Thankful Thursday | my washing machine broke
New here? Thankful Thursday is something we’ve been doing in these COVID times; a (frugal and free) exercise to help us hunt for the good that is in our lives and in the world, even in the midst of a pandemic.
Well. My washing machine is currently broken.
It has NOT been a good time with the appliances at chez Frugal Girl lately. Sigh.
I had a fairly good attitude about the first two, but I have to say, my attitude tanked a little when we had the third appliance problem in a week!
So. Thankful Thursday is timely for me. 😉
This week, I am thankful:
that the washing machine part we (likely) need is coming from Amazon on Friday
In these COVID times, I know some people are waiting a very long time for parts. So I'm grateful this one is coming soon.
that the repair guy can come out on Monday
That's not a super long wait time, all things considered.
that we are all pretty caught up on laundry at the moment
It would have been much worse if the washing machine broke at a time when we were buried in piles of dirty clothes.
that we have money saved to pay for the parts and repair
It is annoying to have a non-working washing machine, to be sure.
But I'm grateful to be able to order a $190 part and know that we have money in our home repair fund to cover it.
that we have a washing machine
For 2.5 years in our basement apartment, I lived with once-a-week access to the washing machine upstairs.
And ever since then, I have never quite taken for granted the luxury of having a washer and dryer of my own, available to me at all times.
that not everything in my house has broken lately
Let's see. Recently I have had stove (my fault!), fridge/freezer, dishwasher, and washing machine problems. That's a lot.
But it's not everything.
Things that have not been problematic recently:
- water heater
- clothes dryer (to be fair, this IS fairly useless without a washer)
- heat pump
- chest freezer
- microwave
I'm thankful for all the above.
And they'd better not break now that I've expressed gratefulness! 😉
that no matter what happens with the election, I can still choose to do good where I live
(My friend Jillian sent out an email this week full of thoughts along these lines, and I appreciated her perspective.)
I did vote, but aside from my single vote, the results of the election are largely out of my control.
I might not be able to control who is president for the next four years, but I can choose what I do for the next four years.
And I can do good things here where I live no matter who is president.
that Sonia had a smooth wisdom teeth recovery
Poor Lisey had some bad reactions to her post-op meds when she had her wisdom teeth out, but Sonia's recovery was really smooth.
No reactions, no infections, no issues. I'm grateful for that.
that the windstorm caused us no damage
We had a pretty serious windstorm move through this week, and no branches fell on our cars. Yay!
This is a nice benefit from paying the tree guys to remove all the dead branches from our many oak trees.
for the many sunny days in the forecast
We're in the midst of a long string of dry, sunny, 60-70 degree days, and I think this is peak fall weather perfection.
1. I’m thankful that the election is over. I know it is far from being completed and will be in the news for months if not years to come but the stress building up to Election Day, campaign ads, texts , and commercials are done.
2. I’m thankful that the Election and it’s outcome does not change who I am. My values and principles are the same and I feel good knowing that I voted, expressed my thoughts and exercised my freedom to do so.
3. I am thankful for wonderful fall temperatures with very little humidity. Sunlight streams into my windows and the sky is an amazing blue. So grateful for lovely weather these last several days after so much rain and storm damage in my area.
4. I’m thankful for a full freezer and pantry that enable me to make meals without having to shop for very much at all. Bread, milk, eggs, cheese, sour cream,,,some fresh produce or convenience items but other than that easy peasy.
5. I’m thankful for access to peaceful music throughout my work day. This is a benefit of working at home and something that I genuinely enjoy. There is nothing like a little Christmas music in November to help you power through a few days
Happy Thursday everyone!!!
Thank you Angie I have been feeling uncharacteristically upset with the build up to the election and now this unsettled ending. I appreciate your #1 and #2
I have read all your Hursfay thankful comments and trust me, they are all so inspiring and have given me truly valuable lesson: we wake up in the morning with a motive for being thankful, and this is because of the opportunity to open our eyes and enjoy a new day. The chance to be healthy, or relatively healthy, and as many of you have said, your family and friends are COVID free. And those who are ill we pray for their prompt recovery. We have to be thankful for friends, family and for those who are for us, for having food in our pantries, a house, a job, some money to attend our basic needs, and so may other things that sometimes we take for granted. And we can even be thankful for the not so pleasant events that we face because they represent a challenge for us that will make us stronger.
