Thankful Thursday | It's March soon!
This week, I am thankful:
for our cats
We'll start with them just so I don't accidentally leave them out!
that my piano finally got tuned
My tuner had a family crisis that postponed my tuning for a while, but this week, he came over and got me all fixed up. Sweet!
I don't have the most sensitive ear in the world, but when it's been too long between tunings, I definitely can hear the funky mismatch when I play octaves.
He keeps a little record of tunings in a notebook inside my piano, and we noticed that the first date in the book was in November 1999. He and my piano have a very long-standing relationship!
that my clinical site is so close
I would apologize for repeating this so often, but I'm probably gonna say it over and over again until the semester is over:
I love, love, love not having to drive into the big city to do clinical days!
When I have to do that, a clinical day pretty much eats up the entire day.
But as you saw with my day in the life post, a nearby clinical day still leaves room for other things, and that is true even when it's a full 8 hours.
that we only have two more modules of material left
I'm getting tested on Module 2 on Monday, and then we only have Module 3 and Module 4 to get through.
This is a cheerful thought indeed. I've already worked hard to absorb two module's worth of material, and I only have to do that with two more modules. Yay!
I can do this.
that I've made it through six weeks of the semester
It's a 16-week semester, and we're nearly at the end of week six. So, pretty soon we'll be halfway through.
(Can you tell I am needing to pep-talk myself a lot this semester??)
for some warmer days
We have had a rather cold winter here in the Mid-Atlantic (cold for us at least!!), but this week, we've had some air that has a hint of spring in it.
Woohoo!
I even opened my windows for a bit yesterday.
Also, I know from previous years of photos that at the beginning of March, I usually see the first tiny green leaves peeking through in the woods.
March starts on Saturday so...I should see some green soon!
for fuzzy green mosses
I am always appreciative of the green they offer in otherwise-brown conditions.
that eggs are at least still available
They're currently about $5/dozen even at Aldi, but I do prefer this over times past when it's been tough to even find any eggs at the store.
What are you thankful for this week?
P.S. I'm working a 7:00 am-7:30 pm tech shift today so my apologies if I don't respond to comments promptly!
This week's thankfuls-
For lifting someone's spirits just by sending a kind note - reminder to self to use that role of stamps more often
For having good talks and good times with my cousins
For spring becoming visible in our garden - bulbs showing their leaves, buds on the shrubs, and lots of fluttering in the evergreen bushes
We’ve also had some warmer days here. It’s nice to be able to air the house out!
I’m thankful that I don’t have any big purchases on the horizon.
I’m thankful that I’m a good cook and can conjure up meals from very basic ingredients.
I’m thankful that my husband and I still have our parents, and they live nearby and both marriages are going strong after 60+ years. I sometimes forget what a privilege this is.
Though it isn’t a pleasant thing, I’m thankful that I’m clear-eyed about what is happening to this country, and I’m thankful that I’ve been on the right side of history.
I’m thankful that when I’m wrong, I can admit it. I wish more people had this quality!
@Ann on the farm,
I love your last point. It is so true and such a cause of problems.
I am good generally good about admitting when I'm wrong. We're all human and if we can learn from being wrong that can be a good thing.
@K D, agreed. It's such a good quality. I also agree on Ann's penultimate point...the situation is so depressing but I am thankful to everyone resisting.
Warmer weather is a big one along with the increasing daylight. Yesterday I was talking to a friend that also likes to be outside regardless of the weather. She commented on how many people were out on Sunday since it was warm. I noticed the same thing.
A healthy body. I have never had a major health issue and I am grateful everyday that I don't have to deal with one.
Potable water and modern plumbing.
@K D, I like your last point. Public utilities are among those things we forget to be grateful for until there's an interruption in service.
@A. Marie,
I stumbled across this article after I posted that:
https://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/we-live-like-royalty-and-dont-know-it
DH likes to watch Naked & Afraid and that crazy show definitely makes me appreciate potable water and modern plumbing.
Still struggling with hard times but am determined to join in being thankful:
- It's warm enough (we're in the north of England) to have the windows open in the morning for a bit
- My mother in law, she's the only family we have nearby and she's always happy to help out with babysitting when asked
- My brother's funeral being a celebration of his wonderful life (his words) and catching up with some old friends I haven't seen since childhood
- Hand me down clothes for my daughter, have saved us a fortune over the years
- Chocolate, always a necessity
@Jen, I'm so sorry about your brother.
@Jen,
I am so sorry for the loss of your brother! Wishing you and your family strength-
@Jen,
Sending you my heartfelt condolences on the loss of your brother. So sorry your family is in mourning. May your happy memories of him provide you with some comfort, and may God dry your tears.
@Jen, I add my condolences about your brother's passing. I'm glad that his funeral was a celebration of him.
@Jen, I’m sorry about your brother.
@Jen,
I, too, wish to express my condolences on the loss of your brother.
@Jen, So hard about your dear brother. Sending my condolences to you at this heavy time.
Thank you all for your kind wishes
I am thankful that we leave for sunshine tomorrow - Florida that is. We both need a break and some bike riding. First we are stopping to see some friends in NC and then to Florida. Besides biking, we will also take in some baseball, which we both love. So looking forward to the break!!! Maybe when we come home, we'll start seeing the buds on the trees.
