Thankful Thursday | Last one for 2023
This week, I am thankful:
for the way you all found encouragement in the comments on Christmas Eve
I read all the comments on that post (as always!) and I was so happy to see that you all were feeling cheered and less alone after reading what others had to say.
for the way words land where they're supposed to
Sometimes, when I'm writing a post and I question whether it's really that helpful or of much consequence, I am reminded of what I read in You Could Make This Place Beautiful.
I've mentioned this before, but...the author was questioning whether her divorce memoir was really going to be that helpful to people or not.
In the end, she decided to just send it, trusting that the telling of her story was enough, and that her words would go where they were supposed to, landing with the people that were meant to hear them.
Reading her book was SO helpful to me; it was so relatable, I burst into tears multiple times while reading it. So, I am very grateful she decided to send her work out into the world.
Anyway, as I was reading the comments on the Christmas Eve post, I was reminded of this again. That was a short, off-topic post, and I almost wondered if I should publish it or not...but as it turns out, it was a post with the right words for some of you.
So I'm glad I hit "publish"!
for Facetime
This is the first Christmas in all of Lisey's life that we have not spent together! But thanks to the magic of Facetime, we were able to have a quasi face-to-face chat, and that made me happy.
that I figured out my printer's paper jam
I was trying to print out a little January calendar page and somehow, the paper got jammed! I had a terrible time finding the appropriate opening to locate the paper, but I finally did.
And now my printer is working again.
that the sun is gonna be out today
Yesterday was a very dreary, dark, rainy day, and we all know that's not my favorite.
But today, it's supposed to be dry and warm and some sun is gonna peek through. Yay!
for my Buy Nothing group
I'm busy getting through tasks I put off during the semester, and so of course I am decluttering.
My poor laundry room had gotten a little messy.
So I listed a bunch of things on my Buy Nothing group.
And now my laundry room is looking much better.
As at my other house, my laundry room isn't gonna win any style awards. But it's functional! And I'm used to a cinder block laundry room anyway. 🙂
I am just thankful to have a full-size washer and dryer and an unfinished room with storage.
When I was initially looking for places to rent, I considered an apartment, which probably would have had a much smaller laundry room! This one has a utility sink, washer, dryer, chest freezer, storage shelf, and it's not even cramped in there with all that stuff.
I would have survived in an apartment, but man, it's really nice to have a house instead. 🙂
that I do actually still know how to get stuff done (ha)
I did do maintenance stuff during my semester (laundry, cooking, bathroom cleaning), but anything that was extra fell by the wayside.
I made a big brain-dump list of all those extras, and now I'm busy knocking them out.
So now I feel a little more like my normal self.
And you know what's great about all these tasks? They're not things I have to do repeatedly, so I feel super productive.
Like....I don't have to declutter my laundry room every week. That makes it more rewarding than, say, unloading the dishwasher.
I am thankful for my family. Whenever I feel annoyed by one of them which happens more often when I am on a break from teaching, I try to remind myself that I am lucky to have the people I love around me.
I’m thankful for my husband’s $500 Christmas bonus from his employer. We managed to ride out a very expensive year—second year of home ownership/maintenance catch up, unexpected car replacement in March, four new tires for my car last month, etc.—so it’s nice to put something BACK into savings!
@N, The below comment disappeared from my initial post somehow, so!
PS—Our laundry rooms, plural, are the mudroom (gas dryer) and bathroom (washer). While it sounds wonky, the machines are less than ten feet distant from each other, and we’ve enjoyed decorating our washer to “go” with the bathroom—hello, giant Victorian octopus vinyl decal! Maybe Lisey can help you decorate your machines when next she visits, Kristen. 😛
I feel like Lisey would put eyes on her washer. 🙂
@Kristen, show her the wink a friend of mine had painted on his motel. (Few minutes' walk from my house.)
https://cf.bstatic.com/xdata/images/hotel/max1280x900/377821499.jpg?k=227d278b04bed1a4fa8c3f416d539663c9cb96a5ff82d8f02a41dc381299b2bf&o=&hp=1
@Rose,
You *ALWAYS* have the best comments and photos to share! I love that!
@Rose,
I would definitely smile every time I went past that building! Thank you for sharing that photo!
My laundry "room" is a corner of my husband's office that the washing machine is in. Plus the top of the gun safe next to it where I keep the laundry detergent. That's it. So yours looks pretty luxurious to me. 🙂
Thankfuls:
--For all the birthday wishes from so many of you yesterday. Thank you!
--That I made it to 44 years old with no health issues, no prescription medications, no permanent injuries, and no major life trauma. Never something to take for granted.
--That I have scheduled my oldest son's next foot surgery. No one is looking forward to this (AT ALL), but we know now what to expect, and we know that this is it. By summer, he'll be fully mobile and pain-free (assuming all goes well). Eyes on the prize to get through the unpleasantness that will be February and March.
--That for now, he's mobile enough to go elk hunting with his dad. Not sure how much they can hike, but they're going, and if the hunting is too much, they're bringing their fishing poles. Poor kid has been feeling pretty bad about the fact that he can't be as active as he likes to be, so I'm glad his hunt fell between the surgeries so he can go.
--Also that he's stable enough right now to work for a week after New Year's, before school starts again. He'll be fencing (barbed wire) with the guy he worked for this summer, and he's happy to be able to do it and earn some money. And I'm happy he'll be out of the house some. 🙂
--For our long Christmas break, and the fact that all of us can enjoy it. The school schedule is pretty nice for the adults that work there, especially those of us that are support staff. Teachers have to work much more on their "off" time, but my husband the bus driver and I the teacher's aide really are off completely for 17 days. So nice.
@kristin @ going country, Those 17 days off were pretty hard-earned! Enjoy.
