Thankful Thursday | so much litter mess!
This week, I am thankful:
for a lidded litter box
When we brought Chiquita home, I picked up an inexpensive plain litter box, and my goodness, that turned out to be a mistake.
This small cat is quite aggressive with the litter-kicking and I was sweeping up so much litter from the floor!
So, I ordered her the same lidded litter box we have for Shelly, and now my floor is staying much cleaner.
I'm still waiting on the litter mat to arrive, because Chiquita can actually manage to kick litter out onto the floor, despite the lid and the door.
that Chiquita is healing up well from her spaying
Her little belly is still looking pretty shaved, but otherwise she's all good.
And her cold is gone.
that we got to adopt her!
Once her spaying was done, I was able to sign the papers to make Chiquita an official member of our household. 🙂
Some of you asked how the two cats are getting along; Chiquita really wants to be friends with Shelly, but that's a one-sided feeling at the moment. But we will keep trying to implement all the wise advice we've read about acclimating two cats to each other.
And hopefully Shelly will come around eventually.
for some beautiful skies
I took a little walk around the block the other night after dinner, and the sky was so lovely.
It looked like a painting!
that all my kale is gone
I made it through that whole big bag all by myself. Yay me!
I think now I am ready for a little break from the kale. 😉
for the bumblebees I see on the coneflowers
I can remember watching these last year...bumblebees really love coneflowers, so I can usually depend on watching a few of them when I come by on my morning walks.
for wineberries
The ones in my backyard are starting to ripen, and so are a lot of the ones on my walking routes!
Before I moved here last year, I'd never noticed wineberries before, but now I see that they are all over the place.
They are an invasive species, unfortunately, but hey, I figure that by eating the berries, I am helping to slow the spread. 😉
for the ways I've grown in the last year
As I see things that I remember from last year, like the wineberries, or the bumblebees on the coneflowers, it makes me think back to where I was a year ago.
When I think through all the processing and healing work I've done since then, I can see progress, and that's encouraging. I have gained a lot of clarity and confidence about the path I've chosen, and it feels good.
I also think I've gained some more confidence in myself; I think I felt pretty capable before, but the biggest change since I left is that I have a more accurate view of myself and my value in many ways.
that some of my medical records already got approved
We have to submit a bazillion things to get approved for nursing school, and the portal finally opened this week. So, I uploaded all of my papers, and some of them already got the green light.
I'm not really worried about whether or not they'll be accepted, but I will just be glad when it's all official.
I think the only other things left on my prep-for-nursing-school list are:
- get a flu shot (which I'm not allowed to do until August)
- buy my books
I've almost got it all done!
I am grateful for -
1. the flowers in my garden. The weather has been dreadful this year ( more rain in the first six months than in a normal year) but at least I can enjoy roses, hibiscus and camellias.
2. for the best work mates - we work hard, laugh and share our joys and sorrows.
3. for reconnecting with an old friend after several years, she has been living overseas and walked into my work - it was like picking up a conversation from a week ago.
4. for a calm disposition.
5. enjoying reading and having friends to share book recommendations with.
@Chris in NZ, Are the hibiscus the kind you can dry and use for making tea or agua frescas?
Your cone flowers are earlier than ours! But I can wait. We had some rain this week, which we craved. The rain containers are full again and the plants and shrubs are revived! We will probably have to weed this weekend, we haven't had to for over a month.
I am so thankful that we successfully completed a multi-year program that I was part of since the beginning. We are doing our internal admin now and while rounding this off, I am thinking about all the people I worked with and what I learned from them. It does not matter what your job is - being a home maker or working for a corporation . If you do your job with focus and intent, you always always learn a lot about yourself as well and I find this so very rewarding. I've noticed that my most satisfactory jobs and tasks have made me learn most. So I've learned also to say no to assignments where I only have to repeat myself. At my age and with my experience, it would not be fair to not teach fellow team members. But learning remains an inner need for me so I look for opportunities where I can continue this.
If ever you need to replace your litter box(es) again, I highly recommend the Petmate Booda Dome. It’s compact enough for our little house—we have three domes, one for each cat—but roomy enough that everyone can use it comfortably, be they our seven pounder or our 17 lb bruiser. The high sides also help with litter kicking, though we still have litter mats underneath. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HCQSES/
Thankful-wise, I’m grateful for our local plumbers. Our soil pipe broke while they were expanding one of the incoming pipes (our washer had a 1/2” outlet pipe—hello, gurgles in the sink every rinse cycle!), and they’re not charging us for that repair! They were really wonderful overall and replaced and/or improved everything. As it’s the most outside work we’ve had done on the house so far (vs. family/friends/ourselves), that’s a relief and then some.
@N, Bonus thankful: A morning thunderstorm is upon us, and our former street cat feels so safe and secure that he’s snoozing right through it. When we first adopted him, he’d be anxious during storms, be they wind or rain, like he expected his shelter to go away/to be forced outside. (Let’s just say we have some theories regarding his past life/potential past owners. This cat was never feral.) His brothers—who’ve only ever been indoors—are still a bit jumpy during big storms, but former street cat is snoring happily, scars and all. <3
@N, I'm curious--I've heard that domed litter boxes can cause respiratory problems due to the dust from the cat litter. What has been your experience with that?
@Kris, there are many cat litters that are 99.9% dust free.
@Kris, even dust free litter makes a lot of dust, so I want to keep airflow! I use a Christmas tree storage box (very big, but I have big cats!) and just cut a hole in the side so no one needs to jump in or out. I'll never use anything else! And the sides are so high that litter stays inside.