When I was a kid I lived in a house that had only two outlets, one in the kitchen and one in the living room. Well, one winter all the electrical throughout the entire house went out except the one outlet in the living room, so no lights in all the rooms, so, with extension cords(so not safe) we plugged the tv lamp and heater in. Our house was also heated by an oil stove which we didn't have money to refill that week. Any way, one day I came home to find my Mom and brother sitting in the living room with just the lamp on (no tv, which was an anomoly in our family) and they were laughing, so of course, I asked what was so funny and they said the tv blew up. That laughter at that point taught me more than I can ever say.
I am thankful for
1) my husband and my friends who are supporting me in a difficult chapter of my life (my mom recently went into hospice care)
2) for the absolutely lovely weather we are having this week!
3) for a job that I love and coworkers and bosses who I enjoy working with
4) for the awesome apple pie I made earlier this week. Mmm, happy autumn flavors.
5) for those who are working to fight covid, whether in providing good patient care or research or contact tracing or what-have-you.
I am sorry about your mom.
Thank you Lindsey.
I'm grateful for:
A job that I love and that helps others.
A husband who is almost retired and a wonderful man.
Two good sons who love their Mom. 🙂
4 (mostly)healthy elderly parents who are nearby
* That I'm being paid if I have to miss work related to Covid symptoms while I'm waiting for results (my nose is running this morning, bummer)
* That hubby helped me write an updated resume so I can apply for better positions
* To be bilingual (french/English)
* To live in a peaceful country (Canada) and not be afraid for my personal security following the results of US elections (riots, attacks, etc). I feel for you, neighbors! This is a nightmare.
* To have a day off with hubby today
I would like to share that most of us do not fear for our personal security following the results of the elections. Yes, there are definitely areas to avoid, but I wanted to share that what you see on our news reels is not indicative of most places 🙂 Even in the areas getting boarded up, they are generally safe.
This is true; I suppose if you only watched the news from outside the country, you might think we are all in terror here.
Where I live, things look completely normal right now.
My son goes to college in Sydney, Australia. He often has skewed views of what’s really happening in America based on what he sees and hears from the local news. I have been surprised by some of the things he has shared that that are simply not true. I echo what Chi Town Girl and Kristen said, we are generally safe and don’t live in fear.
It's interesting to think what wrong impressions we have of other countries, based on what limited media we get too!
Honestly, it looks like your President is engaging in domestic terrorism, and that police officers are committing torture and murder on every street corner! If I was reading the headlines without knowing the name of the country it would be reasonable to assume Venezuela, Rwanda, or pretty much any dictatorship. The government is encouraging an armed populace to stop a democratic election process. We moved past WTF some time ago.
I'm curious what your news sources are. Trump is a jerk, no doubt, but it seems like you're only being exposed to inflammatory, well edited versions of certain things. I assure you members of the other party are behaving in horrible ways but it's hard to find that information because it doesn't fit into the media narrative.
And I can assure you that police officers are also mostly good. Yes, there are some horrible ones, but they are not "committing murder and torture on every street corner".
Your comment is very aggressive. Sadly, I'm quite familiar with your type of comments. They are part of the problem.
It wasn't meant to be aggressive at anyone here, I think it came from a place of frustration and fear. I'm looking at multiple news sources, from recognised providers. But my comments about the President also come from things he is saying himself. I was expressing my view of the way his behaviour is playing abroad.
But, it is obviously a very emotive subject, for me as well, and I don't want to mess with Kristen's post!
Best wishes.
Thank you! It has been a nightmare here with the chaotic lack of leadership that Americans have had to endure during the past 4 years. Hopefully the crook will soon be history, and we can start believing in science again, treat all people equally regardless of gender or sexual orientation, stop destroying the environment, stop befriending dictators, etc., etc. We, as Americans, deserve better!