1. For the first 14 years we had our laundry machines in the kitchen. It wasn’t bad when it was just two adults, but once four kids came along it was inconvenient. And the finished laundry would always make it to my bedroom to be sorted and be stacked all around in baskets until the kids put it away.
So this year we turned part of our garage into a mudroom and laundry room and it is amazing to have its own space. So thankful!
2. That my husband and I are handy and could do almost all the work ourselves. We hired someone to finish the drywall, but we did everything else. I pulled the wires and hung the drywall and painted. It took us a year on the weekend to get it finished, but I’m so glad we did it.
3. That I can put my house back in order now that it is finished. A lot of the stuff from the garage had to be stored in the house until the laundry room was complete.
4. For kids who sleep.
5. For a warmer winter so we can play outside a lot (although I’d love some snow).
@Faith, our laundry was in our kitchen when we lived in Belgium. My kids were little so it was nice to have it all in one space. My younger son would often sit in his carrier on top of the dryer while it ran and be soothed to sleep while I stood 3 feet away making dinner. I would fold clothes between stirring pots haha.
Having a utility sink sounds like a luxury to me 🙂 I'm glad you can feel productive; I am forever busy with the repetitive chores, and despite the fact that I'm working, working, working, it doesn't feel like I get much done.
This week I'm thankful--
--for my friends.
--that I was able to go "home" to see my sisters and their families (who could make it to the party).
--that my husband was unusually festive when putting the lights on the Christmas tree this year. He put the extras up in the dining room and school room (which is really one big room), and they feel so cozy in the dark mornings and evenings.
--that the internet makes it easier to keep in contact with folks I would otherwise not be in contact with. This week I was able to send a quick FB message or two to one of my high school teachers.
--that I received some money for Christmas. I quickly realized I didn't have a book (Middlemarch) which I thought I had downstairs in our mess of books, and I'd wanted to attempt to take part in my friend's online buddy read. So I used up some of that money right away. Usually money I'm given just fades away because it gets deposited and I forget about it.
--for our upgrade in piano. The piano we received many years ago was a cast-off from a local church. The children certainly were able to learn how to play piano on it despite many things not working (pedals, keys), but this cast-off from a different church seems to have all the parts working. The children have been playing and playing and sounding (mostly) lovely. It is so kind of folks to give such things away for free.
I love having a utility sink! I always wanted one at my other house and now...I have one. Yay!
It's been very good for girls who dye their hair. Heh.
@Kristen, Our laundry room is too narrow, and when the first sink starting pulling away from the wall, we looked and looked for a utility sink that would fit in the space. No luck. But we do have a small bar sink now which is much handier than the last one.
This week I'm thankful for:
* my in-laws (who are visiting right now) and the way they make things fun for my kids.
* for the way my husband cares for my family (my parents and brother).
* that my dad was able to be with my brother when he needed to go to the hospital on Christmas Eve. My brother lives alone am hour away from family, so I'm thankful that he didn't have to go to the hospital alone. I'm also thankful that my brother was doing much better when we saw him on the 26th.
* that my house has a basement that can store things, be a big play area, and give my in-laws a place to sleep when they visit.
* this fun stage of my kids. I remember thinking last Christmas that it was probably the best Christmas we would ever have, but I felt the same way this year, too.
I wish I had a laundry room. Hate doing laundry in the basement. I may turn a closet into a stacked laundry area one a dese days.
Today I m thankful for:
This peaceful interlude between holidays. I've done nothing and that is going to continue!
The organizer who's been helping me. She's taken an enormous weight off my chest and I am so grateful to her. Plus she is so cheerful and positive about everything.
This community here and the disparate members. So interesting.
This warm winter, considering the price of heating oil!
Blustery rainy days by the ocean. I realized a while ago why I love rainy days: because when I was a kid, Mom let me just sit and read and didn't nag me to go outside and play. It's cozy and relaxing.
Haha, my laundry room IS in my basement. It's just got a tile floor and painted cinder block walls.
@Kristen, You know what would be a good post, too? What we're looking forward to/hoping for in 2024.
In February, I get my new puppy and the place will be a madhouse again!
@Rose, We switched to a combination washer/dryer unit, and I am SO happy with it. It fit nicely in our tiny laundry room next to our extra fridge that we brought in from the garage, so it made everything more convenient. Even with six people, and large comforters and blankets, it does the job. I would think it would work great in a closet as well.
@Karen A., just make sure if put in closet the if you live in area that goes below freezing (32 degrees) that it is insulated wall. In our old house there was washer/dryer set up (took machines with them) in closet on second floor. We did not have machines yet & I did not want in bedroom (where closet was located). We put pole up & just made sure knobs were closed tightly (away from clothes).
One night (months later) we were eating dinner (downstairs below bedtoom) & all of a sudden water cam out of ceiling & down walls into dining room. Got main water turned off & grabbed towels to start soaking up water. The water line for washer had been run on outside wall & was not insulated. Even though had not been used in many months there was apparently water in line that froze & then split pipe/burst.
When insurance repaired the contractor cut out pipe & capped in main floor before doing new wall/ceiling. We cut door in wall in closet & stuffed insulation into wall as far as could reach & that could be opened in cold months to allow heat in. Our second floor bath was next to bedroom closet & shower wall was close to that adjoining wall.
Never had water freezing again.
Thank God as was quite the mess & glad we were home when happened.
@Karen A., I have one of those in my guest cottage (in a closet between the bedrooms) and I just love it. No lugging laundry downstairs and up. Plus, as you said, they fit a surprising amount inside.
Hm....I don't think it would be hard to run a water line and propane line (or electricity--but electric is so expensive here I try to use propane for appliances if possible) into the broom/cleaning closet between my kitchen and the powder room. Maybe I'll get an estimate this year--add it to the list of house stuff to do.
Thankful for all my holiday adventures with my lovely neighbors, as well documented in earlier comments.
