got to wait outside in my car, in the sunshine and fresh air.
This is one effect of 2020 that I actually really like; the outdoors is so much better than a waiting room!
So I hope that we will keep on having this option, especially for offices whose waiting rooms tend to be populated by sick people.
(Such as...primary care offices. In January.)
that life is getting pretty normal here
All the metrics in my state are really, really good, which means restrictions are all going to go away shortly. Woohoo!
that Zoe felt great after her second shot
She had no side effects at all, so, yay!
It's funny; the girls and I all got the same brand (Pfizer) and two of us got temporary side effects, while two of us got none at all.
And now 100% of the FG household residents are done with their shots.
(The cat excepted, that is. She follows a stay-at-home-and-only-socialize-with-your-household-bubble protocol as a matter of course.)
that I'm making progress on updating my archives
New web accessibility standards mean that every photo on my blog needs to have alt text for screen readers (which sight-impaired people use).
Going back through 12 years of posts is an overwhelming task, so I am using a strategy of doing it in sets of months.
So, this month, my goal is to update every post from every June in the history of my blog. I'm now through 2018, which means I'm almost current for June....just gotta do 2019 and 2020.
For example, here are my June 2011 archives, all updated!
for even more pet-sitting jobs for my girls
Another one has popped up for Zoe, and I'm happy about that for her.
2020 was quite slow on the pet-sitting front for obvious reasons.
that I got a credit on a future Southwest flight
I saw that they were having a 50% off sale, so I hopped on and adjusted an upcoming flight to get the new lower price.
Unfortunately, the $80 price difference just goes back to me as a Southwest credit, but I have a whole year to use it before it expires.
What are you thankful for this week?
For a trip to Arizona without any problems, and that my kids had a fantastic time with their cousins.
That the worrisome transmission thing that came up while we were driving didn't cause us to break down somewhere.
For my habit of keeping extras of everything in the freezer. Because we drove 1,300 through multiple urban centers and came home to a basically bare refrigerator. Grocery shopping with four kids and two dogs was just not something I wanted to attempt. (But still. It was kind of absurd. Thank goodness for the frozen milk, though.)
For the tiny store in the village where we were able to get some eggs and cheese. No milk or cream this time, though.
For the neighbors who kept an eye on all our animals while we were gone.
That however much fun it is to travel sometimes, coming home is always better. I spend a lot more time at home than I do traveling, so it's nice that I prefer it. 🙂
1. I'm thankful for all the awesome ideas you've given me on this blog, Kristen-from meal ideas, to parenting tips, you've provided me with some very useful (and delicious) ideas!
2. I'm thankful for my amazing and supportive family (as always). I like that this list gives me a weekly reminder :).
3. I'm thankful for continued good health and excellent healthcare.
4. I'm thankful for the amazing weather we've had in central MD-not too hot for outdoor activities (to include waiting for kids in the car!).
I'm SO glad that this feature is sticking around. It's one of my favorites! Even if I'm just sharing my gratitude into the internet void, the ritual of writing it down is very helpful.
This week, I'm thankful...
1. ...that I have great credit so that we can buy the house we've been renting for seven years. My landlord wants out of the rental business and we don't want to move. We're getting a deal on the house and our interest rate means that our housing costs will not increase with all of the additional expenses (property taxes, insurance increase, nominal HOA fee).
2. ...for people who have confidence in my abilities. I'm potentially up for a big promotion and have heard wonderful things from my immediate supervisor about their confidence in me to do the job.
3. ...for grocery pickup. I also love getting to wait in the car for things like appointments. I found grocery shopping to be increasingly anxiety-producing during the pandemic. I live in Texas and there a lot of people who are not super into wearing masks. I have compromised immunity, so it just got to be too much for me. Of course, now I'm just in love with not having the temptation to make impulse purchases.
4. ...that I have health insurance that lets me get therapy for a reasonable cost. The last 15 months have brought extraordinary upheaval to my world and I needed additional perspective.
5. ...to read quickly with great comprehension. I have to read a LOT for work - to teach, to do research, and to do the administrative work that's essential to keeping things up and running. I have always been a voracious reader, but that ability has come to the forefront as I manage the pressures of my job.