@Rachel, that's a great idea.
@Kris, Our boys haven’t had any problems. Our former street cat has nasal scars that make him very snorky (for lack of a better word) and he gets sniffly when pollen counts are high, but even he has had no issue with the enclosed boxes/litter. Dr. Elsey’s is our litter of choice, with the attractant herbs mixed in, and I clean boxes twice a day.
@Kris, hit post before I meant to! Additionally, all of our boys are FIV+ (think kitty HIV) and have compromised immune systems. They are indoors only, and we don’t play around with anything that could compromise their health, as even a simple cold can go downhill fast. Our vet is fine with our litter box and litter choice, having even recommended the latter.
@N, thanks for responding!
I am thankful that I don't need hearing aids, at least not yet. I had my hearing tested at an audiology practice highly recommended by friends and my hearing is still in the "normal" range. I am thankful for the technology of modern hearing aids but I am happy not to need to avail myself of it at this time.
I am thankful for finding some comfortable New Balance shoes for walking. I was able to get them online. Thank goodness for online shopping for shoes given the size I wear. I have tried the local shoe store with a good reputation but have never had good luck there over the years.
I am thankful for blueberries on my oatmeal most mornings. Frozen blueberries are such a wonderful way to eat them year round.
I am thankful a friend had time to get lunch and ice cream on Tuesday. She is usually very busy but had some free time.
I am thankful for a generally healthy body.
@K D, out of curiosity, what type of New Balance did you get? That is usually the brand I wear and I’m looking to upgrade my current street walking shoes
It's so great to see your growth, Kristen. 🙂
Last night in bed I was thinking about how thankful I am for our (new) little apartment. The move itself has been fairly grueling, but our little space looks homey and comfortable and peaceful already. I'm also thankful for the leasing manager and the maintenance person, who have fixed and coordinated a few things for us. And even though we're in an apartment complex, the view from my living room is of a green space with trees - live oaks, pine, and a magnolia (my fave!). I love it.
This morning I walked 20 minutes and felt amazing doing it. No pain, no tightness, and I felt stronger and taller. (It helped that it was only 73 this morning, compared to a stifling 80 yesterday at 6:30am. I actually walked outside and was like, OH, it's cool!) I'm so thankful that I've healed so much this year. I'm also thankful that I have a plethora of walking routes from my home.
I'm thankful that I have a beach vacation coming up soon. I'm not as much a beach person as I was as a child (growing up in the Mid-Atlantic, I went to Delaware/NJ/Maryland beaches every summer), but I absolutely love walking by myself along the beach at daylight, with the water splashing on my feet, so I'm really looking forward to our trip.
@Brooke, We spent quite a bit of time at my father-in-law's apartment complex in Tucson this past week, and I definitely see the appeal of the complexes. Many of them really do have beautiful landscaping and a very impressive array of amenities. Being able to call maintenance and/or management to get things fixed and taken care of is such a benefit, especially in his where there are quite a few older people. I'm so glad you're enjoying yours.
@Brooke, beach walking without crowds is one of my favorite things in this world. I think I’ll do that this weekend!
@Brooke, I would be curious to hear your thoughts on moving to a smaller home! We are beginning to think about downsizing and are finding it hard to be sure what's dead weight "stuff" and what we might actually have time to use later... (Well, I might be the one who just wants to get rid of stuff : )
@Brooke, I grew up in Delaware and did not realize how spoiled I was with having the beach so close. And of course DC and Philly an easy drive away. When my husband and I moved to Richmond we didn’t make it to the beach a single time in the 5 years we lived there. Now that we’re back in Delaware I have taken my two kids to the beach at least once a month for the last year. In the winter months we run around on the sand in heavy coats and boots. But they love it. 🙂
@Suz, we move every 3 years because of Gent’s work & we frequently go between small homes & typical sized homes. We are constantly re-evaluating items. I think a good measure is, what do you need for 6 months of living - to be comfortable, to be entertained, and to host others? If you are living seasonally consider items you would use in all seasons. On our recent move we had to bring items for the first 3 months because we didn’t know when our truck of stuff would arrive. That was an eye opener!
@Colleen, That's a great way of looking at it - those 3 categories help structure the conversations - thanks!
I am thankful-
*that I get to have a date with my eldest today. He's accompanying me to my therapy appointment, and he wanted to go to a restaurant he has a gift card for.
*that eldest son is training next-eldest at his restaurant summer job. The kids feel so good when they can earn money. Also that DSW had slip-resistant shoes in his size when he was called in to work right away.
*that third-eldest son has another yard/handy work job lined up. He'll be working 3 days this week---and for a good bit more than minimum wage.
*for the rain. We've had so much rain that it's kept us from getting the garden weeded. And in all honesty, I don't want to weed right now.
*for time and the ability to read. I've enjoyed 4 books so far this summer and am mostly through 2 more.
*for coffee, continued baby steps in weight loss and face improvement, for flowers outside, for berries, for a forecast of less smoke today, for my friends and church family, for fun and funny kids, that my baby doesn't have symptoms of Lyme Disease yet after we pulled a tiny tick off last week, for connecting on the internet, for memories and an imagination, for afternoon naps, for the hot pads I use in the kitchen because they remind me of my daughter who made them, for electricity, running water, the washer and dryer, my husband, the library, and my dining room table. Tea is good, too. Oh, and that my in-law's are at the beach because MIL loves it so much and it's her birthday.