Thankful for the continuing unseasonably mild weather. I feel vaguely guilty about enjoying this (climate change and all that), but I love being able to get out with only a light jacket for walks, gardening, etc., at this time of year.
And thankful for Kristen, this blog, and all of you. I wish the entire Commentariat as good a New Year as possible.
@A. Marie, You taught me a new word today!!! Can't wait to use Commentariat in the future!!
@Plaidkaren, we were talking about this a few days ago--and as I recall, Kristen thinks that JDinNM was the original user of the word. But as you can tell, I've happily adopted it.
@A. Marie, Guilty as charged. ;-}
@A. Marie, I asked Rose about "commentariat" a few days ago and she credited you with it!!
I love the photo of you and Lisey.
I'm thankful for neighbors who are also good friends. It's fun to have friends so close.
I'm also thankful for my friend Gini, with whom I share so many interests.
I'm thankful for a husband who is so willing to help others. He inspires me to do better.
I'm thankful my mom taught me to sew when I was little.
I'm thankful for the ease of checking out library books online.
Thankful to have this place to share & learn from others.
I don't do much social media (& actually only do 1 because old neighbor became friends with is military & moved so this is only way to physically see photos of kids/family & their life and same for myself & teen. But lately it seems that some commenters (not here) have been very rude & closed minded (?) regarding frugality/Products purchased & prices. I grateful that each of us from all over world respectfully share our version/experience of frugality & life without harsh judgement, which is not always the case on other places/sites.
Thankful for rescue dogs. They can be such entertainment some days. Older/father dog loves toys & playing while son/younger dog not so much most of time. They each got 1 new toy & dog pjs for Christmas. Older dog loves new toys & really plays with them a lot (like kid) & now has gotten protective about new dog toys. Put all in pile & then laid on top of them & also took new ones to kennel & hid in blankets. Yesterday decided to take new toy outside with dog when went out to potty. They makes us laugh & bring much needed love & happiness to our life.
Thankful for the sunshine (not today though). Yesterday was dark by 2:30 as it got really cloudy & rained later (& still today). We have had mild weather & good for me but the rain & heavy dense fog for days is sometimes depressing. If the winds & jet stream changed allowing the cold Canadian air to come down it would be snow, snow? snow.
Thankful teen did really well in dual enrollment last semester. College grades were posted & did great. Did great in high school classes & satisfied that able to do dual enrollment successfully. Of.course did have perfect schedule that semester which worked out best for teen & probably will not have similar arrangements in future, but glad had to be able to maneuver through first time successfully.
Thankful for mostly free unscheduled holiday break so that we can decide to do something or just stay home. Nice to just relax & enjoy doing nothing if needed. After break new
busier schedule/routine for both of us & will not have much time as now to do recharge. Taking advantage of opportunity to do now.
Happy Thursday everyone.
This week after Christmas feels so blah, so a thankful list is probably a good idea for me.
This week I am thankful
*I got a full 5 days off in a row and Christmas turned out much nicer than I expected
*The weather here is gorgeous and today I will take a nice long walk
*Its payday and I was able to move monies over to savings after paying bills
*99% of Christmas decor is put up and my house is neat and clean
*I got my truck inspected yesterday and will get the overdue tags paid tomorrow
*my To Do list is shrinking!
I work alllll weekend so I am soaking up this week like a staycation (:
It's so nice to have some breathing room to get those tasks completed!
My thankfuls...
- for the beautiful weather on Christmas with the sun shining out. It's been dreary recently so that was really nice.
-that I've been able to see both of my brothers and their families, and my parents, and in laws this week! A very family filled time.
- for my husband who has to work regular hours this week
- I am not very thankful that we have colds again... But it's manageable and not terrible, so I am thankful for that!
- that we could move everything from our chest freezer to my in laws while we dry out from the basement flooding. We still don't know if our freezer will make it, but it's not the end of the world.
Getting a laundry room at last when we built this house was utterly fantastic. It wasn't on the house plan - we added it ourselves with our builder's help and it turned out great.
1. I'm thankful first of all for a dedicated nurse at DH's nursing home who monitored DH well and caught his low blood sugar. It finally took a Glucagon pen to bring him back to safety. This happened while I wasn't there, but she texted everything to me once he was safe. I'm also thankful I insisted they get the doctor's permission to use Glucagon anytime he needed it, rather than call an ambulance each time.
2. I'm thankful for a loud, messy, fun Christmas with my kids and grandkids and for the invitation for a lovely dinner at my son-in-law's family's house so I didn't have to spend Christmas evening alone. I wish my husband could have been there, but he got visits from us during the day.
3. I'm thankful for leftovers!
4. I'm thankful that a gift I ordered arrived - late, but it made it.
5. I'm thankful for days off with a chance to get some needed things done but also some time to just relax and do something I enjoy.
Add me to the list of people for whom a laundry room of any sort would be a luxury. Mine is in our basement. However ..... I'm thankful to have machines that work (we finally bought a new washer a year ago, after many years of battling with my old washer to keep it balanced and in working order), so, really, life is good on the laundry front!
Thankful that so far we've all stayed healthy. There are multiple bugs circulating right now, so that may not last, but at least we've gotten through this stretch.
Thankful for a lovely Christmas with my family! While we didn't have snow, we did have unusually mild temperatures, and it was nice to go outside in just a sweatshirt (I just re-read this and it sounds like I ONLY wore a sweatshirt. Nope, there were pants and socks and shoes, too!).
Thankful for being able to get hours at work right now.
Thankful that Christmas eve mostly went off smoothly. I hosted extended family at our home, and there were a few hiccups, but overall we enjoyed our time together.