I am also thankful for the weather warming up! I can see spring flowers during my walks now.
I'm thankful that I was able to book two mundane but needed appointments at the doctor. I'm even more thankful for public healthcare!
I'm thankful for the helpful people I spoke to on the phone for the aforementioned appointments and at the bank.
I'm thankful that I can work from home today.
Biggest thankful: I can go and see a good friend of mine this afternoon who I haven't seen in way too long!
I'm thankful I am up early enough (before early lab) to post before heading out!
I'm thankful for a DH who kindly takes care of Clark's petty needs (as we call them) on these mornings.
Thankful that Clark has learned to respond to verbal admonition; he used to chew on my hair to get me out of bed, and this morning when he got up near my head I said, "Clark, you know better," and he sheepishly backed down and curled up by my side. Smart cat.
Thankful for warmer weather--three times this week we've been able to go for walks in the park around the pond, which is thawing rapidly. Three weeks or so ago, people were ice fishing on it, it was so frozen.
Thankful that DS#1 has a job interview this Friday; he is SO ready to get back to work (he was laid off by his previous employer during his health crisis) and this job sounds right up his alley. He is thankful that he saved so much during his employed time that he hasn't been very worried about his finances, but he wants to work!
@Karen A., Good luck to your (resilient and impressive) son!
@Karen A., what Suz said. And, as always, Betty and I send our regards to Admiral Clark T. Fluffington.
@Karen A., Hope your son is soon happily employed.
@Karen A.,
I'm still salty on your/your son's behalf that your son was laid off during his medical crisis. I truly hope he finds a job 1000% better than his previous job.
I’m thankful for
- my nephew’s recovery after a scary injury and subsequent infection
- my kid’s happiness and confidence despite (1) adolescence and (2) political hostility towards a core aspect of their identity
- an excellent team of trainees and coworkers during a very busy work week
- warmer temperatures, more hours of daylight, and the opportunity to walk to work
- plans to go out to dinner with friends to celebrate their birthdays and professional accomplishments
@Katie,
I can't do emoticon's on my PC- but a heart to you and your family!
@JNL, I’ve seen people do this <3 for a heart.
@Katie, I have a kid in a similar situation and I feel for you.
@Katie, Happy to hear you're raising a resilient child, but sorry they have to experience political hostility. I read yesterday that one particular so-called adult is constantly using an extremely derogatory word publicly that I thought was obsolete. Silly me.
@Katie, Kudos to you and your confident kid!
@Katie,
So sorry to hear that your child has been subjected to political commentary. So grateful that you are present to support your child. There are a lot of mean-spirited and hateful folks in this country who are so ill-informed, so stupid and so fearful (for no reason) and as a result the innocent others are made to suffer.
We live in a country where someone like Elon Musk repeatedly uses the "R" word when talking about those with certain kinds of disabilities. Ignorance and bias is disgustingly everywhere. And Trump has visually and verbally mocked a disabled reporter and others. UNACCEPTABLE.
@Katie, So sorry to hear about your poor kid being subjected to hostility.
@Bobi, As a career special educator, I’m literally sick to my stomach over the nonchalant, flagrant use of that word by said person! It only goes to show that money doesn’t buy intelligence, especially emotional intelligence.
I'm not thankful that I fell on the ice yesterday. (My driveway is a solid sheet of it. Spring can't get here fast enough for me.) But I'm thankful that Bailey dog's mom and Bailey came by just in time to help me to my feet, and that I seem to have escaped broken bones. I'm pretty sore today, though.
And I'm thankful that the home care aide sent by the agency for a first shift at NDN's house is a sweet and cooperative young lady. (She's a niece of one of our other neighbors, whom NDN doesn't know but I do--so that helps, too.) NDN was a bit stressed out, and it's going to take her some time to get used to having help. But on the whole, I think things went pretty well.
@A. Marie, I'm thankful you're (mostly) okay after the fall!
@A. Marie,
Oh, goodness, glad you aren't injured!
@A. Marie, Having fallen a couple of weeks ago, I can certainly empathize. Hoping your recovery is swift and the sore spots few.
Also hoping for progress for NDN interactions and acceptance of what will hopefully be "new norm." And the relief of stress to you and your other caring neighbor. (Sorry, I forgot the acronym.)
@A. Marie,
Yikes! Having had a total knee replacement last year, I'm now terrified of slipping on ice. I'm thankful you are basically okay, if sore and maybe a bit bruised.
And FYI - I watched the version of Pride & Prejudice that has Colin Firth in it on Kanopy....I haven't watched it in years, and it was a complete pleasure. I'm going around using the word "shall".:-)
@A. Marie, YIKES!! Glad you weren't badly injured.
I remember the last semester of radiography school - tests every day in addition to clinicals and raising two toddlers. It was like hell semester! So, go ahead and be thankful for all of the things school-related you mentioned because I get it!
Things to be thankful for here:
*I reached as topping point on painting the garage and I will pick up again next week because I am no longer going to push myself beyond what I feel I can do. This is a big change for me.
