Thankful Thursday | Lisey has a kitten!
This week, I am thankful:
that Lisey got a kitten
She's been wanting to adopt a little friend, but she had a cat-allergic roommate. However, that roommate moved out!
So Lisey went to a cat cafe and adopted a little three-month-old kitten.
She is so cute and Lisey is over the moon happy to have a cat in her apartment.
And now I am the happy recipient of kitten-filled texts and Facetimes. 😉
that my yellow jacket sting is 95% better
12 days post-sting, I do still have a few itching attacks on that foot, but by and large, the swelling and the itching have subsided.
So, that's mostly not keeping me up at night anymore.
The poison ivy rash is another story, but we are not gonna discuss that further because this is Thankful Thursday, not Complaining Thursday. 😉
for days of lovely weather
In the last week, we've had so many days of sunny, low-humidity weather...I felt positively wealthy.
It's gonna get hotter shortly (lots of days in the 90s on the way) but I enjoyed the beautiful weather to the fullest.
that I got cleared for my job in time
Training starts on Monday for my student nurse/patient care tech (PCT) position, and this week I got the email that my paperwork/tests/background check stuff were allllll done. Yay!
Given my lack of criminal history and the fact that I do not have a penchant for drug use, I wasn't worried. But it's still nice to have all the paperwork done.
Sometimes I feel astounded at all the paperwork that had to happen to get me here.
There was:
- the paperwork to get restarted at college after a 25-year gap
- all my pre-nursing school paperwork, plus all the associated health testing
- a CPR training class and the associated paperwork to get a certificate
- the paperwork, background check, fingerprinting, and registrations (and visit to the board of nursing!) that had to happen to get my CNA license
That was before I even got started on any job-related paperwork. And this is only for a PCT position, not an R.N. position. Geez.
I guess this is how the paperwork-averse people get weeded out; anyone who makes it through all that might be up for the documentation part of patient care. 😉
that I'm feeling stronger
I'm in week three of doing the workouts assigned by Ben, and I can see a little progress! I'm able to do some more reps, at higher weights, and my lunges are getting way better.
(I know I could have done lunges without Ben, but let's be honest, I hate lunges and I wasn't very consistent with them until he assigned 'em to me.)
for all the little (non-aggressive) bugs
I have major beef with yellow jackets, of course. MAJOR BEEF.
And also I'm pretty scared of them now. Ha.
But there are other delightful and interesting bugs that I enjoy seeing on my walks.
Bumblebees are on my a-ok list.
And these ants are fine too.
for the cats. Always for the cats.
These next two pictures sum up their personalities nicely.
Timid.
Always having an adventure.
that it's so easy to get to water where I live
Landlocked trails are plentiful, of course, but there are also quite a few that run by rivers and creeks.
And I appreciate that!
Thankful for:
My daughter finishing high school!
Our leaky windows finally getting done.
2 young couples I know that are tying the knot this Saturday - although I obviously can attend only 1 of their weddings.
Friends who are so happy with us for our daughter, who struggled a lot with school when she was little.
@Josine, So happy for you and your daughter. My oldest hardly studies and does very well in school. He gets a low grade here and there and it is definitely because he doesn't put in the effort or show his work. Now his little brother on the other hand struggles so bad. He is dyslexic and is behind. We did Sylvan for 9 months, but it was $8000 and was an extra commute of an hour each way twice a week. It just took its toll. I feel like we are failing him, but not sure what else to do. I know it's a lot of just being present and putting in the effort, but it still breaks my heart to see him struggle academically as well as socially.
@Jackie, just wanted to send good wishes to your younger son with dyslexia. And to tell of a success story. My daughter is severely dyslexia...didn't really read until she was 9 years old. But we persevered...and she worked SO HARD. But ended up graduating from Johns Hopkins (with an accommodation for oral exams), and she runs her own business now.
I think it might have been a bit easier for us, since we homeschooled. We were able to fill her days with lots of things she COULD do, and not be expected to spend as much time on reading and writing as a normal school.
Anyway, not sure this helps but I know your son will do wonderful things when he is older and finds what works for him.
@Jackie, if your child is in public schools check with ISD (Intermediate school district--each county has one) to have child tested & start being able to access resources. Not sure if homeschooling has same access to ISD, but can check out to see. As far as reading---audio books (including education/training) are available to possibly help ease of reading but being able to learn the information.
@Jackie,
My heart goes out to you. My middle son is severely dyslexic. The secondary issues that impact a child with learning disabilities are especially challenging. In hindsight, I wish that I had homeschooled him. I fought with school administrators for years to ensure that he was properly serviced and to remove him from a classroom with an emotionally abusive teacher. We both struggled terribly.
Fast forward 25 years, DS is working on his doctorate. He is a wonderful person - extraordinarily creative and driven. He was in counseling for some time to overcome his feeling of self-doubt. I would suggest consulting an educational psychologist that is independent from the school who have you and your child’s best interest in mind. They may be able to give you some direction. There is light at the end of the tunnel.