@ProfesoraH-B, I love grocery pick-up, too. 🙂 Fry's (Kroger) offers it for free, so I am continuing it. I also was anxious grocery-shopping during Covid, with so many people not wearing masks. Ordering my groceries online helps me stick to a budget, too, since I'm not tempted to buy impulse items that I don't need.
I am thankful:
1. It's a beautiful morning here with the sun shining, flowers everywhere, the ocean shimmering, and I'm alive to see it.
2. Next week I will see my mother for the first time in 1.5 years.
3. My enormous library of books so that I always have something good to read.
Not so happy about:
1. I get awful itching in my feet sometimes as a symptom of psoriatic arthritis. It's not at all like dry skin--like a deep, deep nerve malfunction. Which it is. I feel too content with life this morning to complain too much, though!
I would love to say I'm thankful for cooler weather, but I can't, as we've been in the 90's a lot or sometimes in the upper 80's with super oppressive humidity. So I will be thankful for:
1. The amazing kindness of an unsolicited gift of money. It is a huge blessing and is definitely getting used for a much needed expense. I have really thanked God for this one! It took two people to make this happen, and I am extremely grateful to them both.
2. For the rains we've had lately. We've been hot and humid but rainless for too long.
3. For missing every egret that has flown in front of my car on my commute lately. The local egrets have suddenly taken to gathering on the grass verges of the road and flying right into my path as I come alongside them. They don't seem to have the road savvy that the vultures and crows have.
4. For the amusing staring contest I had with a big barred owl in my yard at dusk the other night. There is no doubt it was watching me. It peered around a branch and followed my movements, staring me right in the eyes.
5. That I was able to get my husband an appointment at the dentist's office without a long wait for an opening. And that the scheduler was my son-in-law's first cousin, so she was extra helpful. Small town life -- any person one meets will always be someone who knows or is related to someone one knows.
Thanks for these posts Kirsten - it’s such a lovely part of the blog.
Thanks for the rain last night after weeks of dry weather here in Cambridge.
Thanks for my job that although stressful provides for my family.
Thanks for my kids who show such kindness and good character.
Thanks for home delivery of groceries which makes managing a home alongside a full time job that little bit easier.
1. Thankful that I was able to get a brand new pair of glasses and a year's supply of contacts for $104 total. This is awesome insurance coverage because the total cost was just shy of $500 before the coverage was added.
2. Thankful that my current pair of frames are still in good shape & Costco has great prices on prescription lenses so I can get the new prescription in my old frame and have a backup pair of glasses. What a great blessing!
3. Our garden is growing like mad and we are harvesting from it daily. It is lovely to be able to grow some of our food and there truly is nothing like homegrown tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers & herbs from the garden.
4. I am super thankful this week for access to good doctors, therapy, and medicines that many around the world do not have access to and truly make life so much better.
5. Self care. Taking breaks during my work day, gardening, dates with my husband, being mindful, drinking more water, being present, & resting when I need it. I know that this sounds silly as most people do this stuff without thinking but these items are not things that I am good about doing on a regular basis so for me, making an effort to be aware of taking better care of myself feels really great.
Blessings to all as we roll into the weekend!
I'll share some a list...I usually try to do it in my mind but when I realized you didn't understand just how helpful your lists are I thought maybe I should participate more.
1-I've picking free fresh raspberries from from my property line for a weeks.I don't know how much I picked because my grandson ate them as I picked but I did freeze a few pints beyond what we ate fresh.
2-My garden has been so encouraging this year...so much beauty.
3- My son's new job, new work hours that make life so much easier on his family & mine.
4- Thankful that we were able to get a new seal for my 15 yr old dishwasher & that my husband knows (or figures out) how to fix it.
5-AC & that my ac is really cheap so I can keep my house like a fridge!
I am thankful for:
Southwest had a special last week for one day that if you purchased qualified Southwest items up to $100. you got 50X the points. So I purchased two $50. gift cards on line and will be getting 50,000 points added to my account. It was their birthday deal that was only good for 1 day. Of course, something happened to their system the next day!!! Yikes!
Travel. I am fully vaccinated and going to visit my grand daughter for the weekend. And that my neighbor got to visit her family this past week, too.