*I have two more days off this week to get many other things done like work in my new sewing room
*I have some good books to read
*the weather here has been mild and spring-like
*I'm going to take myself out to lunch today
*Son #2 is thriving in his new apartment with his rescue cat, Oscar
Happy Thursday!
- I'm thankful for the beautiful sunny warm weather we had yesterday. It was 75 degrees which was much better than the snowy weather we had last week.
- I'm thankful that daffodils are blooming in the yard. Nice to see some color in the flowerbed.
- I'm thankful the grandson's first birthday party and the baby shower at work went so well. It took a lot of planning and energy, but it was worth it.
- I'm thankful it was a simple process to reactivate the bank account for Mom's estate. While waiting for final distribution of assets, I haven't had any transactions in a while, so the account had been deactivated.
- I'm thankful for our silly, full-of-energy rescue dog.
I'm thankful:
*for the crocus we found outside yesterday!
*that my husband's grandmother is no longer suffering.
*for family. A death in the family makes you appreciate them all the more.
*for warmer weather.
*for helpful kids.
*for sleep.
*that both my Christmas cactus and poinsettia plant have decided to look like Christmas. Silly plants!
@Jody S.,
Condolences on the passing of your grandmother-in-law. Please extend my sympathy to your husband all all of the grandmother's loved ones. May the knowledge she is no longer suffering bring you all peace and comfort.
@Jody S., my Christmas cactus, which bloomed at Thanksgiving, is blooming again. What's with that?
@Jody S. and @Book Club Elaine, what I've observed over the years is that so-called "Christmas cacti" have their own ideas about when to bloom. I have one that's worked its way back on the calendar from Christmas to Thanksgiving to Halloween to Ms. Bestest Neighbor's birthday (which she shares with Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples' Day, depending on your point of view). It may be a Labor Day cactus before too long. (And, as I expect you already know, they're not really cacti, either.)
Also, Jody, I'm thankful that your grandmother is at peace.
@Book Club Elaine, Mine rarely blooms at Christmas. It prefers Veteran's Day and MLK Day. Go figure! 😉
@Jody S., I sent a friend a photo of my Christmas cactus that is only now budding out (end of February, for gosh sake) and she said she thought it might be a Thanksgiving, and not a Christmas, cactus. Which sent me down a rabbit hole on the internet trying to pull up pictures. I never heard of Thanksgiving cactus, and it seems they have different leaf formations and blossom color (more orange and yellow). I'm still insisting mine is a Christmas cactus but at least I learned something Horticultural!
@JDinNM,
I know what you mean..... I "inherited" what I had been told was a Christmas cactus after my mother in law passed away 5-ish years ago. It turns out its a Thanksgiving cactus (has that leaf shape), and pretty much blooms whenever it feels like it. 🙂
@Fru-gal Lisa, Thank you.
@A. Marie, Thank you. And I didn't already know that they aren't really cacti. I'll have to do a little research and learn something.
One of my farmers told me they sold over 100 dozen eggs the last time they took eggs to market. They said this egg crisis has been a boom to them. They sell for $6 a dozen but their chickens are (truly) free range on an organic farm, clean, and well-cared for, with visitors welcome to come see how they are raised. If you've ever driven past a commercial chicken/layer house in the summer, you know why I mention the "clean" and "truly" free range.
My thanksgivings:
1. Thankful again for a safe flight for my daughter! She has spent most of February overseas. She is now in Norway, and sent us a lovely picture of quiet snow and evergreen trees.
2. Thankful again that my granddaughter kept my dogs, fish, and birds fed while I was at my sister's, and that she stayed at my house to keep an eye on it. Also, she stayed over on Sunday to spend the night with me after I got home. I can't tell you how it warmed my heart on Sunday evening to walk into a room and see her holding my 3-legged dog in her arms, swinging him gently to and fro as he leaned his head on her and looked adoringly into her face.
3. Thankful that I spent DH's birthday with my sister, thrifting and having fun, instead of getting gloomy. We planned it this way.
4. Thankful that I'm making progress on my debt elimination every month. It feels good to put that extra money into it.
5. Thankful that, if we had to get sick, at least my sister and I could support each other. Also, that she had just bought a couch with a recliner in each end, because we stayed in those recliners all day on Saturday. I'm thankful we are both slowly improving.
6. Bonus, thankful that my great-nephew, who is 9 and is a bright kid, finally got a diagnosis for his trouble with reading text and numbers, sleep walking, motion sickness, and headaches. His eyes were not aligning correctly when they tried to focus on things - similar to being cross-eyed, although his eyes look straight. Glasses and corrective therapy were ordered and he is showing improvement already. It took 3 years to get this figured out, and his parents had to advocate fiercely for him, or I fear it might have been missed entirely.
@JD, having driven past a chicken farm in the Berkshires several times en route to visits to DH's late brother and SIL in CT, I totally get it about the smell. In fact, I've only been worse grossed out by smell twice: once at age 7 when my family drove past the old Procter & Gamble factory in Cincinnati, and once when DH and I drove past the stockyards in Amarillo, TX. (But to do the chicken farm justice, it bagged up composted chicken manure and sold it under the name "Chicken Gickem." At least those folks had a sense of humor.)