@Jackie, My daughter is dyslexic and when in elementary school back in the 90s was taught to read using whole language. Anyone remember that whole mess!! Anyway I taught her to read using phonics at home. I did this before I found a book saying use phonics to teach dyslexic children.
Also because she struggled so a new year round school was opening up and I put her in there. That was the best parenting decision I have made in my entire parenting life for so many reasons.
She had breaks every 10 weeks, new concept so not many in her classroom, she got into a special reading program(in previous school no room for her). And her 4th and 5th grade teachers were true gems.
While I was sitting at her MBA graduation all I could think about were those 2 teachers and how if I could just hug them and thank them for their wonderful work teaching my daughter.
She has now been employed since college. In fact there have been reorganization at various companies and she always makes it though.
All of this I wrote to let you know I get it!!
I understand wear you are at. If you would have told me where my daughter was going to be back then I would not have believed you.
Oh and she put in A LOT of hard work.
@Ann, Thank you so much for the kind words.
@Regina, We did have him tested and he is on an IEP. It's just hard as he tends to shut down I think due to anxiety. So this in turn puts a big damper on his progress. And I'm torn because I really need to work FT or else I would definitely work with him at home. He's only 11 and we had him checked for attention deficit, which the teachers and doctors agreed that he was leaning more towards oppositional defiance than anything else. We have him in tutoring twice a week this summer and going to our schools library program once a week. Plus he is in baseball and will be in a 2 week camp towards the end of the summer. I am going to try and look at some other options as there is a gal just over an hour away from us that has great reviews working with dyslexic children. I might reach out and see what she thinks and what our options might be.
@Bee, Yes, I had that issue with one of my sons teachers as well. Most of them have been wonderful. But his 2nd grade teacher was not good. She couldn't handle her class load and just kicked my son out of class anytime he would shut down. Honestly I would have been better off keeping him home that year. That teacher was friends with my sons SPED teacher that same year and so it was all all around terrible year for him.
My husband and I have talked about having him see someone at some point. If anything for his anxiety. We try to stay on top of it and keep him involved as much as possible. Trying not to put him on any medication if we can help it.
One of the best things we did with a long-term foster kid who was severely dyslexic was to have a successful adult male with dyslexia spend time with him. My husband is severely dyslexic and managed to earn his doctorate, but it was more impactful for the kid to spend time for several months with this young businessman who talked to him about his personal coping techniques, both academic and social. He also encouraged us to read the assignments to this boy and to use a service for the blind where we could find some textbooks that were read aloud, which may not work for everyone but really improved this kid's performance. We also learned to do academics as early in the day as possible because the later the hour, the more the brain misread stuff and the more effort it took the boy to do things that earlier in the day were not as problematic. (This is still true for my husband, by 5 pm he cannot read anything without all the letters moving around.) I know this all sounds like corny advice but it seemed to work for this kid, so I offer it up in case there is something helpful to you.
@Lindsey, That you! And I will take any advice at this point. I have never really dealt with this before. I was never a great student, but did get a Bachelor's degree and I have a pretty decent job. So, this struggle really is all new to me. I was reading fluently and writing my own stories by the time I was half my sons age. I do hope the same for him in the years to come.
@Jackie,
I don’t mean to go on and on, but I have a soft spot in my heart for children that are dyslexic. A psychologist who specializes in educational issues will certainly be helpful for your son, but can be very helpful for you too. They can help you map an effective, individualized
strategy for educational intervention. The psychologists may also be helpful with the rules surrounding IEPs and those governing ADA.
There may also be state/county educational funds available to you if services provided by your school are not sufficient to address your son’s LD. I know in my state there is now money available.
Perhaps things are much better than they were in the late 90s and all this is unnecessary now. I hope so. I wish the best on this difficult journey.
@Jackie, Both my kids had serious anxiety in school. In fact, 17 years later, they still both see the same child psychiatrist twice a year. You can't learn with constant anxiety.
I too had serious school anxiety, but it being the 70s, I just got yelled at for it.
@Jackie, My heart goes out to you. The son who just graduated (from our homeschool) has some serious handwriting issues and ADHD. Please look at Dianne Crafts's website: https://diannecraft.org/. She has a lot of articles and materials you can buy. However expensive they may be, they helped us A LOT. They did not make everything perfect, but my son says that the things we did helped him the most-- he thought. Even just the free articles on the website are helpful.
Helping a struggling learner when it is your child is so draining. But there is "the other side."
@Jackie, I feel for you. It's really hard to try our best and give all we can, and still see our kids struggling. Going through it too with my 14yo.
@Jody S, Thank you for that link. I checked it out and that looks like a great resource:)
@Isa, Oh, I know it's so hard sometimes. I pray things go well with your 14 yo and that they get easier.
A few days of cooler weather with delightful breezes and sun. Enjoying this before the much hotter weather (sigh) expected in a few days.
For my relationship with my PCP who, alas, is leaving the practice she is currently in. Hopefully, she will be joining a new one later this year. (She's taking a sabbatical.)
The folks who have offered suggestions on how to fix my hard drive. I'm still going to have to hire a data recovery specialist (not cheap) to see if it can be saved.