I'm glad that you feel motivated to get things done, small and big. The lack/ absence of motivation is one of the worst parts of dealing with ambiguous loss. " Not everything you lose is a loss" this quote was helpful to me although the pull of wanting certain and toxic, familiar things can be pretty strong at times. Talk about growing pain(s)!
I'm thankful for the publish button ;D!
@Farhana,
Thanks for mentioning the phrase "ambiguous loss." I had not heard it before and it opened up some new insight for me.
I also am thankful that just about 5 minutes ago the sun came out for the first time in over 3 days. Yay for sunshine!
I am so thankful I was able to spend Christmas with both of my (grown) sons. I know that may not always happen, but I cherish it while it does.
Although this week between Christmas and New Years gets me out of sorts in some ways (not having a routine, no focus or goal), it is so useful for just "catching up" and that's what I've done this week. Cleaned out my fridge, put away the Christmas decor (life is getting busy next week so I'm using the time I have now), planning ahead a bit, etc. So, I am thankful for time.
And I am thankful that my mom good a good report from her cardiologist and my friend had a successful hip replacement a couple days ago and so far is doing great!
Grateful to see some sunshine today after many cloudy, rainy, drizzly days through Christmas. My son has not even been able to ride his new bike that he got for Christmas so glad he can do that this afternoon.
For a rowdy Christmas with an 8 year old boy and two Boxer pups. Everyone was excited and there was a lot of laughter & chaos and peace, Christmas movies, cookies and puzzles.
For the physical strength to do a demanding workout to get back into the swing of my health journey after Christmas. There are so many that cannot workout but I can and feel empowered in doing so.
Coffee. Always coffee.
Being able to recover from a cold. I know this sounds silly, but any time I get a cold it always becomes a sinus infection or ear infection. This time I recovered without any additional issues. So grateful!
I have had many laundry “rooms” throughout my married life & the current one is my fave, complete with a utility sink. I’ve used communal laundry rooms, laundry in the kitchen, basement, etc. My laundry room is currently messy as well, since I’m playing catch-up after the holidays & washing additional bed linens from family visitors.
- I am so thankful that my son & his family were able to be here for Christmas. They went above & beyond to make this trip, driving 12 hours one way with 3 children ages 4 & under! Our holiday was filled with sweet hugs, kisses & laughter.
- That extended family visited when they could, adding to the fun
- I kept the Christmas Day menu simple, so I wouldn’t stress & was able to accommodate our vegan family members with simple adaptations.
- and our son & family made it back home safely!
This last week was a blessing beyond words for me. It was fun, sometimes chaotic, precious & I felt incredibly loved.
May all of you have a healthy, happy & prosperous new year!
Kristen, I like your laundry room too! I have a laundry room but it's used for storage and there's no washer and dryer in there. I actually wish I were in an apartment because all the local apartments have washers and dryers, as well as better quality water than this house has. (The water here is from a gross well and it isn't potable. Which is crazy that that's the case in America in 2023... but I digress.)
Also, I don't think I've ever spent Christmas away from my mom. I was wondering if Lisey would fly to visit you. It is a super long flight and I don't know how much vacation time she gets, especially since she's new in her role.
Anyway, this week I'm thankful for:
-Fun hobbies like crochet and knitting. I have so much yarn and so many things I want to make with it
-Cooler weather. I don't mind a bit of rain if it helps us cool off. I'm in Florida and we had a VERY warm fall down here.
-Reading time. I hadn't anticipated having as much time to read during the last third of this year... but circumstances conspired to let that happen and I've read some great books!
-Cute animals. I don't have any pets at the moment, but I really want to get some next year! I miss having cats walking around the house.
-Amazing communities online like this one. I was one of many helped by the Christmas Eve post and I so enjoy reading what everyone has to say in all of Kristen's posts!
Happy New Year, everyone!
My daughter lives in Australia and I'm so thankful for Skype and Facetime. If I had to airmail letters I'm pretty sure my daughter would be receiving lots of pressure from her mom to "move home". (I'm just joking - I don't like to guilt my kids, I have had enough of that in my life, but I am super thankful for technology)
I am super thankful that our 3 month old baby did not catch the stomach bug my husband and I had on Christmas.
I am thankful for audio books which help to pass the time when sick.
I am also thankful for the friends who dropped off Gatorade so that we could get some calories in our bodies.
I am thankful that my taste for coffee is back.
I am thankful that our daughter is growing a little in spite of her reflux problems.
I'm thankful, Kristen, for this post with the decluttering photos that got me off my butt and beginning my decluttering that I want to accomplish this year! My goal is to get rid of at least one thing I don't need/want/use every day. I do love a good before and after of decluttering.
Thankful I married a guy who loves cats. When I was dating, it was actually on my list--dog lovers need not apply (apologies to all those who love dogs, but I am not one of them for several reasons!). DH was the main driving force behind us adopting our first cat in seven years, and we ended up getting the Best Cat Ever. 😉
Thankful it hasn't been very snowy or icy lately, so our son with a learner's permit has been able to practice driving.
Thankful our youngest is actually looking forward to going on a long car trip with us--we're going to a conference with DH, and the others are old enough to stay home and mind the shop, but not the youngest.
@Karen A., I appreciate the story about marrying a man who loves cats; in my mind they are in the minority. When I started dating my HB, he had a cat, and I was very surprised and quite happy about that, I love cats, and am not a dog person, like you said for a number of reasons. Since his original cat who lived for 20 years, we have since had 3 more, 2 of which are deceased, one recently. So we're down to one cat with the best disposition ever!
I'm a crazy dog lady who is quite fond of cats too. My ex hated and was allergic to cats so my daughter wasn't allowed to have one. Then he ran off with a crazy cat lady and now he posts pictures of himself to FB with those ugly Sphinx cats. Ugly cats for ugly people! QED. Meanwhile our trash kitty is magnificent.
@Rose, Sphinx cats, I do not understand at all. They look like Gollum gremlins! Lol about trash kitty.