@Jody S., what books have you read this summer? What has been your favorite? I am finally feeling inspired to read more and love recommendations
We got a kitten a month ago, and I was really worried about our grumpy older cat accepting her. He was super upset at first. He spent the first five days arching and hissing and yowling/growling whenever he walked into a room she was in. Then he started sitting off to the side and watching her with interest. They’ve slowly gotten to the point where they’ll wrestle and nap snuggled up together. She definitely annoys him with her pestering, but it’s working out, and they have company when we’re gone. I’m going to go get one of those covered litter boxes, too. Oh my word, the mess two cats can make.
I am so glad you’ve healed so much this past year. I’m in the thick of it and health and clarity seem pretty far away. One day I’ll get there, and it’s good to get reminders of this truth from someone farther along in the journey.
1. Thankful for a cool night last night. My house has stayed pleasant so far this unmet because of these cool nights.
2. For the read aloud a my kids enjoy with me. We just finished “Henry and Beezus” and they have already picked out their next read.
3. For how much my non verbal son is talking lately. This kid is amazing.
4. The beautiful place I live with all kinds of outdoor adventure opportunities.
5. Coffee. It’s helping me with the exhaustion this week.
@Kaitlin, Re: exhaustion. I think you're in a place where exhaustion is inevitable, but the B vitamins helped me so much. Methylated ones.
Aww, friend. Hang in there. And anytime you need to vent or you need some encouragement, I'm just an email away. And I really do mean that! My circumstances are a little different but I'm sure they're similar enough for me to understand and sympathize.
Anyone else humming "You're gonna make it after all!" ("Love Is All Around") at "for the way I've grown in the past year"? Heh.
Thankful for:
*it might actually start feeling like summer here soon
*my boy--it's his birthday
*not beating myself up so much mentally
*feeling hopeful about the future
*I might just make it after all
@Rose, just a little touch of Mary Tyler Moore.
@Rose, somewhere in my photo files, I've got a photo (taken by JASNA BFF, the year the JASNA Annual General Meeting was in Minneapolis) of me miming the hat fling next to the statue of MTM. And I think we're all gonna make it after all.
@A. Marie, My son's friend's mother was astonished that my son knew about the MTM Show. My son said, "My parents have all the DVDs!"
Although if anyone is gonna argue about who is who I am totally Rhoda.
@Rose, I was thinking more of "I Have Confidence" from The Sound of Music ("Besides what you see, I have confidence in me!"), but I like your song choice, too. Are we showing our ages? 🙂
@Rose, and everyone,
Speaking of Rhoda on MTM show, I highly recommend Valerie ("Rhoda") Harper's autobiography, "I, Rhoda." It is a joyful celebration of her life, happy remembrances from childhood to show biz to her terminal diagnosis. Even though she was dying when she wrote it, "I, Rhoda" is the happiest book I've ever read. If you liked her on MTM and Rhoda, you will absolutely cherish this book and Ms. Harper's optimistic attitude. It's like talking to an old friend and it will definitely leave you smiling.
@Fru-gal Lisa, thanks for the reccomendation. i just reserved the book from the library.
@Anita Isaac,
Cool!
Let me know how you like it!
We just returned from a visit to Arizona, so it will be a travel-themed list this week.
--My brother had a terrible accident with his new propane grill, which essentially sent a fireball to his legs and resulted in second degree burns from his knees to his ankles. This is obviously nothing to be thankful for, but we just found out yesterday he won't have to have skin grafts, which is a good thing.
--Also, he has good health insurance, and although his recovery will still be long and extremely painful, he will recover all mobility eventually and he and his family will be financially okay while he recovers.
--He and his family had been planning to come to my parents' house in Tucson to see us, but he obviously couldn't travel. He did get out of the hospital the day before we got there, though, so we were able to drive to Phoenix to see his whole family at his house. The cousins got to swim together in his pool and he got to talk to everyone as they ran in and out of the house. I'm usually too far to be able to do things like this, so I was very grateful we could make that visit.
--We drove a total of 1,500 miles on this trip. I am very grateful there were no problems of every kind. We saw several car accidents during our travels, a couple of which were clearly fatal, so safe travels are obviously not guaranteed.
--There was a heat wave while we were there, which in Tucson meant it was 110 degrees every day. Very grateful all the family members we visited have access to swimming pools, because that's about the only outdoor activity that's enjoyable in that heat.
--Very thankful for the neighbor who took care of our animals while we were gone so both my husband and I could go on this trip. We both have family in Tucson, so it would have been a bummer if he couldn't have seen his, or I couldn't have seen mine, because one of us had to stay home to take care of the animals. Plus, traveling that far alone with four kids is no fun.
--And lastly, I am SO grateful to be home. Traveling is incredibly stressful for me, and I actually don't realize how much until I'm back at home and feel like I can finally breathe deeply. Plus, coffee never tastes right except for right here in my personal Mom chair. 🙂
@kristin @ going country, I'm thankful your brother is has good news, too. And do you have to kick kids out of your personal Mom chair? (I have to do this all the time! It's like they don't expect me to want to sit down?)
@Jody S., I have to kick them off my lap when I'm in my chair. Only the 13 year old has finally given up on wanting to sit in my lap. The 10, 8, and 5 year olds still want to sit right on me, which is getting quite uncomfortable. 🙂
@kristin @ going country, best wishes to your brother for a full recovery. That accident sounds horrendous.
@A. Marie, burns are awful. I also wish Kristin's brother the best.
@kristin @ going country, My children are grown with children. Now I wish they would sit in my lap. HA.
Like you I used to get annoyed when they followed me everywhere. As I stated in the Monday thread, I pay their plane flights when they come see me.
@kristin @ going country, whoa- how terrible for your brother but glad for the good updates. Curious- is there anything that we can learn from his experience? I mean like a type not to buy, what went wrong, etc.