That I didn't allow myself to get totally upset by the problems with the hard drive that is no longer accessible. Especially when I found out that the backup I thought I had, doesn't seem to exist. We're talking many years of personal and financial information. Plus content work created over time along with various data tracking info for health, etc. AIYEEEEEE!!!!
That Amazon recently changed the pricing for deliveries from Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods. It used to be $9.95 for a single order under $100. (Plus tip) Now, for $10 a month, you can order as many times as you like, and only $35 per order required. This makes a huge difference in food planning. This is a major savings for me in $ and time and convenience.
That our building has, finally, replaced the piece of broken, splintered wood that served as a ramp for wheelchairs for our building with a new, lightweight portable ramp.
Don't know how it will hold up as it will be used by moving companies to load/unload in the building but in the meantime, YES!
For the apartment building staff: Our incredibly helpful and compassionate super and the two individual "porters" who make a huge difference in the quality of life in our apartment building.
For the truly helpful CS rep for the cable company (who shall remain nameless) who helped me reduce the costs of some services, which had been raised in recent months. Wisely, she offered alternatives that allowed me to remain with the company.
@Irena, Ohhh, the misery of hard drive issues; I'm sorry you're having those problems. You have an impressive list of thankfuls in the face of issues!
And Kristen: those kitten and cat pictures! I just love all of them; especially today's sleepy little kitten. From a cat-allergic person who can't have her own - thank you for the delightful cat fixes you constantly offer : )
Tell her not to go up that chimney because she could end up in a smutty roly-poly pudding.
@Becca, I'd add to tell Chiquita that it won't be Christmas for another 6 months, so there's no point in checking the chimney yet anyway.
And I'm also glad that Lisey got that kitten. What a cutie!
Bronchitis edition. My thankfuls:
The experience to know when to swap home remedies for a visit to the doctor
That my GP can run a quick blood test in her office to see if it is a viral or bacterial infection, to determine what prescription is needed
Entertainment in the form of podcasts and cats.
Lisey's kitten is super sweet!
I'm thankful for what looks like it's going to be a gorgeous day, after a few weeks of being either too hot or too cold!
And I'm thankful for Amy Dacyczyn, whose work not only stimulated an interesting discussion here yesterday, but was the foundation for my own frugality. In fact, I'd venture to guess that if it wasn't for Amy and The Tightwad Gazette, a lot of us wouldn't be part of the FG Commentariat today.
@A. Marie, That would be true of me! (You know you are a true tightwad if you can spell the name Dacyczyn!)
Kristen, have you tried a product that helps remove urushiol (poison ivy) oil? There are a few on the market. Many years ago we used Zanfel and it looks like there is a newer one called Tecnu.
I have been reveling in the weather we have had the past six days. I know it is forecast to end but it was sweet while it lasted.
I am thankful for physical therapy. I was having trouble with shoulder pain and range of motion. The PT I have been seeing thinks my posture is to blame and we have been working on that among other things. A big shout out to PTs and to mine in particular.
I am thankful that what I thought was a wart on one of my toes is a small dried cyst. The podiatrist I saw wants me to soak my feet and use a callous eraser and her products are expensive. If I think they work and are worth continuing I will look for cheaper alternatives going forward.
I am thankful for a chance to take a friend to lunch today to help celebrate her birthday.
Thankful:
-for the Donegans and Rebel Business School. They are putting on the free classes I'm taking (over 2 weeks and the next 10 weeks). They are a wealth of information and I'm happy to have access to it. Tangentially, thankful for the internet that gives me access to courses across the pond.
-for good music. The course stated above has music playing during the breaks and I am really enjoying it. It is a lot of older songs and many songs I haven't heard of but they are so good.
-for the girl at the farmer's market who saved me 2 containers of fava beans for when my volunteer shift had ended...by that time they were already sold out. I love fava bean season.
-that I spotted more sorrel at the market yesterday. We are getting close to the end of that I think so it was nice to grab some to freeze for the fall.
Sweet and tiny kitten! Thanks for sharing the good news 🙂
I should imagine it's very motivating for you to click that "Mark as Complete" button. 🙂
Thankfuls:
--For some cooler weather. Any day in the summer that is below 80 degrees is going to be a big kitchen day. It was in the high 60s on Monday, and my oven was on all day. So now we're set for bread, granola,yogurt, etc. during the hot days that have returned.
--That my dishwasher broke in the summer. What I think is wrong with it is not an easy fix. I can drop it off in the city at a repair place, but that will wait until I can get there. So, dishes by hand until then. I really don't mind doing dishes this way, but when I'm working, I'm so tired at the end of the work day that I probably would mind it a lot more. It's not a big deal in the summer, though, because I'm home to do the dishes twice a day. If this one can't be fixed, I'm actually considering not getting a new one at all, but again, it's those work days that have me questioning that . . .
--For my friend, who called yesterday to tell me her mom's apricot trees have lots of fruit on them and I can pick as many as I want. Her mom's house is in the city I'll be in on Friday with my eldest, so the two of us should be able to get many pounds. Apricot jam, yay!