Your ex sounds like a piece of work. ((Hugs))
@Linda in Canada, yeah, I met plenty of guys when I was dating who thought dogs >cats or actively hated cats.
@Karen A., They look like ᵐᵉⁿ'ˢ ᵍᵉⁿⁱᵗᵃˡˢ to me, which only makes sense for the second Mrs. Ex. Class act, that one.
I've been sick for the last couple of weeks, so it hasn't really been a holiday. But I'm grateful that I don't have to do anything much.
Thankful that my friend from out of town was OK with my not meeting her for a restaurant lunch, as is our usual custom. But she brought by my Christmas gift (homemade cookies! YUM!) and we had a nice visit. She seemed to really like my gift basket full of her favorite useful things, several items of which were on her shopping list -- now she doesn't have to buy them!
Thankful that the bosses let me stay home instead of working my scheduled shift. They said it was real slow yesterday.
Thankful I was able to pop into Aldi and buy toilet paper, Kleenex and Vitamin C gummies. The rest can wait til later.
Thankful I was able to get the trash to the curb and that it was finally picked up. Christmas Day would've been our scheduled pick up day, so I'm glad it is all gone before it got too stinky.
Thankful for your Christmas Eve post, which I've shared with other singles.
1) I'm always grateful for my family (sister, parents, etc), but after time together over the holidays, I really appreciate how much we get along, how hard everyone works to bring a family together, and how much they love my kids.
2) Semi related - for a family & friends that I love spending time with over the holidays.
3) DS17 got in to another college, so he has quite a few options. He started high school during COVID & had some struggles, so we weren't expecting this outcome.
4) For my body, which allows me to work out & pretty much do what I'd like, despite having a chronic disease which could be much, much more serious.
5) We have gorgeous & colorful trees at our house. Raking the leaves is no fun, but I do love the colors right now.
1. I'm thankful that in the last 5 or 6 years my husband and I have not had so much as a cold, let alone a bite from the Covid bug. We're seniors, and are out and about a lot so we have no idea how we have avoided germs.
2. That I have lots of nice plans for my beloved flower garden for spring. A garden is somewhat like a wardrobe, always in need of some culling and changes.
3. That the holidays are over and it will be another ten months before I have to deal with them, and all the anger that I feel with my son for throwing us away and part of the fall out means no relationship with two granddaughters. I struggle so hard with this anger and it doesn't seem to get any easier, as it's been 12 years. The holidays are the worst.
@Anne, maybe when your granddaughters are of age, they will make contact with you. Holding out hope for you. . .
@Anne, I'm so sorry about your #5. And I send out hopes for peace and healing for everyone with family estrangement issues (including Kristen, I know). I'm far from on the best of terms with one of my two sisters, but things haven't come to an outright break so far.
Estrangement is so very hard around the holidays. Sending you love, and I understand being glad the holidays are over. Sometimes that's the best you can come up with for holiday gratefulness.
@Anne, your granddaughters may think fondly of you but don't want to upset their father. My daughter is estranged from all my ex's family, which makes me feel a little bad, but she's an adult and so are they. She knows she's number three out of three grandchildren for them anyway, with the only child of the favored child number one and the only boy number two. So it's convenient to blame her and of course me for the estrangement. She's worth more than their entire family put together anyway.
Basically, I'm so sorry.
Also I guess it's time for me to nag my older brother to call my mother again. He probably hasn't in a couple months. He felt so bad when he hadn't spoken to my parents in years when my father died and now he's apparently blowing Mom off. I only bug him for her sake, not his.
I am thankful for:
- Family time at Christmas
- That my kids *might* be able to go back to school in January after a month and a half teacher's strike. We support the strike (for better salaries and better conditions for teachers and also for students) but man, after the Covid school closures, the kids have had it.
- That my gastrectomy is still effective and bringing me down slowly but surely to a healthy weight (57 pounds down so far)
- Books. Always and forever. And my public library
- That my mom was able to dog-sit for 5 days
- To (finally) have a position at work where I'm feeling appreciated and am not overworked.
I think that your Christmas Eve post was written for me, I thought that as i read it. It felt like a hug from the universe. My step dad passed away on the 23rd and your post was an unexpected and timely encouragement that I needed to hear. I couldn’t comment b/c…. Ugh. Thank you for putting it out in the world, it definitely felt like a hug to me on a really tough day.
<3 You are a treasure, Kristen, I am so grateful you allow yourself to be vulnerable here on the internet. I feel
Gods grace through you and your blog.
@Caitlie,
I am so sorry for your loss. Losing a family member around the holidays is particularly tough. Hugs to you.
@Caitlie, I'm so sorry for your loss. My friend is currently wasting away, and it is so hard. I was with her today for awhile, and it is so frustrating because she so weak and unable to eat. And she wants to communicate but not always able to get her words out. Yet one of the couple of things I could understand was, "I'm sorry for messing up everybody's Christmas." !!!!!!! I assured her that we all love to be able to take care of her, etc.
Aww, I am so happy that it was a blessing to you. And I'm so sorry about the loss of your step-dad. I hope that his memory is a blessing that sustains you in the hard days to come.
@Jody S., I can completely relate. That is much like how it was for my step dad. He was slowly unable to eat and his ability to speak slowly went away too. It was so hard to watch, but it was a blessing to be with him until the end. Your friend is lucky to have you. Thanks for your kind words, you aren’t alone!
Thank you for posting. Your journey over these past couple of years has been very relatable to me. My nearly 15 year marriage also fell apart, and I sadly left our marital home earlier this year. Our area is very expensive, and I had no rental history and only a part time job. I knew I would never pass any kind of screening for a corporate apartment complex, so I looked on Craiglist for independently owned places that were in my price range (not a lot of options). I was open and honest about my situation, and I hoped that I would find someone who was kind and willing to rent to me. And I did. I now live in a small, older complex in a one bedroom apartment. There are no washers and dryers in the units - we have an external laundry room, with both coin-op and Venmo payment options. I feel like I'm back in college!