Work. That my husband will be reducing his work days to 3 days a week when we get home from vacation in July. Currently he is working 65-70 hrs per week and he is exhausted mentally and physically. He threatened to quit, and they compromised to working three 12 hour days. He doesn't want to work more than 40 hours a week and I don't blame him so this is their compromise.
Family. My sister came for a visit last weekend, which she needed mentally. We had a wonderful time together. We totally exhausted her with bike riding, but made up for it with swimming.
Rain. Yes, we all don't care for rain -- well too much rain -- but in South Florida, we were extremely dry. The lagoon behind our house was down approx 2 ft. It has been raining almost non-stop this week, so it has filled back up.
Solar Power Warranty. Our inverter went again, but luckily we are still under warranty. We are now having a whole house surge protector put on our meter that will hopefully not let this happen again. If it truly was a power surge that blew the inverter, we are responsible. I don't want to be responsible for that cost as it is not covered under a warranty if it was caused by a power surge. And they are very frequent in Florida.
Thanks for keeping Thankful Thursdays. We are all thankful for something and sometimes when we don't participate, reading why everyone else is thankful, is thanks enough.
I am thankful:
that I didn't get hit with a late fee when I forgot to turn in my rent check. I have no idea why the landlord overlooked it.
that the first SoCal heatwave is almost over.
for my summer Bible Study group.
that the Summer Music Festival is starting next week, in person.
that the results from the Novavax stage three trial are strong. I received Novavax in February and it is a relief to hear that the vaccine is effective.
Thankful for a good report after my quarterly eye check-up, to be on staycation this week and doing deep cleaning and decluttering of the house, that we've had a week of rain followed by mild weather, that everyone is well at our house, and my car had a good check-up at the dealership, which will probably mean an increase in those annoying communications that there's been an inexplicable demand for decade-old econoboxes and mine should be traded in right away. Uh, no. 😀
I feel the same way when we get vehicle warranty offers for our cars, like our 2007. Ha.
I am thankful that Covid numbers are so good in Maryland right now. Not only are we vaccinated but there are very few cases in the state and not many hospitalized. What a difference from a year ago.
I am grateful for the wonderful weather we have had the past several days. I have had windows open all day the past three days. that is quite unusual.
I am thankful that the Brood X cicadas are waning. While they do not hurt people they wreak havoc on our trees and shrubs.
I am grateful for texting. It's perfect for staying in touch occasionally with people you care about but don't see in person often.
I am thankful that we have a couple of trips planned for the end of the summer, including one to meet up with family in the Midwest. Also, we saw relatives from New England last weekend, for the first time since late 2019. We met our great niece for the first time and really enjoyed spending time with her.
I am grateful that some walking/talking relationships that developed during Covid are continuing.
I am thankful for a nice dinner out last week. In person dining beats takeout.
I am grateful that a friend's mother is responding to treatment in the hospital. She had some very serious conditions on Monday. My friend is pleased with the care she is receiving at the hospital she chose.
I am thankful for audio books to listen to while I work in the kitchen. I am thankful that I can borrow them from the library.
So glad this is staying, I started a daily gratitude journal last year and it’s been very helpful, I enjoy reading what others a grateful for too though!
I’m grateful that I got the house to myself for 3 hours yesterday, as an introvert it was wonderful and is not something that happens often with both my husband and myself working from home since last year and with rotating childcare locations (kids at our house every other week).
I’m also grateful for good fiction books. I enjoy nonfiction too since I can learn a lot of practical and interesting things but fiction really allows me to escape into a book in a way nonfiction doesn’t.
oh yes, this last year has been REALLY lacking in empty-house time for us introverts!
1. That our 80 degree plus weather yesterday was broken by a HUGE thunderstorm, the likes of which we seldom get, so today it is 52 degrees again. What a relief.
2. That my dog has learned to love the river behind our house and takes a swim whenever we open the gate for him. It makes him less stinky between baths!
3. Pansies are so wonderful, hearty and colorful. And the seeds they drop at the end of their lifecycle survive Alaskan winters and bloom the next spring. We have little volunteer pansies all over. They make me smile.