@Jenny, I don't really know the specifics of it all, but he had just had it installed in his patio as one of those built-in grills. So the propane tank was enclosed behind doors underneath the grill top. Propane sinks, and it got trapped there when he lit it but it didn't ignite. He opened the top when he realized it hadn't ignited, but because the propane had sunk behind those doors, it didn't go anywhere. When he tried again to ignite it later, the propane was still there and basically shot a fireball out of those cabinet doors. Unless you have a built-in grill, this won't be a problem. My parents have one and have never had an issue, but I don't know if that's because they're aware of the issue or if my brother's wasn't installed correctly.
I'm so glad your brother is going to be ok, but also I'm so sorry to hear this happened to him!
Thankfulness - crafty edition
1. I am so very thankful for local libraries who put on free craft nights. I've learned how to knit; I've done canvas painting; I've made a padded book (or ebook) holder; I've learned how to paper piece; the list goes on and on. I love getting to try a new skill with little risk and a knowledgeable person there to help me figure it out.
2. For friends and family that want to come craft with me at the library events. I have attended them by myself, but it is more fun to go with someone. Also, my friends are mostly not worried if we aren't amazing at a brand new craft, which also makes it fun.
3. For Goodwill, that has a small crafty section, so that if I do love to do what I learned, I can sometimes find supplies for super cheap. I am enjoying knitting and I can often find bags of yarn at my local Goodwills. I'm not going to find enough for a blanket, but I can almost always find enough for a scarf.
4. For being able to attend crafty events in person. I just don't seem to learn quite as well on youtube or zoom. I tried for years to learn how to knit and didn't get it until I met in person with a teacher.
5. For currently having an office at work where I can decorate. A lot of my craft projects have been put on the bank of shelves that sit behind me and make me happy to see them. It also gives me a chance to advocate for libraries when someone comments about my creations!
@Angel, I think this is my favorite response in this comment section. 🙂 I love crafts but I haven't been crafting a lot lately (due to darn work commitments and such...). Maybe I will knit a bit this evening after work.
@Natalie K., awww, thanks! Maybe that should be my 6th thankful - because when I sign up for something, I have to go and do it and I get to craft with a bit less guilt!
@Angel, Love it! That is definitely the right attitude!
I'm giving thanks this week for:
1.The trail system in my neighborhood. We have 10 miles of trails within a short walk from our house that provide many wonderful walks for us and our dogs.
2. Generous, like-minded friends. (See my Thankful Tuesday post.)
3. That my garden is doing pretty well this year. A few things died, as they always do, but other things are flourishing.
4. For the lawyer and the financial advisor who are helping my husband with his parents' estate. They have saved us lots of hassle and some money, too.
5. For some extra money that showed up just in time to pay a bill.
@Cindi, little mercies that make a world of difference
I lost my office keys yesterday. I did nor realize it until I was back home after running several errands. Later in the afternoon, the security office emailed me let me know they had them. Such a relief.
I'm thankful that someone turned the keys into security.
Everyone whom I contacted (at several locations to find out if my keys fell out while on errands) were so very kind and helpful about checking to see if keys were turned in.
Lanyards- my office keys are going back on the lanyard so I can't lose it again! I don't carry a purse anymore, so wearing my keys helps me keep track if them. Also he ribbon makes them easier to find when I put them down.
My sons, who ran into stores for me to look for keys. It's nice to have help when your brain is panicking.
My cats, which keep me company during the night. Even the 4 am wake up for treats are tolerable.
Make sure you play a lot with Chiquita to mellow her out; she may be less likely to pester the older one. (Imagine a 10 yr old trying to get an older grandma to play- older cat does not have same energy level.) Also, a generous distribution of treats can help. We've done this type of introduction twice, once with great success, and the other time- well neutral with small glimpses of affection.
@mbmom11, We gave the high energy newbie girl kitty a snack ball to play with and my middle aged boy took it away and started using it. He is so food motivated. LOL
Good idea about the treats!
-I'm grateful for the financial resources that allow us to travel pretty frequently to visit family. We moved away from my family about ten years ago, and make it a priority to visit often. Our teens also love visiting, and often request to visit my parents on their own, which we can make happen.
-I'm incredibly grateful that both of my parents are still active & healthy, and that somehow, are so much fun that my teens request visiting them. The flights this time were pricey (understatement), so when we were discussing options, both kids offered to pay for 1/2 of the flights. Again, a teen who is willing to spend their own money visiting their grandparents is.... really incredible.
-I found a few wardrobe updates last weekend, that make me feel more "updated" at work. Sometimes, it's the small stuff.
-Both of my teens are good kids, but one is incredibly empathetic (most days) & it's really just so much fun to see how engages with the world.
-Every day of summer is a gift. I work all summer, but not having to worry about homework, or chasing missing assignments is so relaxing!
1. For all of the wonderful veggies we are getting from our gardens right now. Summer has really arrived here and we are harvesting green beans, tomatoes, squash zucchini, all kinds of herbs, peas, lots of peppers and okra. I love that gardening is a hobby & refreshment for me but it is also practical in that it feeds our family.
2. For all the flowers that our blooming. Coneflowers, Speedwell, Black-eyed Susans, Vincas, petunias, Marigolds, Lantana, Sunflowers, Gardenias, dahlias. I love flowers a lot!
3. For coffee. I need it every day, sometimes multiple times a day and I am so grateful to have it.
4. The painting of our home which will begin this week. I am so looking forward to getting rid of sterile light gray almost white walls and finally having some quality paint on the walls so that they can be washed.