I am thankful for:
1) My 86 year old Mom is Covid-19 positive and in the hospital so we cannot visit her. I am thankful for the doctor and all the nurses that are taking care of her and keeping us informed on her status
2) That Mom has not been very sick from Covid. She has a cough but has not required any oxygen
3) Being financially sound enough to pay Mom's rent while she's in the hospital
4) For a husband that is such a wonderful man that is always there for me, especially during difficult times
5) For sunny days and mild temperatures
I hope your mom recovers soon!
I admit, I struggle with this exercise. I'm inspired by reading what others are thankful for, but when I try to list my own (and let's be honest, I have tons of things to be thankful for) I hit that "yes, but..." mind block. But I have a real need to be grateful this week to help relieve some of my post-election anxiety, so here goes:
1. KIND, efficient and easily understood customer service reps! I've had so many of the other ones that when I found myself on the line with not one, but three different ones in the last week, I was so happy I nearly cried. And even though not all of them were able to resolve my issues, just the fact that they empathized with me was a tremendous day brightener!
2. I'll say I'm also thankful for working appliances. Last year, the washer, dryer, garage door, house air conditioner, portable air conditioner, toaster oven and even the toaster all broke within a two month period. This year has been much better but then we have all new appliances. Ha!
3. That we are staying healthy now that covid is getting closer to our inner circle and we actually know people in ICU.
4. For live cameras on YouTube. I discovered I can watch gorgeous live feeds from places we've visited or want to visit and while we can't travel right now, watching these cams is a nice substitute at the moment.
I think it is completely and utterly normal to struggle with this. Like I say, that's why it's called an exercise. It's hard!
I've had a really awful couple of days this week so I'll try and be positive.
Got to see a couple of movies and such I've been wanting to see.
1.) That God is in charge of the world. The real Election is/was in the Eternal hand of God.
2.) That I got to enjoy some good years and the good that has happened isn't all erased by evil.
Virtual hugs to you, Battra. I'm so sorry your week has been hard so far.
Battra92,
I appreciate your comment that God is in charge of the election, he's in charge of Covid too and if people accept this they can feel completely at peace about these things.
I feel your pain. Since Covid began (so mid-March), we had to have to our septic tank cleaned ($350), replace our hot water heater ($600), replace our washing machine ($300 used) and replaced our central AC unit ($4500). Tie in the fact that my husband fell off a roof in early June and couldn't work for 2 months, 2020 has just been jolly!
But thankful Thursday, right? - Thankful we had the funds to replace everything except our AC, which we had to take a loan out on. But the cost savings on our electric bill with the new efficient unit pays for the monthly payment on the loan. Also thankful that although my husband was hurt pretty bad, it could have been a lot worse. And mostly thankful that all of my immediate family and close friends have managed to avoid Covid so far. And we all work/school outside the home with the exception of my daughter (who does online college). Praise God!
OOF. That is a lot of inconvenience and expense (and pain!) for one year. I hope that's the end of the personal misery for you guys for a while!
For full freezers (much of that the result of our own labors with animals and gardens) and pantry.
For the knowledge and skills my husband and I have developed over the last couple of decades that have come in very handy in the current anxiety-inducing times, particularly those that allow us to feed our family no matter what happens in the larger world.
For pleasant co-workers.
For books.
1. I am thankful for the most amazing co-worker, who is calm and together and makes my job so much better.
2. Also for the occasional quiet work day that allows me to hand sew masks for the amazing co-worker while we sit through stultifying Zoom meetings that are more like Zoom monologues.
3. Thankful that everyone at my house is still well and employed.
4. Also thankful for a colleague who bypassed all the red tape and waiting and gave me a spare office chair from her work space when mine broke last week.
5. Thankful for the return of mild weather giving us a break from heating and cooling expenses.
Bonus: Thankful for the local peace and restraint around the election process, and hopeful it continues.
I love that you used "stultifying"!
I have a hard time with these--I am a glad half empty person though I try very hard to work on this aspect of my personality 🙂
--Though distance learning is very trying for me and my girls, I am thankful that we can afford for me to quit my part time job to stay home to help them instead of them being forced to be home alone and figure it out on their own.