I am so thankful to be out of my former stressful and dysfunctional living situation, that I don't even care about not having a washer and dryer in my apartment. I have a peaceful living space to myself and right now that is everything.
@TLS, may 2024 be a year of improvements and blessings.
@TLS, sending hope and encouragement for 2024 to you.
I am thankful for a couple in my church as well as my niece, who have looked out for me, during this yucky "not COVID" respiratory illness. When you live alone, that is a real blessing.
I am thankful I was able to shop online and then pickup at Aldi last week. I could not face the day before Christmas chaos and didn't think I should be among so many people.
I am thankful that the glucosamine chondroitin has provided some help for my beagle mix dog, Molly. In the beginning she was a "straight up" bouncer and as she's aged and jumped one too many times off of the high bed she is showing signs typical to hip dysplasia. I lift her thirty pounds on and off of the bed and sometimes help her up the back steps. At this time, I cannot bear the thought of life without her. I still mourn the loss of my blue heeler, Bonnie, who was a dog of a lifetime.
I am thankful that when I opened the round steak that it was already tenderized. I was not looking forward to pounding it. I am thankful that it cooked up very nicely with the cream of mushroom soup, and cream of chicken soup as that was what was on hand. I also had some fresh mushrooms to add. Will be lovely with mashed potatoes.
Thankful for the sunshine today. The temperature was a little freezy which made the corners slick so it was nice to see the salt truck out doing his business. Road crews have not had much to do yet and that's a good thing for the rest of us.
I am thankful you went with your heart and hit "publish."
@Chrissy, Do you have stairs to the bed for Molly? My chunky nine year old beagle uses them to get up and down. We don't have stairs to the backyard but a ramp is also an idea. Beagles have long backs so you have to be careful with them.
Checking in late today since we are working in the guest bedroom again/still.
Thankfuls
That despite several setbacks we are still cheerfully plodding on in the guest bedroom.
That we are now also working on the top floor of our attic, where we had put away some of the shelving we now need. We will be selecting things to sell and give away as well, including a baby bed and some toys. They can bless other families.
That we are also taking some time to reenergize.
That we got to spend time with siblings and friends.
That I do not need to work before the new year starts again!
I’m thankful for my dear family, two DSs visiting for 9 dayswith their families from distant states. And, for a DH who checks every box in the wonderful department.
Also for a blogging community that is awesome, with Kristen leading the way.
Thankful that today’s my birthday and I made it one more year! Yay for me.
Thankful that my (and my insurance company’s) birthday present to me will be a cardiac ablation (outpatient) procedure tomorrow. Had the first one three years ago to the day tomorrow, and thought that had done the trick. But, no, so I am thankful for new doctor & team to give it another go. And like all excellent surgeons, he is absolutely positively sure he will do a much better job that will be 100% successful and never need repeating. Fingers crossed…
Thankful for supportive family and friends and the best neighbors I’ve ever had.
Thankful for my passive solar adobe home with its gorgeous views of the mountains and its wood burning fireplace that heats the whole house – take that, electric company!
And suddenly thankful for my laundry room. Hmmm, wonder why that just occurred to me….
@JDinNM, Happiest of Birthdays to you!
@JDinNM, Happy birthday. May your day be everything you need.
Best of luck & prayers for your (repeated) upcoming surgery.
@JDinNM, Happy birthday, and best of luck with your procedure. Although I always tell people I should really be wishing their surgeons good luck . . .
@JDinNM,
Happy happy birthday to you! I hope tlyour second cardiac ablation does the trick. Three hearty huzzahs for medical technological advances (as I glance at my new bionic knee)! 🙂
@kristin @ going country, Hah! This surgeon would insist that there is no luck involved, just superior training and skill. They must teach that attitude in med school. Or in your surgical residency.
@Liz B., Knees are so important, aren't they? We shouldn't take them for granted!
@JDinNM, happy birthday from this member of the Commentariat (your term!!), and best wishes for a good outcome tomorrow.
@JDinNM, Happy birthday, JD! From the COMMENTARIAT.
@JDinNM, Happy birthday. You know, I would rather have somebody who is confident in skills instead of somebody who says something like, "Well, we'll see if this maybe works. I botched it a few other times."
@Jody S., Hah! So, so true. ;-}
@Rose and A. Marie, for some reason, every time someone here uses the word "commentariat", I picture us all lined up in Soviet uniforms with Chairman Mao haircuts. Am the only one?
Oh yes, that term always has Soviet vibes for me, which makes it sort of funny given the very not-Soviet nature of the commenters here.
I too wish I had a dedicated laundry room. My washer and dryer are in our garage, makes it annoying to go out there when it's freezing cold or super hot. California's not really basement country 🙂
This week I'm Thankful for being with my family on Christmas, and watching my kiddos play with their little cousin. That made my dad's day especially great, being a proud grandpa.
Also thankful for Pepcid! Thank goodness this stuff is getting my reflux under control. It's been a crazy month of acid reflux and anxiety (which cause each other, who knew!).
Thankful for my kiddos, and hubby who's been the most amazing support and always my best friend. On that note (pun intended), is it ok to be thankful for my new record player? I've had my eye on one for years and this Christmas it showed up under the tree (again, thanks to my hubby). Now I can listen to my Moody Blues original LPs!!
And thankful this week/year for my new job. It was way beyond time for a switch and 2023 it happened.
Here's hoping 2024 is great for all!
My current home is the first one with a laundry room on the first/main floor....what a luxury! It also serves as a mudroom, as it has a door out to our garage.
Today, I am thankful...