--For my children and their kindness. We saw an ambulance at our elderly neighbor's house yesterday, and they were very worried and insisted on saying a prayer as a family for her right then. This lady doesn't get along with anyone and is universally disliked in our community, and in fact stopped talking to us a year or so ago over some imagined slight, but my children still consider her a friend and were very upset that she might be ill or even die.
--For a very applicable sermon on Sunday that conveyed a message one of my children particularly needed to hear. He was listening, and it's nice to be able to remind him of that message. Getting back-up at church on something I've been trying to tell him for awhile now is nice. Sometimes it works better to have ideas come from someone other than me. Especially a priest. 🙂
@kristin @ going country,
To me, having a dishwasher is such a lifesaver. I, too, am exhausted when I get home from work, and even though there's only three of us in my family, we seem to use a lot of dishes. Not to influence your decision, or anything. 🙂
I'm seriously envious of your forthcoming apricot haul, and love that your kids are so kind.
@kristin @ going country, What a wonderful act on the part of your children, to be kind even in the face of the lady's behavior. Good parenting, Mom!
@kristin @ going country, Very impressed with your kids being so thoughtful toward a grumpy neighbor. You and your husband must model this behavior. If only all parents would do the same.
Thankful for the gorgeous peonies blooming in my flower beds.
Thankful the school year is over for my kids.
Thankful my kids love to read. I started taking them to the library at a very young age, inspired by my grandma who took me to the library.
Very thankful for the sun. The past winter I went through a health scare, which turned out to be a vit D deficiency. So, everyday it’s sunny I’m out there soaking it in.
Thankful for quiet mornings.
The photo of the sky looks like painting… such beautiful light.
I am thankful for the Miracle of modern medicine. Less than three months ago my neighbor of 20 years had a lung transplant. Today she is out watering her flowers and walking around the block.
I am thankful at this very moment that all three of my adult children appear to be happy and settled. This is the first time in two years or so that this is been the case. I have a friend that always says that A mom is only as happy as your least happy child. there is some truth than that.
Have a great Thursday!
I'm thankful for:
*an appointment with a podriatrist who said my foot pain would resolve with time. Its NOT a neuroma and I'm wearing the proper work shoes and flip flops. However...
*thankful I have the funds to buy the correct type of walking shoes. Lesson learned.
*thankful for all the rain we had - man, my yards are looking plush!
*thankful for new little tooty coffee pot which makes a good cuppa pretty quickly. And today I opened a new bag of coffee and its pretty great.
*Lastly, its Thursday. And even if I did waste a lot of time being non-productive yesterday, I still have two days off to make the most of. (:
If we can't have complaining Thursday, maybe Whiny Wednesday ? Moaning Monday? Fractious Friday?
Gorgeous kitten- how nice for your daughter to have a new buddy!
@mbmom11, as James Joyce put it: 'All Moanday, Tearday, Wailsday, Thumpsday, Frightday, Shatterday!'
@Sophie in Denmark,
Love that. Thanks for sharing.
Lisey's kitten is adorable!
I'm thankful that the painters working on the exterior of our new home are making good progress. Hopefully we're on track to list the house in early July.
I'm thankful that the painters have finished painting the interior of our new home so now we can move in.
I'm thankful that we found a moving company that is reasonably priced and is available to move our furniture on Saturday.
I'm thankful for my PT. She continues to help me be more mobile and in less pain. And an added bonus was that I got to see my daughter when I was at my PT appointment since she is a PT at the same clinic.
I'm thankful that our grandson has had a good first week at daycare.
1. This week would have been my dachshund's 67th birthday (in human years, not dog years) had she lived. She was my first pet, bought for me when I was a toddler, and she lived until I was well into my college years. All the other dogs I've adopted have been mutts with undetermined birthdays. So I use that first dog's birthday to celebrate the other dogs -- and boy, did I spoil my elderly pooch this week, even more than usual. So I am thankful for my sweet doggy companions, both past and present, who add so much to my life.
2. Thankful that Social Security is going to pay me about what I earned in mid-career. Of course, when I run it through the Inflation Calculator, I find it will have maybe half the buying power than it brought back in the day-- but that's where the frugal lifestyle comes in, right?
3. On the same note, I'm thankful for having learned how to be frugal. And to pinch pennies until Lincoln cries out in pain!
4. For my house.
5. That I did not lose electrical power this stormy season. Neighborhoods all around me were affected by the blackouts, but my electricity stayed on. Never mind not having lights, never mind losing all your food in the freezer -- I just want my air conditioning! And so far, I haven't had to do without it....knock on wood.
@Fru-gal Lisa,
"to pinch pennies until Lincoln cries" , I'm going to use that. 🙂
@Regina, Rose on "Golden Girls" used to say,"Squeeze a nicely until the buffalo poops."
@Anne,
Lol, my mother in law used to say that (sh*t instead of poop, though). 😉
The Important Question:
What is the kitten's name?
I've been quite sick all week with a cold I caught from the little one. Hers had turned into bronchitis and she's now on a round of antibiotics which seems to be doing the trick! She was so upset about missing school as she only has a short while left and they are mostly doing fun things.
We're thankful that my wife hasn't gotten sick yet.