5. So grateful for Summer with all of its heat, warm nights, bees, cookouts and pool days we are enjoying this season so much.
Happy Thursday!
I’m seeing positive results in a new weight loss program I am trying – I put on some weight after meeting my husband (fat and happy) and I’m not comfortable with where I am at so a few changes need to be made.
My son will have a break from games for a few weeks before a big tournament next month. While his games are fun to watch it will be nice to have a predictable schedule for a couple of weeks.
I have an over abundance of PTO so I’m able to take some leisurely days off this summer.
I’m really enjoying the leafy, shady walking trails by my house. I listen to an audio book and get a few miles in each day on the trails.
The cats will get the hang of being around each other. We had to introduce another kitty to our house when our son moved back in and it wasn’t easy. There were a few knockdown drag out cat fights. It’s been a couple of years and we have a hiss once in a while.
I am thankful that the baby is healthy and I am healthy. (I am struggling with back pain and eating, but nothing scary is wrong.)
I am thankful for the chance to receive an ARC of a long anticipated book and to join in a Zoom book club with the author.
I am thankful for my morning coffee.
I am thankful that my husband encouraged me to spend a little more money on maternity clothes. It is really nice to have clothes that fit and make me feel pretty.
I am thankful for my job.
@Rebekah in SoCal, Have you tried one of those prenatal belt things? It's been a while for me, but my back felt like it was literally burning unless I used one while pregnant. (That said, both my kids were over 11 pounds...)
@Rose,
I am using the maternity support belt. I think it does help and just yesterday I realized that the belt will also hold a rice-filled heating pack on my back which also feels nice.
@Rebekah in SoCal, How many more months/weeks?
@Jody S.,
I'm almost 25 weeks. So still in the "honeymoon" of the second trimester. Sometimes it seems like a long time until the baby comes, but I've had a few moments of panic this week because I only have 15 more weeks to get ready for the baby. (It's also exciting to realize that we will meet the baby in 15 weeks more or less.)
What a year behind you, you have had..so much growth and lessons and ups and downs! AND WHAT A YEAR AHEAD YOU HAVE! On to the R.N. !!!!!!!!!
P.S. We have 2 kitties and they share a littler pan, but it is an extra large one. The cover makes a huge difference!!!
I am sure you know this - but if you freeze kale, you can break if off into pieces for smoothies (if you just cannot bare to eat it but don't want to waste it).
Oh, you're right! I have done that in the past but I forgot. I do remember that it basically shatters once it's frozen, so it's really easy to break some off.
I lost my beloved dog on Monday and sad as I am (the house feels so empty without him) I am full of gratitude for the almost four years we had. Consider adopting a senior dog--they have so much love to give. Roscoe was healthy and happy and a perfect companion: he was sick for a very short time at the end and I am grateful I was able to end his suffering quickly.
I am grateful, not for the first time, for my brother who not only stood by and cried with me, but dug Roscoe's grave and helped me carry and bury him. I would not have been physically capable of digging a six foot grave or bringing in rocks to cover until it settles and I can plant something beautiful there. We have foxes, coyotes, bears, bobcats and roaming dogs in our country setting so this was necessary.
I regret to say that the cats are grateful that the dog is gone. He didn't harass them, but they each want to be the only pet and have now inched closer to their goal. I know dogs and cats can be friends but in this case it never happened.
Also grateful to my sister-in-law who cried for him and reminded me that I had adopted a large, older dog who everyone else had overlooked, thus saving his live and enriching mine beyond measure. To the woman at the food pantry who when I brought in a month's worth of dog food asked "did you lose your pup?" and burst into tears when I said yes.
For every walk and snuggle, especially during covid when I had no other companion to take me into the woods on days when I would have stayed home alone. For the dogs and dog walkers I met, and how we all remembered the dogs' names before their owners. Especially for my dear friend French who I met on the trail and would not have known otherwise.
For the ten pounds I lost without trying, simply by walking a couple of miles every morning without fail at his insistence. For mutual, unconditional love to the end.
@Cynthia,
Oh how could I forget! I am so grateful to his former owner who had to reluctantly give him up for reasons I don't know. How well she cared for him, and loved and trained a young rescue who had never been inside a house or known any training, or very much love. And for her care in turning him over to a rescue that would lead me to find him.
@Cynthia, I'm sorry you lost your Roscoe. But what a great tribute - what great companions you were to each other. I'll give some extra treats to my 14-year-old dog today!
@Cynthia, aw, so sorry about your beloved dog.
@Cynthia, Always so, so hard. But for all the pain and heartache of losing them, I wouldn't have missed having any one of my dogs in my life. "Full of gratitude" is exactly right.
@Cynthia, RIP to your Roscoe. I know he's gone where the good dogs go.
@Cynthia, so sorry for your loss. This is such a lovely thankful list.
Aww, I love that you adopted a senior dog. What a wonderful thing for both you and him.
@Cynthia, So sorry to hear that Roscoe crossed over the rainbow bridge.
@Cynthia, I am so sorry about your dog. I know how hard it is to lose a dog that found a special place in your heart. Thank you for giving him a good life in his old age.
@Cynthia, I'm sorry for your loss.
@Cynthia, I’m so sorry, but what you wrote is beautiful. I’m in tears and will hug my dog a little tighter thinking of you and Roscoe. ❤️
@Cynthia, two of the hardest days in my entire life were when I had to say goodbye to my beloved furbabies. I'm praying for your heart as you grieve your super-sweet, super-loving Roscoe.