1. For the "ice machine" that wraps around my surgical knee. It really helps with the ongoing post op pain.
2. For a sunny day yesterday. We've had a LOT of rainy, overcast days lately, including today. It was nice to see some sun.
3. For my DH, who has taken care of me (and practically everything) while I heal, and my son, who makes me laugh.
4. For Aldi's peppermint tea. I've started an afternoon tea habit while recuperating, and mint tea is a favorite.
5. For prescription medications. Do I love taking what seems like handfuls of pills every day? No. But the alternative (uncontrolled chronic illnesses and chronic pain) does not sound pleasant, either.
6. For a physical therapist who is kind and compassionate, but also pushes me when I need it.
Happy New Year, one and all!
My hiking plans this week. Tuesday I went out with one of the Monday Morning group; Saturday I am going out with another and Monday two. The group has not been together in over a month I think. Monday weather has cramped our style.
The butternut squash I picked up for free at the Sr. Center yesterday. Due to the holiday schedule, Sr. Center administration also coordinated an early "NYE" party with Chinese food and music. It was a lovely afternoon.
Satisfaction that a "consignment" Christmas stocking for my friend's newest grandson was graciously appreciated. My friend's mother had made them for all the children and grandchildren during her life. When her sight became impaired, I was enlisted. She has since passed away. I had a difficult time with the pattern this year. This was the first time my friend's sisters saw the ones I have made, and she said they were impressed. They had paid someone to do them for their grandchildren and felt mine was better. Maybe it was because I added a little "heart" into each stitch. I was not expecting any payment but my friend would bring over a box of chocolates from a local chocolate maker. (Growing up, we lived on the same street. The younger sisters and brother were/are friends with my niece and nephew. It's such a small world.)
Thankful for:
1. a local guy who can change the battery in my MacBook so I don't have to drive 85 miles to an Apple store!
2. Winco wasn't crowded yesterday
3. Found new drip pans for my old stove, IN PERSON rather than online (only went to 2 places)
4. My printer works remotely, just like magic
5. an indoor laundry room with a utility sink and a bungee cord that holds the dryer door shut and a new washer last year that hasn't conked out yet because new things usually croak within a year (but I'm not cynical).
Thankful for the observations of this community's commentariat! And for Kristen for hosting.
Thankful for the care my husband takes of us.
Thankful for the caring adult my son is growing into.
The library.
Big trees in our yard.
I love your blog Kristen: I don't comment a lot but I always read everything (though I'm usually 2 or 3 days behind on my reading) including all the comments, and always love to read the different perspectives of the commenters.
Thankfuls:
For sleep: while I was caregiving for Puma (senior cat who passed away recently), I was up every 3 hours to take her to the litter box, for a good 2 months. That led to extreme fatigue. So suffice to say that since she has passed, I am now able to get some decent sleep. (though she is missed terribly).
For the pain in my right hand being tendinitis, and not a fracture. I am just back from the doctors office, and the tendinitus has progressed, worse. I've been on the correct track for treating it, but the doctor wants me to be more aggressive in the treatments, icing it for 15 minutes 3 times a day, take Advil (anti-inflammatory pill) more often up to 3 times a day, and wear my hand brace more often than..... never. Also to buy an anti inflammatory cream and apply it topically to my hand 3 times a day. Since this is my dominant hand, I have not been able to use it at all (10 days) due to the pain, and so, see next point......
That I can start eating decent meals again. As I've had no use of my hand, not being able to chop vegetables or food prep, I have been living on junk food for the last 10 days; I'm so over the junk food!. I'm so excited to be able to now go back to cooking decent meals, and eating "real home cooked" meals. (assuming the pain subsides). Tomorrow will be my first cooking meal so here's to good things coming!
Plus I can hopefully start up my exercise routine again.
No buying of chocolates for the foreseeable future. We recently finished the Halloween candies (bought more than for the 20 kids that came to our door!). And so now I start on the Christmas chocolates, I'm really rationing them, that should take me for the next 2 to 3 months, maybe even into April. I try to be very careful with sugary/ sweet treats.
And last but not least, my HB's family, especially the nieces, 3 sisters, they are party girls and always liven up the parties; they're so much fun to be around.
Wishing everyone a Happy New Year.
In our house, the laundry room helped me decide to buy the place. It's large, has loads of cabinets, a sink with a drainboard, a big window and a door to the backyard. After we'd lived here a few years, we met someone who grew up in the neighborhood and knew the house well. We asked about the unusual features of the room and it turned out it was the kosher kitchen for the house's original owners.
I spent much of this cold but very sunny day washing windows and touching up paint in that laundry room, being thankful for the warm light pouring in through that big window.
The biggest is for being able to spend a week in Mexico City seeing my aunt and 2 of 3 of her kids, whom I see less than once a decade. I also got to meet my cousins' spouses, children, and grandchildren in an environment where I was able to really focus on them. Wedding aren't good for that, you know?
I'm also grateful that, rather than seeing all 30ish at once, we saw them in three separate groups. Just as above, seeing them in sub-families (typically a grandchild and their family) meant I could focus on each sub-family and get to know them a bit.
That I have a big enough place that I can invite them to visit me. And did. Repeatedly. I need to think how I'll manage a family of 6 yet I'm sure it can be done.
That Mexico City is a lot less dreary and corrupt than when I was there last. Traffic is still mostly appalling but people were generally pleasant and not a single cop tried to shake us down for a bribe. The government of Mexico has been working on that for some time and I'm glad to report success.
That my father is both fluent in Spanish and very persuasive. He got us into both the Frida Kahlo museum (didn't know we needed tix in advance) and the Diego Rivera murals at the Palace Mayor (very hard because that's where the president works now).
That I went to Mexico City for family rather than touristing, because it turns out that I think Mexico City is OK but not enthralling. If I'd gone there to tourist, I'd've been disappointed. Since I went there for family, anything else nice was a bonus.