I'm thankful that vacation will soon be upon us. It's not that I hate work but I'd always rather not be working.
Thankful for the Six Flags season passes and getting to go have some fun there.
@Battra92, ugh, me too with the cold thing. No idea where it came from. Makes me thankful for soft kleenex and that I work from home.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, I do handkerchiefs usually but yes to the ability to work from home. I would've had to take 2 days and back before Covid hit I only had five sick days per year! I'm glad both of those have changed for the better.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, me too on the summer cold thing. It has been almost 2 years since I had a cold. This one has morphed into a sinus infection and conjunctivitis on one side so I dragged myself sorry self to urgent care this morning and got a couple prescriptions. So this has been a frugal and mostly unproductive week.
What a gorgeous kitten!
This week I'm thankful that I put in the effort to go to a cycling class. I hadn't ridden a bike for years and was incredibly nervous, but decided I was going to face my fear. I couldn't even ride the bike in the first class and now I can cycle along roads with cars and make the hand signals to show when I'm turning and stopping. And I'm thankful to the volunteers who ran the class and supplied bikes and helmets. All of it was free.
I'm thankful to have such great colleagues. We went for lunch this week - not frugal but a lot of fun!
Despite the rain this week, I'm thankful to have been cosy inside.
I'm thankful to have a gym nearby, though I may be less thankful if I don't feel like going 😉
I'm thankful tomorrow is Friday!
Thank you for sharing Lisey's kitty pics:) That brought a smile to my face.
Let's see thankful for a wonderful vacation last week. We ended the week with a one day break and then headed off to state trap for my oldest son. He is just heading into his freshman year of High School and is on Varsity already:) They placed second and we couldn't be prouder.
I am also thankful that my baseball mom concession stand duty has been fulfilled. UGH! If our child is playing we as parents have to fill a shift during the season. Not my favorite thing to do, but I get through it. I did have one older gentleman compliment me when I counted money back to him. He said it's been a long time since someone had counted it back to him that way. I told him I taught my oldest to count change back that way as well. If he is available to work concession I can usually get him to help me as only my youngest plays right now.
Congratulations to Lisey on the kitten! Life is better with kitties. 🙂 And congratulations to you on getting everything in order for the student nursing job.
This week I'm thankful for:
A coworker who acknowledged how much time I spend doing behind-the-scenes work.
All of the gorgeous flowers that are blooming.
The groundhogs living in our backyard. They're not damaging anything, and I absolutely love watching them.
Thankful:
1) Graduation went great last week, and even though it was 90 the day before, it was only 80 on graduation. We were sitting outside for a long while in a metal stadium, so I was very pleased by this.
2) That DS18 got called into work this week. Both of my teens work at a summer camp, and you get four assigned weeks, plus one on call week. They've never gotten called on the on call week before, but someone was sick. More money for him for college!
3) Leftovers! We had guests last week, so this week's meals featured primarily leftovers. Love not having to cook a lot. I did make caprese salad to accompany dinner three times this week, which everyone enjoyed.
4) I've been having hip pain, which has made running more challenging this week. I've been doing a lot of stretching, & it's really helped.
5) I had a very promising visit with a spine doctor, and he thinks PT + lots of yoga & a one time course of anti inflammatories is going to really help my back pain. That would be amazing.
As always, great photos!
What is the kitten's name?
It's a long road to become a nurse, paved with reams of paper. (Wait –weren't computers supposed to decrease this??)
Thank you for starting your post with kitten pictures! What a sweet little nugget!
I’m thankful for the break in the weather yesterday. We’ve had a good mix of sunny and rainy days and yesterday was a thunderstormy day. But there was a couple hours break so that my son could play in a game he has been looking forward to. They would have played in the rain, but not a thunderstorm.
My ex and I are a united front when it comes to our son. Our son pulled some 13 year old shenanigans this week and his dad and I came together to help turn things around. I’m thankful that we can coparent so successfully.
I’m thankful for how flexible my job’s work from home policy is. I needed to work from home this week and not a question was asked.
I’m thankful for last minute plans. We were invited out to dinner and the symphony last weekend with another couple. It was such a fun night and we were able to try out a new restaurant! I really enjoy spending time with the couple who invited us, they are so positive to be around.
Shelley just cracks me up. The way the pictures are set up makes it look like she's watching Chiquita try to go up the chimney, and is disapproving of said antics.
I'm thankful:
For a good (quick!) doctor's appointment for DS. He got the stitches out and the doctor said it is healing, and we're actually doing the dressings right. He got a smaller dressing which will give him more range of motion.
For the beautiful cooler weather we had...I know it will get hot here soon, but I keep telling myself summer doesn't last forever.
@Karen A., I'm so glad that your son is healing!
Enjoy your weekend as work life begins on Monday. I know you are going to be such an asset to your profession.
Thankful for rescue dogs who love me even after I have to be assertive with them to get off me (so I can bring in groceries without getting jumped on & my legs get scratched--ouch). They actually do listen (mostly) then I can get loves & licks from them.