--I am thankful we could easily afford to fix our broken dryer
--I am thankful that no one I know has gotten sick from COVID
--I am thankful that no matter who the president is, my family is healthy and happy and not too much will change for us on the day to day.
Hugs to you; thankfulness is just flat-out hard work!
I'm glad your dryer is working again. When my appliances break, I have an unreasonably hard time being chill about it. I don't know why it affects me the way it does, but here we are.
I suppose the upside of this is that I feel REALLY happy when they get fixed. So, I can imagine your joy at a working dryer. 🙂
I feel your pain with the washer. We had a dryer die once and couldn't afford to replace it right away, but I just found a way to dry most stuff over vents and in the sunshine. We had the money a few weeks later, but I waited another four months before we bought one. Yes, I had to take towels and bedding to a laundromat once a week, but it was a small irritation and I did it after dropping the kids at school.
I am thankful that I will see at least one friend every day this week. The weather allows for outdoor gatherings and there will be a bit of mask wearing, physically distanced indoor gathering.
I am grateful that I was able to get in to see the dentist yesterday. An old filling fell apart Tuesday evening so I called Wednesday morning. Yes, I need a crown but our new dentist is in-network for our dental insurance and we have funds still in our Flexible Spending Account that need to be used.
I am thankful we are having weather similar to Kristen.
I am grateful that our Covid numbers are not too crazy. They are rising but not terribly.
I am thankful that a new desk chair and walking shoes have relieved my husband's back and foot pains and that we were able to afford to buy them.
I am grateful that there are now lactose free yogurt options at the grocery store.
Thankful for late-day golden light ... that corn harvest is concluded smoothly ... that we have several very, very good working relationships for both farming and editing ... for the color green, soon to be in short supply outdoors ... for our sweet daughter who turns 7 today ... for optimism and the chance every new day brings ... for our dentist who invented an appointment because of pressing need.
Good luck with your washing machine! I put a clutch in one last year and it wasn't the main problem, more's the pity. But I found it fun to work on.
The first paragraph feels like reading a sweet poem.
I am thankful that:
- My new 3' high mini-fridge. My fridge is usually, but not always, big enough for my household. Having family coming for Thanksgiving (worry not - we're all getting tested) pushed me over the edge on buying a supplementary fridge.
- That I can afford to stock up on meat right now. With the covid surge, I think that meat packing plants are going to get bottlenecked again. (I can also afford to buy frozen fruits and veggies, but that's as much of a budget hit).
- That I slept well last night.
- That the roof leak isn't as bad as it might be. This means I can take a little more time picking a contractor.
Ah - the appliance trifecta. It's good that you can see the silver linings there.
1. I'm so very thankful that my teen granddaughter just got released to go back to any lifting and physical work (except rodeo and professional football, ha, ha! Her doctor is the fun sort.) after her scoliosis surgery this summer. And that the ribs that had to be cut or trimmed are growing back, correctly.
2. That my prayers for inner peace over the election furor have been answered. I feel much better now.
3. I'm thankful that I was chosen to do a home trial of a new robotic vacuum/mopper. I know now what I like and don't like about them, without having to buy one first. I'm not allowed to say the brand, unfortunately. I can tell you that it makes me think more about getting one.
4. I'm thankful that two items I ordered for the Operation Christmas Child box, which were delayed in shipment, are going to make it on time. One arrived yesterday and the other is scheduled to be here today.
5. I'm grateful for cooler weather, and although we are warming back up some, we aren't going back to summer weather, so I can still enjoy the days outside. I can also continue to keep my a/c off!
6. And finally, I too had some very, very pleasant, polite, and helpful customer service when I had to make several phone calls while filling out some paperwork for my office yesterday. I don't know where these people are based, as it's an 800 number, but if I could, I'd send them some of Kristens' brownies!
Another idea I’d love to read about: those robot vacuums. I think I really, really want one, but don’t actually know anyone to ask all of my question or to see it in action- and there are SO many brands and models.