And for a long time I've considered adopting a senior dog. Now your pep talk about it is helping me venture further toward doing exactly that!
@Cynthia, you and your sharing about your dog touched my heart! Thank you!
@Cynthia, so sorry for your loss. i had no idea what a wonderful dog owner community existed in my apt complex until we got buddy. i remember the doggos but not always the owners. may your memories bring you comfort.
Thankful that Kristen feels better and more confident--and that I do too. This last decade in general, and the last five years in particular, have been an experience I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. But DH is now at rest, and with every item I can check off my "splup" list, I feel as if another brick is out of my invisible backpack.
Thankful that I can be of some help, if only as a sympathetic and experienced listener, to the SIL who's married to DH's younger brother. I had a long phone conversation with her on Monday, and it sounds as if my BIL is about where DH was five years ago on the dementia road. Fortunately, they don't lack for financial resources (BIL is a retired oil company executive), and they have more extensive medical resources in their Texas city than we have here. But my SIL knows that I'm always here for personal support.
Although I'm about ready for it to stop raining now, I'm thankful for the rains that have gotten my lawn and gardens back to their typical June selves. Things are now at their early-summer best. And the dill is starting to blossom, which means I'll be buying some pickling cucumbers at the Regional Market on Saturday for refrigerator pickles.
Isn't it wonderful when you can offer a helping hand to someone who is walking the same hard path you've walked? It helps your own suffering feel a little bit more purposeful because you can ease someone else's suffering.
And I am so very glad that you are feeling better too! <3 We've both been through some hard times, albeit very different hard times.
Right now I am very thankful for our good air filter that is running at high and the top-notch filter my husband put on our HVAC unit, because the smoke from Canada has made it all the way down to Southern Ohio and my goodness it's worse this time than three weeks ago. I thought my allergies were acting up on Tuesday as I ran errands, but turned out nope, the smoke was really down here in a big way. Hopefully the rain they're forecasting will help this weekend.
Very grateful for our exercise bike: I have no excuses even in bad weather or smoky air to avoid staying fit. Ha.
I'm later than usual commenting, because I had a busy morning.
1. Part A of this morning was getting someone to unclog the water line in my fountain pump - it was packed full of algae and debris, somehow. The man was late showing up because he forgot the appointment, so - and here's my Big Thankful - he refused payment. I paid zip for over an hour of his time. And my fountain is running again.
2. Part B of the morning: I finally got my tax return signed today so it can be submitted. The accountant had been stricken with tick fever and was behind on everyone's taxes filing multiple extensions. "Thanks", ha, to the high medical expenses we have, we'll get a decent refund.
By the way, he got that weird thing from the tick bite that causes people to have to forego all mammal meat. He can only eat fish and poultry now. He said his wife will have to eat all that beef, lamb and pork in their freezer. I had two tick bites last year and got nothing from them, so I'm thankful for that!
3. And Part C, since I was home on a weekday morning, I was able to take a big, full sharps container to the little local VA clinic in the town where I live. The big VA clinic in the town where I work won't accept sharps containers. (This was a VA-prescribed sharps container - they won't accept them from non-VA users.)
4. I'm also thankful that my great-niece and her husband are coming from their home in Ohio to visit family in Florida . They moved to OH from FL last year after they married, and have been missed greatly.
5. I'm grateful every morning when I uncover the raised beds for the chance to see a bee or two leave their squash blossom beds. I was very thankful to see an assassin bug putting an end to a squash bug yesterday, and I am always satisfied when I see a squash bug that was deterred by the row covers - especially when I can then squash the squash bug.
The next time you find yourself with an excess of greens, try turning them into a pesto sauce. Any green with whatever nut you have and some olive oil and Parmesan seems to work and makes a light easy meal.
Bravo to you on your progress, it is not an easy road to travel but personal growth especially recovering your sense of self is so worth the effort!
This has been a difficult week for me so I especially appreciate these posts during the hard times.
I am grateful for my age and experience because I can now more easily let go of most worries, both personal and professional.
The presence of my kids at home even if they are inside their rooms doing their own thing, just knowing we are all together in one place brings me comfort.
Being able to take a day off from work to recharge, slow down and do absolutely nothing.
Having co-workers with the creativity and patience to assist me in coming up with work arounds to most problems that pop up due to others' negligence.
We’ve been dealing with the wildfire smoke the past few days. At one point yesterday, the AQI measured the air quality to be over 300 - Hazardous. The air was an orange haze and you could smell and feel the burnt dust. When we ventured out for a necessary visit to the doctor, we even had to wear masks inside the car. This all lead to related thankfulness …
- I am very grateful a good portion of the smoke is absent today and we are down to “moderate” air quality.
- I’m extremely thankful to not have my home and family in the path of the fires.
- I’m also so grateful my son’s asthma has stayed under control during all this. He’s only left the house once (to see the doctor for an infection), so that has no doubt helped.
Kristen, did you see the New York Times article today titled “ It’s Never Too Late to Become a Nurse”? It’s about a woman who became a nurse in her late 30s, and it just made me think of you!
@Katie, That was a wonderful article. NYT has been running a whole series of "It's Never Too Late" profiles and they're all worth reading.
@JDinNM, can non-NYT-subscribers read these?
The earrings in your pink shirt picture are so pretty!
Hoo boy. This is gonna be interesting. Very long story short, we had to put down our 15-year-old cat a week ago, on the day that we were supposed to leave on vacation. It was a tough road, but .... I'm thankful that his decline happened before we left town (so my neighbor didn't have to deal with it AND so that I could relax knowing that, even though we lost our sweet boy, I didn't have to dread every text I got on vacation), for the kind and caring vet services, for my daughter's bravery through the whole process (she was his favorite human and followed her everywhere).