@A. Marie,
There are a number of them in my general area. Just imagine smelling them in the Florida heat....
@A. Marie, I think pig farms are the worst. There are no words for how bad the smell of pig manure is.
@A. Marie, My grandfather was an independent farmer (corn and soybeans) and had a battery coop for hens (he started the sideline to make extra money to send my mom to college). I well remember the smell and ick! When my grandmother was still alive he was forbidden to let us kids go in there, but we often begged to go "see the birds" so he would cave, and then get in trouble with Grandma when she saw how dirty we were!
For anyone wondering why he didn't do free range chickens, that wasn't really a thing back then, and battery coops were more efficient and faster for him. He had no patience with animals wandering about. I asked him why he didn't have cows once, and he said it was hard to make a living as a dairy farmer, what with what cows ate. By the time I was probably ten years old, he had given up the chicken business. He did say they helped his garden a lot, though! He grew the most amazing produce with that chicken manure.
@A. Marie,
I know of the P & G factory smell you mention....I used to drive by there on my way to and from college back in the late 70s'-early 80s. Blech.
@A. Marie, my late brother's hoarded house was on our grandparents simply gorgeous old farm in a river valley. Beautiful, rich land with close by neighbors. I refused to sell it to a guy who wanted to put multiple chicken houses on it and was determined to pester me into allowing it. I finally told him I had to consider the living circumstances of the neighbors in choosing a buyer.
@JD, What a lovely image of your grand singing to the three legged dog as he adored her.
After a year of traveling I had planned to visit my last national parks this spring. One isn’t answering the phone and the other lost their water scientist in the firings. I was glad to find the letter he posted to know that no one will be insuring the safety of all the water systems. He said a couple of years ago someone died from a pathogen in the swimming area so he recommended not swimming and the showers and drinking water were no longer being tested either. So glad that these workers care enough about the public to help even though they are fired and their lives torn apart through no fault of their own.
@Tiana,
I'm praying for the laid-off worker. I imagine we all will go through some tough times until certain officials get a clue and discover these federal employees are necessary.
@Fru-gal Lisa, Yes. I’m glad I figured out what’s happening, it’s helped me to deal. I’ve worked a few tech roll outs in big corporations and the engineers send the systems out before they are perfected and then you just tweak and play pick up with everything that’s broken. They are rolling out AI and have no idea who is essentially and can’t be automated. Clean up will take a while if it even works.
@Tiana, "Move fast and break things" may work in the tech world of startups, but not so much for a federal government that all of us rely on for health and environmental protections, and for regulation and oversight of the people and companies who move fast and break things.
@JDinNM, I agree it will be messy but they don’t care.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/if-ai-takes-all-the-jobs-this-is-what-society-looks-like/vi-AA1z2m1c
@JDinNM, MS has a new quantum chip, Amazon is making Rainer supercomputer and upgrading Alexis, all the tech companies have cozied up to get a piece of the AI pie , even Russian is probably to have and edge against china AI. All the government data is probably already on grok3…it’s easier to ask forgiveness than ask for permission seems to be the mindset.
@Tiana, Artificial Intelligence. Emphasis on Artificial. Would be nice if they could develop actual intelligence. Not to mention foresight and empathy and morality. Or even artificial approximations.
This week I am especially grateful for 1) the public servants who are trying to keep the wheels from falling off and 2) the hard-working tradespeople who are working on our remodeling project. They do everything with a high level of skill, can problem-solve and troubleshoot like nobody's business, and bring humor to the job. As much as we want the project to be done, we will miss their daily presence.
@MB in MN, I once lived through a massive and lengthy remodeling of a pre-war condominium in the heart of Center City Philadelphia. I had to move out and rent an empty unit in the building with a working bathroom and kitchen. When the crew was finally in the last days of the project, I walked in and saw my contractor in my new kitchen making a pot of coffee and couldn't stop myself from singing out "Honey, I'm home!"
@JDinNM, that sounds like a cool condo. On a few occasions during our remodel, I have also sung out "Honey, I'm home!" and think I'm hilarious every time!
My FTT are focused on finally settling into our new-to-us home after a solid year of inside and outside remodeling. It's such a relief to be beyond the remodel, I sort of feel like I've retired all over again!
1). That I am booked and busy with lovely activities now that our remodel is in the rear view mirror. I have a slate of fun things to look forward to on my calendar, things like Spanish class, Guitar class, Golf class, and Bridge class, plus lots of social get togethers. So much better than waiting around each day for contractors to arrive, as much as I appreciated each and every one of them.
2) That our six year old granddaughter called last night to ask Grandpa to read to her. This little muffin has already read her way thru the entire Harry Potter series (honest engine!), so the call was extra sweet and special.
3) That I am running again. As an extrovert I really need the energy of others while doing my physical pursuits, and I've struggled to find a running community since moving here eight years ago. BUT- a nearby running store just kicked off a running club, and my first time meeting up with them I ran four miles. It was so much fun! Can't wait to meet up with them again this weekend. 🙂
4) For the plethora of outdoor Meet Ups here. There are Meet Up groups for walking, hiking, paddleboarding, and kayaking, mypersonal preferences, plus pickleball if only I played/liked it, ha!