This is day 10 without electricity but I'm grateful the weather is sunny, in the 70s and I'm grateful my family took home the food in our freezer before it ruined. It helped them and I'm really grateful for our generator that lets us watch tv and have a light on. Yes, yeah.
Ohhhh, that is so long! I hope power is restored for you soon.
Thankful this week for:
Some short days at work.
A Christmas fund already to go this year.
A substantial raise at work. It was 2.00 more than I was told in the beginning!
Not catching the coronavirus even though the numbers in my town are skyrocketing. The neighboring school district just switched to virtual for two weeks because 115 students and 20 teachers were on the contact tracing list! I've had multiple coworkers test positive and they have ranged from minimal to flu like symptoms.
Thankful there hasn't been too much stockpiling going on in my area. I had the ability to call and order pizza delivery last night when I was freezing, sore, and grumpy. My husband is getting ready to make breakfast. 🙂
Aw, I'm sorry to hear about all your appliances. We went through the same thing at the very beginning of Covid, when our state was in a lockdown and everything was closed. It got so crazy, we started to keep a list, just because it made us laugh. What else can you do? In 6 weeks time, this is what broke at our home: vaccum, oven, grill (tree branch took it out), dishwasher, coffepot, vitamix blender, and we started having weird electrical issues in one of the bedrooms. Thankful to be through with all of the repairs (hopefully!).
1. I am thankful that some rain is expected this weekend. We haven't had any since early spring. Not one drop. And yesterday the temperature was still in the 90s. We are begging for fall weather.
2. We had planned for a trip to Hawaii last June, before the world fell apart. When we cancelled, the airlines said we could use our tickets for a year into the future. I recently found out that they will actually REFUND your money if you ask. They certainly did not email me this info at any time. I did ask, and they are now going to refund. I prefer having control over my own money and not being forced to rebook by any particular time.
Could you share which airline this was? We currently have credits also
Thank you
I'm thankful that an appliance repair guy is a good friend.He has even come to our house on a Sunday evening and fixed a washer that wouldn't spin. He had to temporarily disable a piece that would make the washer stop spinning if the lid was open, but since there are no children in the house, so that was ok. There was no charge! We have been able to do some things for him,, too, so it's not one sided. Our appliances are all old, too.
I'm thankful for the lovely warm and sunny fall days in the forecast also! I'm thankful to have the opportunity to re-adjust our schooling options for the next marking period. I'm thankful for karate class.
I'm thankful for your perspective, Kristen! I am encouraged by your point that we can still choose to do good where we are, despite what is happening nationally. Every positive thought, word, and deed we share counts in some way to some person, even if only to ourselves.
Awww so sorry about your unlucky streak with appliances
1. My out-of-state daughters are making sensible decisions about holiday travel during COVID
2. No one in my immediate family has been infected with the virus
3. Enough $ in savings to cover some unexpected but necessary expenses (hello, emergency fund!)
4. I have a good job that I (mostly) enjoy and I can work from home at least until May 2021
5. Two daughters are currently engaged and most importantly, they seem to have chosen well. We love our future sons-in-law
Oh yes! So thankful for a washer and dryer that work! I had a wringer washer and a clothesline for the first couple of years of our marriage! Add cloth diapers to that scenario! Everything actually washed pretty well, but squeezing work jeans through the wringer was not a lot of fun! The clothesline worked pretty well in the spring, summer and fall, but the diapers and clothes would freeze-dry in the winter! Then they had to be brought in and put on a wooden rack to "finish" drying. Those were the days!!!!
I am thankful I live in a country where I can safely say out loud and in public my opinions about the candidates. And that my vote is private, and no one can retaliate against me or my family because of it.
I am thankful for those people who are responsibly working through our election process.
And thankful we live in a place of hope.
Yes and yes and yes!!
That's a lot of appliances to deal with - I would be cranky.
I am thankful for the relationship between my husband and my parents. There is mutual respect, they can ask for and receive help from one another without me, my mom and husband tease each other and no one takes it too seriously, we can vacation together. My husband thinks of them and what they need and my mom asks about my husband EVERYTIME I talk to her, which sometimes is several times a week. It's not perfect but it's pretty darn good.