Thankful for teens ability to do some of the more physical jobs on to do list as I just am not as physically able to this last year. Teen does good job (for most part) & enjoys (most) of the jobs needed to be done.
Thankful for the comfortable couch that sometimes becomes a bed as it is much closer to the bathroom.
Thankful for not being too far away from stores as I seem to have to be returning items after purchased because just is not what I need/want. (So much for more frugal/cheaper choices.)
Thankful for the internet to be able to use Gasbuddy (app) to help me find cheap fuel & help report prices for others to be up to date on prices to find cheapest fuel. Gas went up $0.45/gallon without any reason. I was checking prices for my discount & thought I was reading amounts wrong, but I was not as I saw when drove by gas stations.
Thankful for the nice summer days! 🙂
Have a great weekend everyone.
Kitten! She is so sweet!
There used to be a liquid bee/wasp treatment called Stingkill, if I remember correctly. I got stung by a bee at a music festival 30-something years ago and one of the musicians got a tube of it out of his kit and treated my sting. It made a huge difference in healing.
Today I am thankful for a good therapy session yesterday, with bonus no roadwork across the city for the first time in nearly three years. And for lovely spring days, my sweet family, and my productive tiny garden, which is giving us handfuls of produce every day.
@Kristen - I know you will think this is weird but try putting white shoe polish on the poison ivy rash. My Grandpa always swore by it and my Mom who is allergic to it found that white shoe polish was the only thing that helped dry the rash up. Also, the kitty pictures are SO lovely. Please keep sharing those - they light up my morning!
1. Hubby is diabetic and has had to have surgery on his left tow that developed osteomyelitis after a simple blister did not heal well. Now the right one has developed a similar sore - boo. THANKFULLY we caught it before it became infected but he will have to have another surgery to adjust the bone so that there is not pressure put on his toe allowing future sores to form. My husband is in his 40's people. Diabetes is no joke.
2. Thankful that we have good insurance that will cover said surgery.
3. Thankful for peace about all of the above that passes all understanding.
4. Thankful that I am strong and active so I will be able to take care of my husband, my child, my dogs, and my elderly aunt plus manage my household and job while all of this is happening.
5. Snuggles with my two Boxers every night and morning. Flowers growing in my yard. The delivery of my chest of drawers which meant I could finally, after 3 months get all of my clothing out of boxes, organized and put away. For my Mom who comes by regularly and does a load or two of laundry or helps me plant flowers or organize just to ease the load on me. For my Pastor who preaches every Sunday and prepares my heart, mind and soul for the week ahead.
Friends it is a good life and we have many blessings. Celebrating all of the seemingly small things that we take for granted every day.
I'm sure Lisey picked out a great name for her kitty. So cute, and glad she was able to rescue such a cutie. Could the name be Spotty for the spot on it's nose?!!?!?
In this family, we are thankful that my sis in law came thru her knee replacement surgery on the happy end. Here's hoping and praying that the rest of her recovery is as easy. They say that the PT will get harder, so the family is still pulling for her. I am going next weekend to check on the 2 sisters and relieve the one sister that has been doing the caring for a few hours. I don't want them killing each other!
For a niece that passed her LPN exam. She said this past year was really hard and required a lot of studying, so we are all relieved that she passed. I missed visiting with her, but fully understand the pressure she was under. Now for her to focus on her upcoming nuptials.
Thankful that I was able to bike ride 15.5 miles yesterday. It felt really good to get back on the bike. In a couple of weeks, we will attempt a ride over the Mario Cuomo Bridge in New York, which I have not done yet, but my husband has. Since we are going to that area for the future bride and groom celebration, I have convinced my husband to take the bike ride. Looking forward to it.
Thankful that I got into the "fan festival" of my favorite TV show. Yes, I geek out over it and it will be expensive to go, but when I'm with other like minded people celebrating their favorite show, so it is totally worth it. I even found a lady in my town that is going with her family, so it should be fun.
I'm going to participate today....
I'm thankful my husband made it home safely last night after being gone for a few days for out-of-town work.
Also, that my oldest daughter is enjoying her vacation with her boyfriend and his relatives in Ocean City, NJ. She's been sharing pictures with us daily. We are dog sitting her lab for her.
For my youngest daughter's upcoming 20th birthday on Saturday. I can't wait to celebrate her.
Oddly enough, I have been stung in the nose by a bumblebee and have small black ants in my yard that have been biting me this spring/summer. However, I am very thankful to not having a recent yellow jacket sting!
I’m thankful for all the extra time with my kids over the summer.
I’m thankful my husband had two safe travels recently.
I’m thankful all the recent bad weather missed us.
I’m thankful for good therapists!
Awww....Lisey found a kitten as cute as she is! A match made in heaven.
Congrats to Lisey on adopting the sweetest lil kitty…aaand more cat pix for us if we get to watch her grow. Your two never fail to make me smile just as your nature images always make me take a deep breath.
I also applaud our Tightwad Gazette reading club. Pretty sure I’m the only one among us to be largely unfamiliar with Amy D's newsletters "back when" so super interesting to see the historical aspect and the still-relevant tips, and her thoughts on life.