Now I just need to find a Meet Up group for strength training, as forcing myself indoors alone is tough for this extrovert.
5) The closeness of the ocean, which I set a goal for 2025 of experiencing in some form every day. Yesterday DH and I drove to a nearby bluff with our afternoon coffee and took in the glistening ocean while we drank it, instead of sitting on our sofas at home. It really is the little things, I find, in between the big things, that adds to the richness of life.
I really took note of your moss photo. In Antartica, all life is protected and preserved and it holds a near SuperStar reputation. Why? Here is an AI Summary:
"Antarctica moss are incredibly tough plants that only grow slowly in the harsh Antarctic climate, tolerating intense cold, prolonged dryness, powerful ultraviolet light and prolonged winter darkness. They often survive for nine to 10 months dormant under winter snow, using their own antifreeze to prevent their cells icing up."
We actually took a field trip in Paradise Bay to show the " hanging gardens" which included red lichen and green moss. Every time we landed on the continent we had to wash our mud boots before and after with Bioclean to make sure we avoided transferring invasive species such as Dandelions which would wipe out 10 years of moss growth. When we landed we could not sit or even step on anything green.
I am so grateful to have a two week boot camp in revering all forms of life, especially the species I take so much for granted in this absurdly rich and varied continent I am lucky enough to live in call North America.
@Mary Ann, It's all one. It's all connected. Including us, of course.
I'm thankful we have a "home problems" savings account into which we deposit a small amount every week because this week, our 70+ year old wooden garage door developed a big crack in the wood and then the whole bottom section shattered. But no problem really, we have put aside plenty in the account to replace it and it will be a very pleasant luxury to have a modern garage door!
@Ann, That's a great idea! I think I will set up a home problems savings account so I can get a new roof in a year or so. Thanks for sharing.
@Ann, When I bought my house here in NM it came with an enormously heavy wooden garage door. Then one day it ... just gave up. I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did, given how heavy it was and the strain it must have put on the door opener. But I loved the look of it while it lasted.
@Fru-gal Lisa, we actually started this idea years ago with the goal to buy a new roof! We easily saved enough in about 18 months and then decided to keep the account up! There is always eventually going to be a "home problem" of some sort or another!
@JDinNM, we still have the original 1952 garage door that came with the house, though I am certain the rubber seal at the bottom was replaced. We had to beef up the automatic opener to cope with the weight. I have no idea how the original owners lifted it by hand.
This week I’m thankful…
• I also opened widows in the house this week! I know in Minnesota there is always a chance for one more snowfall but this week’s preview of spring has been delightful.
• For our dogs. Our old man is slowing down but is so sweet and loving. Our puppy has the greatest temperament and brings so much joy.
• My son is going on a band trip this weekend! He’s traveling to Madison, WI and is touring the University and the capital. His group will also be preforming in the capital building!
• There’s always a book to read or listen to. Between my TBR pile and the Libby app I always have a book or two I’m in the middle of.
• For my family and friends. I have a great support system.
Hang in there, Kristen. Keep on keepin' on. You're almost a graduated nurse!
I am thankful that the birds were singing in my backyard when I left for work this morning. A sure sign of spring! No human music can ever come close to the birds' songs!
My other thanksgiving items this week all concern my latest home improvement project, flooring for the biggest room in the house (LR-DR), for which I've been saving up for the past 3 years:
1. The workers installed the flooring yesterday. I got vinyl plank. It looks great.
2. They hauled off the old nasty carpet and pad for free (actually this was included in price of flooring/install services.). Thankful I don't have to figure out how to dispose of more than 20 feet of carpeting.
3. All traces of the damage the former Roommate from Hell caused are now gone, and it looks like it never happened. As soon as the furniture is moved back in this weekend, I can once again use and enjoy the room.
4. I put the flooring purchase on a credit card that is giving cash back for home improvement projects. This took about $100 right off the top, and I had the plow the bonus right back into my bill. Then I paid for half the bill, and will pay it off as soon as I receive my March pension checks.
5. The plank was on sale since the color is being discontinued. The front room can't be seen from the bedrooms, so if I put in some more vinyl plank, it'll be OK if it is a slightly different color. No one will notice the difference. But my wallet will!
6. There is an entire box of planks left over, and I gathered up the scraps when the workers left. They had put the scraps out by the curb, but I snagged everything I could before they came to haul off the carpet that was out there. I think I have enough to refloor the half bathroom! If not that, then one of the smaller closets.
@Fru-gal Lisa, Yay! This is something you'll see and enjoy every single day. So impressed with your savings discipline with this project in mind.
I'm thankful for Community in different iterations:
My Master Gardener community where we trade plants, ideas, etc.
My family community which is the basis for everything.
My political action community where I can find people of like mind.
This community that Kristen has formed and which is a wonderful place to start the day.
My local community, which while I can find a lot of fault with it, is still a place that I'm very fortunate to live in.
Without community, life can be very lonely, and it's been on my mind lately how important it is.