I think I've said this one before but I'm thankful for hot showers. I really do enjoy them.
I'm thankful for free fitness content on the internet that I can follow with minimum to no equipment to maintain my health (and my mental health).
That my kids are becoming independent. I have a group of friends whose kids are all younger than mine and while I feel envious that they have smiling, sweet, happy, precious babies to hold, I'm pretty lucky to have sweet, caring, capable kids and the opportunity for a full night's sleep.
That I have food to feed my family in my kitchen and that I have a kitchen at all.
I'm thankful for lovely fall weather and a nice drop in temperature coming!
I'm so thankful for the new insulation in our attic.
I'm thankful for a new assignment for our son, and the interest and excitement he has for it.
I'm so thankful for relationships with family.
I'm thankful for health insurance. Healthcare is a basic human need and I know many that don't have it.
I'm thankful for special orders in my shop, and the bit of income that I can bring in for my family.
I have a hard time with this one too.
1. I'm grateful for my children. I am not able to have children the "normal" way so we have adopted. I love my daughter more than anything, and I am so grateful that she is the amazing person that she is.
2. I'm grateful for my home. It's beautiful, it works for us, we are in a great location, and we have a huge yard. Plus we're in a state that care about its citizens.
3. I'm grateful for my neighbors, who are all kind people who care about their community.
4. I'm grateful for my job. I get paid enough to take care of my family, I mostly enjoy the work, and my coworkers are awesome.
5. Kittens. Always kittens (except when they are playing with noisy toys at 3 in the morning).
And speaking of cats playing with toys at 3 AM. Our cat owns a golf ball that he pretty much ignores, except the other night in the week dark hours. We suddenly heard crashing noises in the house and I was one half second from grabbing the baseball bat and running out of the bedroom swinging. (My husband is much more calm and self-contained.)
You guessed it. A round of kitty golf was going on and the ball was bouncing off walls and doors. Now, we put it up at night.
That was supposed to be "wee dark hours."
I think you did get a child in the normal way. You prayed for one and God helped.
This. Who defines normal anyway? Cheryl is so right.
Indeed. "Normal" and "Typical" are not the same thing.
I'm been to Alaska.. beautiful.place. I couldn't stand cold, or 3 or 4 hours a daylight. Sept or oct. I went in may. Like mother's day weekend. I feel for ya. God bless u all.
I'm happy for you having a family. God is so good. Your daughter is yours. She will grow to be like u....teach her about all good things. How to deal with bad. God help u through it all. God bless u and family.
As an adult adoptee, (and long time reader/lurker of The Frugal Girl) I know that adoption is a very "normal" way of making an incredible family.
1. A small, cozy house. It was 26 below last night and we were warm and free of drafts.
2. That we have so much food in the house that we don't need to leave the house in this weather.
3. That we have a garage, barely large enough for our vehicle, so we don't have to leave our car outside. Not only would we have to plug it in to keep the oil warm but the tires would get square after sitting for hours so next time you use it you have to go really slowly until the tires get round again.
4. Lots of books stockpiled.
5. The handy husband who was able to fix the hen house heater so our birds will not freeze to death at these temperatures.
Holy moly. I had no idea tires got square in Alaska winters! That must be an amazingly bumpy ride at first.
Well, really they get more like flat on the bottom but people call them square. Doesn't happen until about 20 below or more and after a night of sitting in one place. They round up pretty quickly but you do have to take it slow at first.
I was amazed to see a friend's wife post her car display of -30F. Whoa. Seems early to me because it's (unusually) about 80 here, but I guess it is November ....
That’s a great way to think!!
I'm grateful for this blog and the readers! Reading through all the comments I felt peace and some of the anxiety I've been feeling the past few days ebbed away. I love the mindset that we can still control the good we do. Thank you for that!
Yes!!
"Revenge of the Things" -- it's got to be over, right? and your attitude is superb. I must stop whining!!
Thankful for:
The last 90 degree day (this year, hopefully??) and that it might RAIN this weekend in poor, drought-ridden SoCal.
Thursday! Which is like our Friday (student-free Fridays 🙂
I made it up the 160+ steps near school. Stopping at every landing. Then, down.