That's the sad part. The good part is that we had a lovely time vacationing at New River Gorge in WV (it's the nation's newest national park and there is a plethora of activities to do there--we are of the "keeping our feet firmly planted on the ground" crowd rather than the rock climbing/white water rafting/zip lining crowd). It rained a lot, but that made the temps a whole lot more tolerable. Our Air B&B was lovely and it's a beautiful area with great hiking as well as coal-mining history, which fed our inner history-nerd selves. We were all able to unplug and have fun together, which, for me, is the sign of a good vacation.
Awww, so sorry to hear about your sweet cat.
Can I ask what kinds of healing/recovery you engaged in? I’m out of a 43 year emotionally abusive marriage. LONG story of crap. I am a Christian, and most don’t agree in divorce. I have every Biblical right to do so, but I know it’s still frowned upon due to forgiveness, waiting for change, etc. But either way I have lots of healing to do. I am not active in a church right now so support from that is not an option. I have a core group of friends but I really don’t want to burden them. I’ve been through many classes, groups, etc. over the years, but I know I still have specific things to deal with. It seems so simple but it’s not. Any advice is welcome. Thanks.
@Debbie, therapy, support groups (see what's available in your area), talk to your friends, and see what your library has for books on that issue. Good job getting out, and may you find healing!
@Rachel,
Thank you.
Awww, Debbie. I am so sorry that you are dealing with this. Would it be ok if I sent you an email with some ideas? I've got a little more to share with you than I'd like to do here in public.
Either way, I want to validate what you are feeling; everything I read from women who have been in marriages that are both physically and emotionally abusive says that the emotional abuse is by far the worst part. And you dealt with it for a long, long time! No wonder you have a lot to heal from.
Let me know about the emailing idea.
@Kristen,
Yes that is completely ok. I can use all the help I can get.
@Debbie,
I don’t wish any abuse on anyone. But the difficult part about emotional is that the scars aren’t visible so getting help is difficult. No one believes you.
It is so true; that makes it a lot harder for even YOU in the marriage to see what's going wrong. I can imagine that if you are covered in bruises, it's a lot clearer to see what the reality is.
But the invisible wounds of emotional abuse and neglect are often very confusing even for the person in the marriage.
I will email you when I get a minute!
@Debbie, the right people will believe you. And I joined the others in being so sad that you had to live that way for so many years. I'd like to mention what has been a huge gift from God in paying for a Christian therapist from months now:
The Open Path Collective is a nationwide network of Christian therapists who've made a commitment to charge much, much less than most therapists.
---For example, when I started last summer with mine, I paid only $60 a session. Now it's only $70. Plus, mine is very experienced, and has several certifications, on top of being solidly Christian.
Praying for you!!
Here's that link:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://openpathcollective.org/&ved=2ahUKEwio8-Cu-On_AhWtpIkEHZgrAaYQFnoECBAQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0Wz0uKgetMUEs69fiIPMFi
@Kimberly,
Thank you! I never knew there were so many “kinds” of therapy. I will need to go look up what they all mean. I did counsel a few times with someone at my church, at the the time, but when things weren’t going the way my husband thought they might I had to stop. But it is where I learned that I was being abused. Thank you for sharing the link, and the prayers!
@Kimberly,
I didn’t find much on my list that I felt would be helpful for my situation. I’ll continue to relook since it could be the mood I’m currently in. But again thanks for the information.
1. Thankful to be able to live alone once more. The Roommate From Hell (akaTRFH) has moved out. Finally!!!!!! But I discovered even more damages she left in her wake. Including plates of old, dried, spoiled food around her computer desk which has resulted in an All You Can Eat Buffett for cockroaches. Never in my life have I had roaches, until she got here. Horrors!
2. That my hired man is willing to clean up and fix up all the damages TRFH made, at a more reasonable price than I'd get hiring a restoration service.
3. For case managers, as social workers are now called, who are finding TRFH a more suitable, assisted living facility to live in.
4. For eviction service offices who will help you file all the paperwork and do all the legal stuff.
5. For peace and quiet! Finally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So glad you are able to have a peaceful abode again.
@Kristen,
Thank you!
I went to see TRFH in her room at the rehabilitation place, and took her some of her needed items. It was very sad. Her room was small and drab, no TV or anything. Because of her health condition, she was having problems speaking, and she didn't remember what I had told her 5 minutes before. Her sister went out of town for the holiday weekend, I was told. Who would do that when you are the only nearby relative and your sibling is in the hospital? Admittedly, I didn't stay real long bc she was getting tired out, but not a single worker came in to check on her the entire time. Her possessions from yesterday were still in the bags I'd packed them in and piled on the floor. She doesn't have any friends here (other than me) and she is not a member of any religious congregation, so I probably was the only person who came to see her. I will go again tomorrow before work and take her the other items she requested. Meanwhile, I filled a huge trash bag with spoiled food and coffee-stained papers stacked around her computer desk. This, after setting off numerous bug bombs in the room while I was at work and airing it out later. It is going to take weeks to get the place back in shape.
The Canadian Smoke made it as far as northern Missouri, and got cleared out by a heavy thunderstorm with straight line winds this morning. We desperately needed the rain and got quite a lot fast. I am thankful that my tomatoes were staked with steel fence posts. The milkweed and other tall pollinator friendly natives are fallen over. The milkweed has been a source of thankfulness at seeing the bees, especially bumblebees, two fritillary, one monarch, and one yellow swallowtail (butterflies). Also the other little pollinators that are no less significant. There were only small branches and sticks in my yard. Several very large silver maple trees in the community, succumbed to the storm due to being hollow.