This week I am thankful for:
• a new book series on Libby that is completely absorbing—Yada Yada Prayer Group by Neta Jackson. (Normally I can’t stand Christian fiction, but I felt desperate for something to read and am fed up with bodies in car trunks and sex as a spectator sport.)
• a very difficult commission now completed
• a new drawing student so on paper my classes are full (someone is always away on a trip or recovering from surgery or taking care of ailing parents so full attendance is rare)
• the daffodils are fantastical in my yard right now
• finally got an mri on Husband’s knee (results with a doctor next week—they sure do know how to stretch things out and waste our time and money getting a thing diagnosed and treated)
@Central Calif. Artist Jana,
Everyone I know who has needed an MRI has had to wait for one. Why is that?
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, I forgot the daffodils. My new yard came with huge patches of them all over and different varieties. They are lovely to see each day.
@JD, there aren’t enough doctors in our area, and apparently not enough machines with the technicians to run them either. If you need to see a specialist around here, it is amazing if you actually get a referral. And if you need to change the date, forget it, because no one bothers to answer the phone or listen to and return messages. It is seriously frustrating, and potentially dangerous. It helps explain why so many people rely on overpriced supplements, which may or may not be snake oil. Sigh.
But I am perfectly neutral on the topic.
@Marlena, I’ve heard it advised that new home owners shouldn’t do anything in the yard for an entire year until they know what it grows in all the seasons. Good thing you weren’t out there with a shovel. How wonderful to have large patches! I keep hoping mine will multiply, but so far I am just happy that they survive.
@JD,
Not sure, but wondering if it's a lack of qualified MRI techs causing a back up? My DH had to wait a long time to get an MRI of his shoulder recently.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, I loved The Yada-Yada Prayer Group Series! I should re-read them.
Thankful for the warmer weather and sunshine we have had this week. I am officially past done with winter and ready to see things growing and feel the warm sun on my face.
Thankful for the opportunity to learn. I love that as we age learning becomes so enriching in a different way than it was when we were in grade school learning multiplication facts.
Thankful that we will be able to have our patio expansion done in the next week. It is going to be so lovely when it is finished!
Thankful that after not having a shower in our master bathroom since January 2024, we have a contractor who will begin the finishing work in the next week.
Thankful for the chance to get away to the beach with my sweet son in the next couple of weeks. This will be a surprise trip for him and it will be just the two of us, 75 degrees, a beach and 4 blissful days.
It's been a week where I've needed to focus on what I'm thankful for, so this is a really good exercise for me at the moment:
-DS17 had his last ever soccer game (well, for club or high school &/or a game that I will get to spectate. He may play club or IMs in college.) He is a very aggressive player, and we've been so lucky that he hasn't been injured. He and another player collided when they both went up for a header, and then he failed the concussion protocol. But, he is okay & was feeling fine the next day. So, so grateful.
-We've had some gorgeous weather, and I've been enjoying the time in the yard & on walks.
-That I have a great friend who is hosting us this weekend for our college tours. Bonus that her daughter goes to one of the colleges, and the daughter's boyfriend attends the second college we're looking at, and both have offered to take DS17 around & show them the schools through the eyes of a student.
-I'm always forever grateful for leftovers, for making my life so much easier on busy days.
-DH got laid off (I'm currently not working) yesterday, so that was ... quite a twist. We are fine financially, which is what i'm incredibly grateful for. We've paid off our house, and saved the money for both kids colleges. That said, getting health care will be an adventure, and I have two autoimmune diseases. So, we are both very actively job searching.
@Hawaii Planner,
I'm sorry to hear about your husband's job. Best wishes as you look for a new one, and good luck!
@Hawaii Planner, what a gut punch; layoffs seem to be spreading widely across industries and geographic regions. I hope you and your husband both find the jobs you want very quickly.
@Hawaii Planner, wishing you and your husband the best with your job searches! And glad your soccer player son is ok!
@Hawaii Planner, I add my sympathy on your DH's layoff. But, knowing your family's resourcefulness (I occasionally look in on your blog), I hope and trust that you will all get through this.
@A. Marie, thank you. We will be fine. It's not exactly what we had planned, but I'm very financially conservative, and we've planned for tough times.
@PD, thank you. Fingers crossed that one of us gets a job soon. I've been casually looking, but will definitely ramp that up to full on looking. And, thanks for the note on DS17. He is back in action & already playing tennis (his next school sport.)
@Suz, it was not the news we were hoping for, but we were also moderately prepared, as there had been rumors for a while. We're bay area tech, and LOTS of layoffs.
@Hawaii Planner, sending all good thoughts your way during this period of unemployment.
So much to be thankful for! We got our hens on Sunday and the whole thing has really been a blessing, so I will list them.
**We decided to convert our old dog pen into their coop, so what materials we did need, a good part of it came from what we had around or from my husbands bosses scrap pile. (My husband is a carpenter) - so we ended up spending about $200 on what we needed which included the smaller chicken wire, feeding and bedding materials and the food & food supplies.
**Our 5 hens are just about 1 year old and we were gifted them from a friend of a friend, so, free!
**She gave us 6 eggs along with the chickens
**So far (as of yesterday), they've laid 11 eggs.
**They don't seem too stressed from being relocated.
*My daughter flew to and from NYC this week and luckily had safe flights and only 1 slight delay
*After a very yucky day weather wise on Sunday, it has been wonderfully balmy and sunny since.