4. My husband stuck a family pack of burger in the fridge, to be dealt with later, and I found it just in time, two days later. I am so thankful we didn't lose all that money by letting the meat go bad.
5. A friend stopped by and bought crackers and a wheel of brie to share while talking. I love, love, love brie but never buy it because of the price, so this was most appreciated. And she left the remains behind.
@Lindsey, Where do you live? I assume the interior someplace? I live in Anchorage where it's been in the 60's or lower for which I'm so grateful. Plus we never get thunderstorms here!
1. For my husband, that he is a great dad and invests a lot of time and energy into our kids and we are completely in this parenting thing together.
2. That we can do so many more things than last summer. We are making lots of memories already this summer and reconnecting with friends and family.
3. That my kids are old enough to do chores and help with things around the house. I do miss them being little but having them be more independent has its benefits.
4. For new friends. As an introvert making friends is not easy for me but I am trying to step outside my comfort zone lately.
5. For my dad. He’s got the most giving heart of anyone I know.
1. Thankful for these posts to keep me accountable to working my thankfulness muscles.
2. My daughter is getting a permanent hearing aid implant next week. It's been a lot of learning about insurance and referrals and FDA stuff, in addition to hours on the phone, but it's happening!
3. This week's version of 95+ temps is dry and not humid. Much more bearable when it's dry.
4. This is the first summer we've been able to make the pool a routine activity. My son previously had a trach, which required enough focus from me I couldn't manage my other 2 small children. His stoma is now closed, and we Covid restrictions are easing, so now I can take all my kids to the pool by myself. I love being in the water, and I had missed it a lot.
I recently organized a conference and we had poet Dr. Ross Gay as the keynote speaker. He not only began the talk with a story about mulberry trees and his father, but he wrote a book about gratitude that I think your readers (and you) would like: _Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude_ as well as a book on joy _The Book of Delights_.
@betta from daVille, I don't know why this posted twice!
If this happens again, can you send me a screenshot? It seems to be a bug, and Mediavine is trying to help me fix it. But they're asking me for screenshots!
Can you still see your comment twice if you refresh the page? And can you see anyone else's comments double-posting? It seems to only be people seeing their own comments appearing multiple times.
This week, I am thankful for:
- progress and that Juneteenth has been signed into law as a national holiday.
- all the books I re-shelve at the library in my weekly volunteer gig and that it means people of all ages are reading A LOT.
- four social events.
- all the good, healthy food in our house.
- the birds singing.
- the daily New York Times spelling bee and crossword puzzle.
All of the things. A caring community, that — while sometimes terribly catty, as with any community — comes through for people when they need it. A good eye doctor whose passion for her job is astonishing. The neighboring church's VBS that gives me three quiet hours three mornings this week (the first quiet hours I've had since school let out).
Unrelated, Kristen, if you need an idea for a post, how about your preferred method for french toast casserole? I've looked pretty thoroughly and I don't think it's here, although you mention it quite a bit. 🙂
I actually use Pioneer Woman's recipe: https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a8921/cinnamon-baked-french-toast/
Lisey had the idea to double the crumb topping, and I have to say, it's really good that way. Ha.
Oh, nice. Thanks. I used to read Ree all the time, a decade ago or better, but now it seems ... I dunno, too commercialized. Understandable, but not as fun as it used to be.
There definitely is a shift when a blog becomes a company; I usually start to lose interest when a blog gets multiple writers too.
I like the old-fashioned (can blogs be old fashioned??) style of one author.
We are leaving Thursday for Wyoming where we will load my in-laws moving truck, so they can move here, well to The Villages...and we get to see our youngest daughter while we are there as well....
Then after that, we drive to Nebraska to see our son and daughter in law and the THREE GRANDKIDS!
Then we drive my brother in law's car all the way here to Florida and unload my in-laws truck and have a houseful of family until everyone closes on their houses!
So, I am thankful for the way that God has orchestrated all the small and large details for all of these moves! And I am thankful that they will be here less than an hour away!
I'm thankful that Florida is pretty much back to normal. It is extremely hot and humid, so not having to wear a mask is a huge blessing! And it is just nice to see people's smiles (and sometimes even non-smiles) to know what they are thinking. 😉
I'm thankful that my mom is recovered from her fall a few weeks ago.