What a wonderful trip! So happy for you.
Thankful:
1. the bone that I broke in a fall in October is finally healed and I am pain free.
2. when the husband fell on the ice in the grocery store parking lot last week, he sustained no injuries. He took a college acting class in drama that included practice on how to fall in death scenes without injury, and it continues to pay off. I have seen him fall and somehow he manages to turn mid-air as he is falling so that his head is protected and he lands on the fleshiest part of his body.
3. when he fell, scattering groceries all over, people stopped to help him up while two others rounded up the groceries.
4. we have a garage. It has been colder than 20 below all night and day and if we did not have a garage we'd have to plug in the van to keep it from freezing up. And even then, getting into the vehicle would be like sitting on a block of ice until the inside warmed up.
5. for the husband, always the husband. After 40 years I still think he is the best person I have ever met.
@Lindsey, well, you know what I said to my DH when he was on the way out: "You're the best man I've ever known." I'm delighted for you that you can say the same.
@Lindsey, I'm so glad that you're finally pain-free from your fall. And your husband's fall sounds very impressive - makes me wonder, why don't they include a unit on "how to fall" in one of those mandatory PE classes? In my last fall, I'm pretty sure I was full-on cartoon mode, complete with useless hand motions so speedy they were a blur (thankfully no broken bones; only sprained an ankle).
I loved your comments on Christmas Eve. I thought so long about your comments that I didn't end up responding.
Thankfuls:
-for the lavish generosity extended to family over Christmas. We were showered with gifts (needs and wants!) by family, friends and strangers. I had warned my kids it would be a tiny Christmas because of the tightness of money, but it ended up being a massive Christmas. This year could have felt like I was completely alone (1000 miles from family, best friends), but instead I felt so loved and supported.
-for three specific gifts I had silently wished for that showed up under my tree, all from a stranger.
-for the sun today. It had taken a full December nap, so I'm glad it decided to get up, at least for today
-for the mess of cardboard that didn't fit in my recycling bin, because it reminds me of the generous love we experienced at Christmas.
-for the pile of real books with printed pages I have waiting to be read.
-for courage/fortitude to do hard things. This year has been full of hard things, and those hard things haven't stopped coming yet, nor will they, I suspect, for quite a few more months.
@kaitlin, Excellent to hear regarding your holiday! I am so happy to hear about your three gifts! And that your children had a wonderful time!
My biggest thankful of the week is that DH and I made it safely home from family Christmas celebration at my nephew's house two hours away. On our way home, we narrowly missed being involved in a car accident. A car in the lane next to us clipped a semi-truck parked on the shoulder sending the spinning car into our lane. It was a horrible accident with a fatality, and it really shook us up for days.
I'm thankful we were able to celebrate Christmas with both my and DH's extended families.
I'm thankful to be off work all week. It's nice to have time to relax and recover from the holiday chaos.
I'm thankful that we got to meet our son's new girlfriend on Christmas Eve.
I'm thankful for our rescue dog who always makes life interesting.
I am thankful for a warm, dry house. With all the rain and flooding we have had that is really something to appreciate because many people do not have that right now.
I am thankful for my sisters, who make the work of looking after mom a little easier when we split up the duties.
I’m always thankful that all of our children and their spouses are gainfully employed and don’t depend on us for support.
I’m thankful that my endoscopy procedure this morning went smoothly and there wasn’t anything seriously wrong.
I’m thankful for nurses, CNAs, anesthesia providers and doctors! Good medical care is a blessing not to be taken lightly!
And always thankful for my husband, who is patient and thoughtful, who drove me to and from the hospital, got me a milkshake, and is now off to get groceries and my prescription. What a guy!
Regular reader, rare commenter here. I didn't comment on the Christmas Eve post but thank you so much for it. I lost a friend to cancer at the end of Nov and it has been really hard coming into Christmas with so much grief and sadness just a month behind us. He was far too young to be done with life, leaving a wife and toddler son without him. So thanks for giving us experiencing a blue Christmas somewhere to go and for the whole Frugal Girl community you have created and sustained.
Oh, that's so hard. I'm sorry to hear of your loss, and also so sad for his wife and little boy.
Next year will probably be slightly less hard; the first are almost always the roughest. And it's ok to be sad. Sending love!
My thankfuls are from a couple of weeks. Life has been full of chaos, but there are good things too.
1. Even though I would not choose to hit a deer and damage my car, I am thankful that I was not injured, none of the surrounding vehicles on the road were affected, and I was able to drive home from the accident site. If the damage had been worse, the large bus behind me may have crashed into me, resulting in a terrible accident.
2. I am thankful my car can be repaired, even though I would rather not wait until the first available date in March.
3. I am thankful I live across the road from my work, enabling me to still get to work without my car, a necessity since I live in an area with no public transit or taxi service, and the nearest place to rent a car is more than an hour away.
4. I am thankful my brother was able to come for Christmas.
5. Even though my elderly aunt passed away right before Christmas, I'm thankful my dad was able to get tickets to fly to her funeral, spend time with his family, and had safe travels there and back.
6. Even though my mom is less than mobile right now with a knee injury, she still was okay with the family meeting for Christmas at their house. (My parents' house is the only one big enough to host a crowd.) We all pitched in to clean, provide Christmas meals, serve, clean up, etc.
7. The Christmas musical production I helped with for our school went off very well.
8. There were lots of people, including young families with lots of kids, who came to the living Nativity Walk put on by a lot of churches in my town. It was fun to be involved with singing for this again after several years' absence on my part.
9. I am thankful that since the school term ended so close to Christmas Day, it means we have extended time off after Christmas. It feels truly luxurious to have a real break with no commitments.
10. I am thankful I have been able to see friends this holiday.