*The sun is rising earlier and setting later every day. 1 more week and we can Spring-Forward!
*Saturday we cleared out a lot of dead stuff from our flower beds in the front yard and are beginning to see some new life coming back.
Thankful that I can still get 18 eggs at Save-a-lot for $5.50 & picked up 3 packages/54 eggs the other day. I also passed a former (local) egg seller that just out their eggs for sale sign (but no price).
Thankful for first fake Spring weather this week! I (& many others) are so ready for a short break from the snow & cold, which will be returning this weekend in Michigan.
Thankful for teen who is enjoying last semester of Senior year in high school. Taking time to hang out with friends & making most of time with friends at school. Counting down the weeks/days left at high school.
Thankful for rescue dogs who always happy to see us. And let us know that we are loved.
Thankful my Aunt got a reasonable offer on her (what's left of) house (after hurricane). Luckily we had done some research before hurricane & some neighbor's houses had recently sold so we had some idea of value. There are so many people trying to get for next to nothing.
Thankful for Kristen & her blog where we can learn & share with each other. 🙂
Have a great weekend.
Thankful:
1. That the Great Dane finally ate a meal without choking! Only a year of hand feeding but the miracle tuned out to be drowning the kibble in liquid, so it resembles soup. And the only reason I thought of that was that I walked in on him trying to reach some cooling soup and wondered why he could eat that without choking or gobbling, and I realized it happened only with soups. So all meals are now soups! I am still holding the bowl however because when I put it on the floor, he stared at me, stared at the bowl, stared at me, and just stood there until I picked it up.
2. that for some inexplicable reason I have developed an aversion to any soda but ginger ale and then only when I feel ill. Saves money and better for me, I just wish it had happened years ago!
3. for a 2025 datebook someone gave me as a gift. The cover is embossed and shiny and colorful, and it brings me pleasure every single time I use it.
4. When the dogs bashed into our 6-foot fence repeatedly to make a break for it, managing to drag it down enough to hop over it, they just ran away to the next door neighbor and then stood in her yard barking forlornly until we realized they were gone and brought them home. Too stupid to get back in the way they got out...
5. For the husband, always the husband. Without complaint he dragged his 76 year old body through butt-high snow at 7 degrees to fix the fence the dogs ruined. So, I did what they say not to do, used food as a reward and made corn dogs FROM SCRATCH for his dinner (not mine!); you'd have thought I gave him the keys to the crown jewels when he saw them. I am worried that next time he will be the one bashing down the fence if it means corn dogs for dinner...
@Lindsey, I'm still chuckling over your #5. But I say give the husband all the corn dogs he wants. I'd give my DH all the pierogies he wanted if he were still here to give them to.
@A. Marie, Thank you for this reminder, to treasure (and spoil) the ones we love while we have them. 🙂
- I'm also thankful for my cat, Nacho.
- For warm, sunny weather.
- For my mother-in-law being with us.
- For kind nurses drawing my blood.
- For doctors and medicine.
- For my nice bedroom.
- For my kids finishing school early today.
Yay for March! To me, the beginning of March always triggers "winter is done" in my brain. More sunshine and getting outside more.
This week I'm thankful for all the sunny days we have had this week. The cats have enjoyed them also!
Thankful that where we live DH has access to great care through the VA. This week alone he has called, gotten xrays, talked to his PCM on the phone, got meds in the mail, etc. I know there are horror stories from other places, but here they are really great.
Thankful for all the deer that come through the yard about twice a day. They seem to have a path they follow. 8 or 9 come though coming and going. We love to watch them.
Thankful that after 2 months of diligently working in this yard and gathering downed limbs and logs and fallen trees etc etc...I'm starting to notice a difference in the yard and have hope that maybe we get some grass this spring.
Also thankful for the ease of finding new homes for all the miscellaneous stuff around the house without having to take it to the landfill. Between local thrift stores, giving away on, selling on marketplace...there is very little that actually gets tossed.
I am thankful that so many people are contacting our government officials to say: STOP the cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and SS.
I am grateful for those very few people (in and out of government) who have integrity and a backbone and are standing up and resisting what is being done to our country by people like Elon Musk, a foreigner who supports many undemocratic countries. And takes joy in just firing people as if there were lives hurt in the process. It's the sheer joy he gets from it that is so disgusting.
I am grateful that Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods, from whom I get deliveries, have NOT raised their egg prices. Local stores have jacked up prices where eggs for a dozen are going from $10.99 to $14.99. ($5 eggs Kristen? That is cheap and we'd kill to have eggs that low here even before prices rose.)
I am grateful for an advocacy group helping us fight changes to our CDPAP programs. We may not win, but we'll go down having called attention to the issues and sent a warning to our governor that she can't just disregard our concerns and strip our needed healthcare. Her slogan is : Your family is my family. Yes, so you put your disabled constituents, your "family" members at risk? Not sure that constitutes family.
I am grateful that there are still a few judges who uphold the constitution rather than make assessments based on politics.