I'm thankful that you are keeping up Thankful Thursdays. It is important to consciously review all my blessings..........
I am an introvert and I guess in my commenting as well … I’ve been following for years and hardly ever comment … so, thank you for all of your blogs, lists and tips!
Aww, thanks for taking the time to come out of your shell to comment!
* That my brother wasn't seriously hurt at work the other day. He needed stitches but it could've been worse. He also got his J&J Covid shot while in the hospital (they were giving him a Tetunus shot so they asked if he had his C19 vax so he got it all in one visit.)
* That my entire family (save for one) is vaccinated. So we're all mask free and happy.
* That I have a few more days off to relax!
* That tourism is back and my sisters, who work in hospitality, have their jobs back and are working steadily again.
1. Thankful to drink gingerale on porch with my neighbor. 2. Paid my neighbor to organize part of my shed. 3. Neighbor across the street found a power washing guy for to-morrow 4. Making progress unhoarding 5. Thankful the tree trimmers that killed my elderly neighbors tomato plant...planted two in its place...how thoughtful
I have returned to work 1-2 days a week. My friend, who I met when she and I worked for her brother 50 yrs ago. Called me again to see if I would like to work. I last worked with her 8 years ago when I retired.
I found a new park with trails, playground, and storywalk to take my grandson to yesterday. He enjoyed his day.
The Monday morning walk with the ladies which included the viewing of an 1800s cemetery and a deer. We did about 5 miles last Monday and finished just before the rains came. The length of our walks depends on terrain.
Social life without a mask.
The weather for hanging out clothes.
Fresh strawberries from out garden. Fresh eggs from the chickens.
Although I don't know about your itching. I did a very small amount of garden clearing the other day, and I again have spots of poison ivy inflammation, as much as I try to stay out of it. I see it, I don't touch it, but I get it.
I am thankful that we received probably around $1,000 or even more worth of instrument repair on my daughter’s violin and viola, my violin, and my hubby’s viola done absolutely free, many thanks to a wonderful violin shop that we took them to. I am also thankful that thanks to my daughter’s very kind and generous violin teacher, my daughter was able to attend a music camp for adults, and will be attending a music camp for kids (she is a teen, so kinda spans both age groups) for only one $5o application fee. All other tuition is waved in exchange for some coaching by her, a scholarship, and some apartment cleaning that our family is doing to help provide a place for the music camp teachers to stay. This is a huge, huge blessing for my daughter, and indeed my husband and myself as well.
Have pictures and more details on my blog, as well as more information about both the music shop as well as the two music camps, just in case anyone is interested. The music camps happen each year, and there are people that fly in or drive from California, Montana, Florida, and Maine, so if you or children in your life are string players, please come join in the fun!
https://chickadeecove.blogspot.com/2021/06/frugal-fridayweek-of-june-13-19-2021.html
Looking forward to reading through all the comments. So glad that the thankful posts are going to continue!
Oh wow! That is an amazing blessing!
I’m thankful this week for:
1. Getting to spend a lovely vacation on the beach with my family for a whole week.
2. My hydrangea is finally starting to bloom
3. The sun is out and we are able to swim in our pool.
4. My daughters are developing a love for reading
5. Since it’s Father’s Day today, my dad, my husband, and all the other father figures in my life
Thankful for more progress on the kitchen/office area remodel
Thankful for my job which makes the above remodel possible
Thankful for my (sometimes irritating) next door neighbor doing all the hard work in the above remodel
Really thankful for my new (and not just new to me) freezer which is being delivered on Wednesday
Thankful for many things.
1.) Closed on a house. We are painting and fixing up immediate issues before moving. Then comes the fun of moving.
2.) My family and friends are generally healthy. Normal aches, pains, and age related stuff.
3.) My kid will be in the same school district. I moved close to my grandparents. They help me when I'm working.
4.) Got a well stocked pantry. Been able to buy minimum stuff to eat. Saves energy and time that I can apply to packing and decluttering.
5.) I have a well paying job. I'm aiming to pay my house off early. I'm going to take like 3 months to figure out my expenses and then go from there.