Not to bring everyone down but very thankful that our cousin and her DS survived a harrowing car crash in which a tractor trailer truck plowed into them going through an intersection. They are in such excruciating pain that the opioid that they may take for only nine days doesn’t completely take the pain away. They will have a long recovery with fractures all over. But they survived an accident that totaled their Subaru. The ambulance guys said they picked the right car to survive this.
@Erika JS, prayers for your family's recovery & grateful they are alive.
I'm not usually a sue happy person, but a free consult with an attorney after they talk with their insurance may result in better results for the possible long road of exspenses that will come from this accident.
As a certified "cat lady" it bring my so much joy to see Lissie's kitten and your 2 fluff balls! I'm working at my desk and 1 of my kitties keeps bring me toys, I guess I need to go play soon!
-For http://www.the far side.com for free daily smiles.
-For air conditioning and cold water.
-That I figured out my cat needed more water and put out a larger water bowl. And the vet didn’t find anything wrong other than dehydration.
-That I noticed a typo in the last sentence before I posted. Autocorrect or forgetting grammar?
-For some time off work this summer.
@Dee in AZ, oops, there are extra spaces in the URL. It should be
http://www.thefarside.com
I have also been so thankful for the stretch of cooler, lower humidity weather. We have slept with the windows open and the attic fan on every night. The last couple of mornings I have woken to it being 65 degrees in the house. Heaven.
I am also thankful that . . .
-Our neighbor had her pool fixed and gave us an open invitation to pop over. We have already taken full advantage and plan to continue. We've been swimming at our local lake, but my kids haven't been in pools (except for swim lessons) in years now. It brings me so much joy to see how much fun they are having. Even my 13 year old who is pretty much too cool for anything these days.
-That I have made so much progress on my writing this summer already. Today if I finish the chapter I have been working on, I am going to take tomorrow afternoon off of writing, which means MORE POOL TIME!
-That I am done with my cancer treatment (assuming my next scan comes back okay). I will still be on meds for years. But sometimes it's easy to forget how far I have come in 11 months. I am so grateful. For my medical team. For my support system. For my life.
@Amanda in VA,
Congratulations on being done with cancer treatments! What a relief it will be for you. 🙂
Thankful for my dog Molly as all of the Commentariat is for their cute kitties.
Thankful for being able to get most everything planted that I've intended. Still have some swamp milkweed plants. Deciding placement is no small feat.
Having milkweed has been effective . I am thankful I had two monarchs and a fritillary butterfly in the yard yesterday. The blooming milkweed is so fragrant.
I am grateful for the extra stamina that gardening has provided. I noticed yesterday that I'm not nearly as tired when I finish some tasks.
Thankful still for the shot in my knee a couple of weeks ago. It is nice to sleep pain free and be able to walk w/o it hurting. The miracle of medicine!
Lovely pictures!
I'm thankful for:
- A very sweet friend
- I've been discourgaed and dissappointed in a lot of things lately, but I had to remind myself my trust is not in people or circumstances or even myself, but in God. That's reassuring.
- Burrito bowls, the whole family loves them and their one of the cheapest, most versatile and healthy meals we eat!
- Mango season, and the pineapples, I love these fruits! Enjoying them while we're here in Africa.
Thankful for:
1. A very touching card from a woman I mentored years ago who wrote to thank me for how much I helped her professional development, how often she has thought of me with gratitude over the years, and how she has tried to pay it forward. It came on a day where I was feeling like I've never really contributed anything to anyone, so pretty perfect timing.
2. The husband needed to go to a potluck and bought a dozen of those huge Costco muffins to take as his contribution. We out to the garage to get something, ended up in there too long, and came out to find only the plastic carrier left--not even the paper remains of the muffins could be seen. Chocolate can be poisonous to animals, but we did not have to take them to the vet because while he was scolding them, the Dane upchucked his theft. The elderly lab never showed any after-effects. We don't call him old iron guts for nothing. Very thankful no one died, no vet bills were incurred, and that at least they did not eat the plastic. (We had a dog who loved to eat entire water bottles!)
3. It hit 80 degrees for two days last week!! Horrible. Thankful it did not last longer. It is 11 am and 58 degrees as I write this, just right for summer.
4. that a friend I have not seen in 20 years is coming up for a 10 day visit!
5. The husband, always the husband. I will never know how I lucked out.
I can see you're a cat loving family 🙂
I'm thankful that ...
1) my 2 oldest girls get to attend gardening camp at the library and are having so much fun doing it.
2) my husband got 3 out of the 4 days off for on call. He definitely needs the rest and we love spending time with him so that's a plus 🙂
3) we had our first fun day at the lake this summer.
4) I get to celebrate my 41st birthday. So happy and blessed for each day I'm here. Also for family, good health and provisions from God.
5) for the sweet Happy Birthday song I got from my youngest when I woke up.
Thankful for:
* a month off to recuperate from car accident
* My 12yo DD still wanting to hang out with me
* The connection I share with DH. I tend to take that for granted, and I shouldnt
* A confortable house in a safe and quiet neighborhood
* My little sweetie pie Daisy, a 6 pounds Morkie (dog)
I have a small spot of poison ivy right now. I don't know where I got it. Maybe from a garden tool? I'm just happy it is a small spot. But I have 4 unidentified bug bites which are annoying. Enough complaining from me!