I think you might consider a column that allows us to talk about what we are deeply concerned about these days. What keeps us up at night. What has us so worried that even the strongest among us feel beaten down by what is going on.
I am thankful that this week is about to be in the books. It has been "stick" week. Monday, big toe repair. Tuesday, Shot to the bum knee (made "bummer" when I fell in the snow). Lab draw yesterday in prep for visit w PCP next week. One out of three did not hurt.
I am thankful for the hint of spring/false spring reminding us that the real one is to come and the rejuvenation it has provided.
Thankful to have awakened from a refreshing deep sleep. I don't know whether to attribute it to being finally pain free from the toe and knee, the fact that I had no sleep all day yesterday after working all night, or the chamomile tea I drank before bed. But I'll take it!
I am thankful for this political comment free space as a respite from the emotional rhetoric spouted elsewhere and while people are hurting from the changes, sharing the hurts is one thing...
I am looking forward with thankfulness to two week vacation beginning Monday. Per usual, it will be primarily a "stay-cation" with a couple of short excursions interspersed. I need the break from work.
I am thankful that Daylight Savings Time is around the corner!
I am thankful for my morning coffee.
I am thankful for a mostly healthy February.
I am thankful for a good visit with family and that my mother's health is slowly improving.
I am thankful for hand-me-down clothes and toys.
I am thankful for a weird thing this week: finally being diagnosed with psoriasis! My longtime family doc back home had said that's what it was and handed me a tube of ointment from her supply closet of wonders, but it never showed up in my records. I break out maybe once every two years and usually it's very minor. The rheumatologist treating my arthritis really wanted confirmation of the diagnosis (psoriasis is linked with certain types of arthtitis) and this week the stars aligned, I had a pretty nasty outbreak and a rheumatology appointment. I felt like saying, "Rejoice! We conquer!" while showing off the long-awaited rash. 😀
Thankful for sunshine yesterday, for silly cats, for a fun evening painting canvases, for my job, and for my family.
I wouldn't have even thought about being thankful for eggs. I like how you see the positive even when there's the negative. I've postponed buying eggs since they're so high.
I'm thankful for/that ...
1) My husband got 3 out of 4 days off while on call. He definitely needed the break.
2) Sleep and rest I got last night. My sleeping habits have been pretty bad for a while now. Hoping for better results in the future.
3) Chance to catch up on my to do lists.
4) Fun crafts generously given to us from my sister in law and free art events at the library that I've done with the girls like diamond painting and mosaic art.
5) Warmer weather in the 30s and 40s, brighter mornings and clear skies. It's a definite improvement over the negative degree temps we've had.
Senioritis is real! Soon you'll be planning graduation and NCLEX, then launch your career. It has seemed to go quickly for those of us who don't have to do all the work you do ;o)
I am writing my response on Friday. I am thankful for the day I had on Thursday.
Kristen, I was thinking about you yesterday, starting out on your nursing career. I attended an alzheimer's advocacy day at our state house. Five of us attended from our senior center. The outreach coordinator, who helps seniors find the help they need, a gentleman who is currently caring for his wife, two women who had cared for their mothers, and me. The current bill before the legislature includes training for hospital personnel and first responders. The gentleman with us said he had taken his wife to the hospital one time. He also spoke to me about the loneliness that happens. Each time their nurse came in, his wife (a prior nurse) asked what school she went to. The fourth time, the nurse said--Do you have dementia? That did not settle well with the husband. They talked about how hospitals can be upsetting to people with dementia, how the patient cannot comprehend a simple thing as choosing food to eat. It was a very empowering day listening to stories and meeting new people.
It’s been a long haul but you are almost through nursing school! It’s soooo close I can understand needing extra pep-talks but you can and will do it with your best effort…..and flying colors! Cheering you to the finish line
SO thankful for good Medicare Advantage health insurance. I have to have a hip replacement (!!!) and will have small amount of copays for all of it, nothing horrific. We have an HSA from our working days to cover those small amounts.
Am also grateful that we have an incredible local surgeon who is highly trained in the least invasive, quick recovery procedure for my hip.With ROBOTIC ASSIST! My incision will not disrupt the big muscles of the butt or thigh..(anterior approach for those techies and nurses out there.) SOOOo very grateful..this means a much easier recovery!
I am grateful for WINCO and TRADER JOE.Those 2 places are fun to shop and give me the ability to bring delicious nutritious meals to my table every single night.I like my own cooking and of course, much easier on the pocketbook.
I am thankful I am one of those people who loves to cook.. and menu plan,. it is a hobby so not so hard for me. I do keep a few “convenience” foods in refrig like TJ’s tempura shrimp and a frozen bag of theirr veggie rice, and a their meat lasagna,so if I am too tired or uninspired, I don’t have to do greasy expensive takeout.
Feeling grateful for family who is ready to help me out during my recovery in late April.
Am very thankful I am going INTO this surgery in very good health.Not sure how this happened, but I guess my hip got arthritis over time and it hit “critical mass” about 8 months ago (PAIN!!!!!! and immobility) soo.. I expect a quick and full recovery. (ONE YEAR AGO almost to the day I was actually on a retreat, hiking the jungle in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala…that’s how fast this hit the fan!!)