The little child who ran a temperature today is (hopefully) just fighting a cold and not you-know what. She was pokey and not herself. Must remind self that there are other viruses and colds and regular old germs floating around.
Big Thankful -- the election has not turned into civil war and people on all sides seem dedicated to being civil, mostly. The counting goes on and we will have a peaceful transition.
Did I mention Child-free Friday?
1. I have most of what I need on hand already for Thanksgiving dinner, just have to order a turkey and fresh vegetables.
2. My brother is healthy and we agreed to isolate as much as possible, get tested, and wear masks so he can celebrate Thanksgiving with my husband and I. (He lived with my mom who passed away last year and I'd hate for him to be alone that day.)
3. Our jack o'lantern provided lots of big fat pumpkin seeds to roast. Yum!
4. I found a nice bathrobe in just the style/color I wanted at a good price. I have been patiently looking for the right one and it came along.
5. I found a great deal on Cetaphil moisturizer. I love it, but it's kinda pricey so I was patient for that as well and found a buy two get one free deal and was able to spend enough on stuff I actually needed to get 20% off my order on top of that. Sweet!
I'm thankful the election is over. The commercials were OVER THE TOP in central Florida and not just for the President, for state races as well (those commercials were particularly ugly).
I'm thankful that no one I know has COVID, which is weird since we live in Florida, but true.
I'm thankful that my inlaws have become "snowbirds" for a month at least, (Wyoming to Florida!) and are coming next week, so we can go over and stay at the beach for free every weekend! 😉
I'm thankful that although my parents are aging and declining (more rapidly lately), I live 40 minutes away and can be there for their every need and problem, and my brother (6 hours away) and I have a great relationship and he would be here in a heartbeat if it gets overwhelming. Taking care of aging parents ain't for wimps, that's for sure.
For run on sentences! hahaha
I'm also thankful for your blog, we obviously don't all have the same viewpoints, but that is refreshing in itself, if everyone was like me, not only would it be boring, like VERY boring, but I could not learn anything or have anyone rub off the rough edges or help me to refine my thinking and expose me to new ideas or points of view!
My granddaughter's childcare centre had an outbreak of gastro. This gave me three thankful things. Firstly my granddaughter was a little bit ill but not badly ill. Secondly I was given lots of extra time with her. Thirdly on the last day she was here it was a beautiful day so we drove to the beach. Mia so loves being at the beach.
MY latest Covid test came back negative. The joys of being an asthmatic with allergies during spring.
I have used choice home warranty insurance. When I needed my septic fixed. They would not pay. I had played them for over 3 years.. it is better to save your money for new appliances or repairs. Teresa
..
Another thought for a post topic- I have learned (or think I have learned) that those home warranty and many appliance warranties are a total scam and waste of money for a homeowner. I’m not looking for anecdotes on either side, but a Kristen point of view!
I get it, Kristen! After having had to use laundromats for years and years, I am so thankful to have a washer and dryer of my own. I was in my 40s before this happened! I am grateful for them every day!
I am thankful to live in a democracy and have the privilege to vote, even when I am outvoted.
I am thankful for restaurant patios with heaters so that I can socialize safely with a few close friends even as the weather turns cold.
I am thankful for my life. Just as it is.
Boy thank you for your second point - I need to remember to be thankful even when my candidate loses. It is the democracy that count. Hard to remember this with all the shouting going on
Well I am Thankful that I read your post.
Because it reminds me to look for and focus on the Good side of the coin and not allow myself to be dragged down by the what a horrible world this is attitude that so often tries to convince me that there is no good side to life. Thanks
Having all of those appliances decide to give up around the same time(collusion?) really stinks but having that repair fund was helpful and needed. Great job!
When our washer stopped working in April, we paid to have the workers at Best Buy install it but due to Covid, they wouldn't come in our home or garage. We got this 200 lb appliance to the top of the steps but it fell and I thought my husband was going to need the ambulance. I'm thankful he sustained only minor injuries and the washer didn't break. It could've been a terrible situation.
I'm thankful that each member of the family has some pretty good traits- humor, engineering skills, computer expertise, and medical knowledge..