I am thankful:
*that I wasn't late for my facial therapy appointment today despite an accident that had traffic stopped and lots of heavy traffic. Also that I continue making (tiny) improvements.
*that I enjoyed my class reunion. Not all the people I wanted to see where there, but I talked to many people I rarely talked to in school. It all led to a spate of FB messages, and I was left with warm fuzzies and good memories. Bonus: My closest in age cousin married a girl from my class, so I got to see (and get a couple big bear hugs from) him.
*that our garden is all planted. That we have older and stronger kids who are willing to work hard! That I still have two little enough to wander off and play with the rocks in the dirt.
*for a couple of fun/crazy/creative cousins who I do not get to see often because they live on the opposite side of the country. I love seeing their projects/antics via social media.
*for some free books from the library. On the same trip to town today, we stopped in at the local thrift store, and what a find!-- my daughter found some VHS tapes of old Grand Ole Opry shows. She's been wanting these on DVD, but she was tickled to find them at all. A. Marie, you'd be disappointed with me perhaps, but I passed up the Jane Austen action figure new in its packaging for $8. I just don't need an action figure. But I might go back and buy it as a gift. I'm waffling.
*for freshly-ground coffee, hot days, enough of all the things I need and want, for my sisters, for joy, for friends, for life!
@Jody S, Kristen, I went swimming today in a chlorinated pool, and my poison doesn't itch. (It did earlier in the day.)
Hmm, I may need to bathe in some chlorinated water. lol
Actually, I went to the doctor today and asked for some cortisone. I CRACKED. But hopefully my days of itching are gonna come to an end now.
I have a super thankful Thursday!
My daughter will finish her pediatric residency in 18 days (whoopee!). She has lived out of state for 7 years (medical school and residency) but got a job in our town just a few miles from our home.
She was a little late in applying for her California Medical License because she wanted to have a job lined up first, and she was told it would take 5-6 MONTHS to get licensed. That means until she has the license in hand, she cannot work in the medical field because it would be practicing medicine without a license. She has to foot the bill for moving back to California, car registration, insurance and operating costs, health insurance, student loan payments, and moving expenses and storage (her new employer will reimburse) until the medical license comes through, and--while she has savings and can live with us until her employment starts--her savings may have barely made it. She was depressed that as a fully qualified physician she was going to have to look for kind of jobs she had in high school and college just to make ends meet. BUT, miracle of miracles, her medical license came through in SIX DAYS!!! Part of it was she did all the preliminary things herself and then hired a service to make sure all of the things were in order, plus she probably hit the medical board at a lull right after the flurry of licensing all of the new interns and fellows who will start residencies and fellowships later this month. So she can start her new job as soon as she gets situated back in California. We are so very thankful that is working out for her, thankful she will be close by, thankful that she got what is essentially her dream job so close to home.
And . . . we have a very sick dog. We spent all we could afford to spend (and more!) to not get a diagnosis, but the treatment--at least for now--is restoring his energy and appetite. It's still touch and go--if he has a suspected blood cancer this will be a short-lived rally, but if it was an infection that is now under control he may continue to recover. We don't know which, but we are trying to enjoy him and give him a good life as long as he is with us. Thankful for this time.
So much to be thankful for!
P.S. If you work at or are hospitalized at a teaching hospital, be extra kind in June/July to the brand new interns who are lost lambs in the woods. This is HARD. In my healthcare career I remember them looking like deer in the headlights the first few months, and I have a new appreciation of what they go through since my daughter has done this. I always told her in her medical school rotations and residency to be extra nice to the nurses, because they can be her best friend or worst enemy depending on how she treated them. She had great relationships with the nurses, and it certainly helped on the rocky road of residency. But as a nurse, Kristen, I'm sure you will throw a little kindness their way, too.
1. All the clover flowers I am dehydrating for clover tea. I have picked 5 ice cream pails so far.
2. That garden ground is not hard despite rains.
3. For fresh berries by the house.
4. Healthy.
5. Items husband finds on sale.
Can you tell us more about your workouts? I’ve been looking for some kind of motivation to keep going!
So happy for Lisey & sweet kitty.
*Sweet puppy decided to show off and round up the neighbor's cattle that got out onto the county road. We used the whistle commands and she listened!
**Weather turning cooler, we can get twice as much done! Oh the list is loooong.
***We are going to have a super crop of black berries this year
****The garden is producing enough veggies to share and fill the freezers
*****I applied for and received a post as a volunteer in the Nurse tent for 2 local music festivals. Free camping spot, staff pass to all concerts and 2 shifts.
thanks so much for the kitten photos and the lisey photos. shelley and chiquita photos are fab as are all the photos. glad all is well with you.
Friends and family and being able to spend time with them.
Cuddles with our elderly cat (he has a lot of health issues and is a lot of work, so I cherish this even more).
A few sunny days (it's been very wet and cold here for this time of year).