Good health is a gift and despite my decades of auto-immune issues, I can still drive and hold a job. My health isn't as good as prior years, but it's good enough to still wake up and see my family. And I'll take good enough.
I never underestimate the ability to make accurate decisions. Throughout the years, I'm thankful that those decisions have provided us with necessities in rough times. They've also provided income for retirement and the ability to help others.
The local free produce stand had plenty of apples, onions & carrots. I had time to put most the carrots up for winter soups. Hoping to make apple bread today.
I did a several day marathon run of (not watching but listening) to movies so I did not have to watch any political commercials.
Hubs was sick and our covid cases are out of control here, his only choice was the emergency room so good they got him in and out in about 6 hours.
We are having a weekend of 70 degrees so yay for that, kind of late in the year for us to be this warm. I can get one last cut in for my dog.
My dog was sick (has IBD) and my vet was swamped but still seen him. Only charged me $10 for office call it about made me cry. He is the nicest guy ever.
I’m grateful your post is followed by a brownie recipe. A simple one. I don’t use box mixes!
I practice gratitude regularly, but I have either a question or a possible post topic. We have had a lot of things basically stop working. None of them are a necessity, but a bit of luxury and for that I am grateful. Although, a computer, especially in this day and age of COVID, feels like a necessity. I am struggling with coming to peace with the fact (?) that things are not going to last forever, and in recent years, they seem to last shorter lengths of time. I struggle with being grateful to have the money to replace or fix some items and then think that there are other things on which I would have rather spent the money. You seem to have a pretty good attitude about these things and you have been honest about not being perfect. But I love your words of wisdom to help me keep a good attitude. Thank you for your blog and "being there".
Ooh, I feel you there.I am currently really tired of things breaking!
This could be a good thing to discuss in a post for sure. Basically, you're wondering how to make peace with the fact that things break or need repair, right? And you're wondering how to find gratefulness instead of thinking about the other fun things you could have spent the money on.
I so feel you on the line about being able to do good where I am regardless of what happens with the election. I've been feeling that big time, both as a combo of relief and as a challenge to be intentional and do more.
This week I'm thankful for the beautiful weather we've been having! We got our first snow on Sunday, which was fun, but the last few days (and the next 4) are crazy beautiful for southern Michigan in November.
I'm thankful that my mom finished out her COVID quarantine symptom-free and is back out in the world. We'll get to see her on Saturday.
I'm thankful that a friend has been able to walk with us in the mornings 4 days this week.
I'm thankful for the quick progress my oldest is making in her reading ability. It is so fun to see her increasing desire to read herself, not just have someone read to her.
I'm thankful for Michigan's interlibrary loan system where I can order almost any book or CD or movie that I want. It is fantastic.
I'm thankful for the flexibility to be able to take my kids to the playground after school. I appreciate that they can get a bunch of outdoor time before dinner, get out some energy, and play with some friends. It's helped tremendously with the after-school-crash struggles we had last year and I know that the ability to do that is a huge gift.
Thankful for my retired friends sending me flowers to lift my spirits as I teach at school everyday while cases rise and rise.
Thankful for my husband, who loves me everyday and makes me laugh everyday.
Thankful for the simplest little texts and jokes that friends and neighbors share everyday to show that we will stay strong and safe.
Thankful for the innocence and joy of young children as they learn at school and at home.
We all can do good for one another, no matter who we vote for.
So, it must be in the air because we too have are share. I do think I need to start saving more for appliances. Yikes, with 2000.00 a month taken out for health insurance I just don’t have much left over for savings.
Thankful for windy, rainy days...without them I'd probably never allow myself a cozy indoor day! Thankful for clients who continue to put their trust in me, for adorable kitties to keep us entertained, thankful we are healthy and our friends are too!
I really enjoyed this ..it definitely gave me hope as I am facing almost all of the same problems and can't seem to find affordable help. Although times are tough I am thankful for all the things I do have. A nice home, my appliances that do work lol, my son, and the few people in my life I call friends.
Hugs to you! I'm sorry you're in broken appliance land with me!