I am thankful for my Molly. She sheds more than any dog I know and had her deshed appointment this week. It really does help. She is declining and I try to take every advantage of loving on her. Early this week, when I came home from work, we went out front where she gets to "read the newspaper articles from other pooches and add her own post." We came back in, I gave her two milkbones and went out the back door to water the garden, tie up tomatoes. I was out about an hour. I came in, she started barking at me, picking up her treats and throwing them down. I have never seen her do that. I think she was telling me off for coming in and going out w/o giving her attention. Cracked me up!
Thankful for my favorite plant nursery. Every summer, I choose a color scheme based on what I find there in varieties of annuals and repeat them around the outside. I made my third visit there yesterday and was so glad to get most of them home and planted before the storm. I also plant entryway pots for the nursing home where I work and for my best favorite car repair shop.
It's smoky over here today! Hoping for some rain to clear it out.
We're getting haze and smoke down here in VA's Shenandoah Valley, but so far, it isn't as bad as last time. I can see it, but can't smell it today.
I'm thankful for
-a week off with no responsibilities at home. I'm the main caregiver for my 5 yr old grandson & have been since he was born. Our schedule recently changed to start at 5:30 AM to sometimes 4PM or later....I'm one tired grammy. I'm looking forward to sleeping in & eating a slow breakfast.
-creek days. I've been taking my grandson to the creek once a week & it is glorious. We pack a picnic, take water toys & things to catch & observe critters. I load it all into a wagon & meet friends. It's the highlight of our week.
-Neighborhood wildlife. We're really enjoying all the neighbors this year; deer, owls, foxes, chipmunks, rabbits, frogs....even a mamma skunk with 5 little babies...sometimes I feel like I live in a Disney movie.
-catching lightning bugs with my grandson
-a strong body. I am so grateful to be able to do all that I do. I live a wonderful life spending days & sometimes nights with my grandson & my best friend (my husband)
@Jenny Young, Your lucky grandson is going to remember these days with you forever.
I'm thankful for...
-friends who know stuff that I don't. A friend owns a construction company and he came to tell me how to fix a problem. He didn't charge me $175 just to look and he said that he thought my husband and I could handle the work ourselves.
-also a friend who is a nurse and took care of my kid who was having an allergic reaction when I couldn't be there right away.
-emergency room workers. My kid had a major allergic reaction in a TINY town on the border of a national park. The nearest ER was about 40 miles away. I was *this close* to using her epipen. She looked like a single giant hive, but her breathing was good. (This is the fear that made me agree to be a parent chaperone when this kid asked to go camping.)
-other adults who are chaperoning camp where my oldest is.
-music teachers who organize fun, affordable music stuff in the summer.
-free plants. More tomatoes and some cucumbers!
-my local library.
-being able to get food easily at the grocery store.
1. I'm thankful that DH's colonoscopy went well and no major issues were discovered.
2. I'm thankful that we had a late Father's day dinner with both kids to celebrate DH.
3. I'm thankful that the proceeds from the sale of Mom's hoarder house have been distributed to the heirs. My brother is so broke that he was driving me nuts while he waited for a check. I will add my portion of the proceeds to my car fund to buy a new vehicle.
4. I'm thankful that I get to take off on Monday so I will have four days off.
5. I'm thankful that the weather forecast was so wrong for today. High temperature was forecast to be 100 but it only got up to 92!
Dear Kristen:
You have been through so much these past years. Looks like everything is A-Okay for your future.
I have several friends who became nurses; they are wonderful people and the growth I have seen in them is amazing. I also have a dear friend who was a nurse up in San Francisco all her life until she recently retired to AZ. We love having her about and we drive her crazy always turning to her the minute our noses start to run or we get a stitch in our gitalong!
Very good luck to you for a beautiful future.
Best wishes always,
Vickie Neill
Aww, thank you for your kind encouragement!
Introducing our new kitten to our 14 year old cat was a nightmare. We thought we were going to have to give the kitten back to the shelter. I am very happy to report that they now love eachother.
Kristen, in SO many ways, you seem like one of the most capable people I know! I’m glad you’re gaining confidence in your self-worth.
I’m thankful for good neighbors and friends. We had such a fun and encouraging gathering this past Saturday for our movie and special meal.
I’m thankful my husband and our adult son enjoy hanging out with each other. We don’t take that for granted. They recently attended a concert together and have tickets for another concert in the Fall. They enjoy going to a driving range from time to time but they also text and chat by phone frequently and sometimes just hang out on the back porch when our son is in town for one reason or another.
I’m thankful for a few things to look forward to… this weekend, my husband and I have a few dance events to attend and some of our friends are joining us for one of the parties. And I think we’ll be able to visit with our grandson this coming Sunday evening.
I’m thankful to have found a really nice restaurant not too far away. We don’t go out for dinner very often but it’s nice to have a few options. Someone recommended the restaurant to us and we gathered there with friends. Great food and great company!
As always, I’m thankful for our pup, Wally, who brings us so much joy!
My list this week is pet-centered, too!
Ziva, my 10-yr-old rescue cockapoo, tore the ligament in her left knee a few weeks ago. Actually, she tore TWO ligaments in that knee which they found when they did the surgery this past Monday, which helps explain why even with a few weeks of rest, her leg did not improve. So I am thankful for:
1) My groomer, who was able to get Ziva in last Fri for a full groom, and cut it shorter than usual so hopefully she'll be mostly recovered before needing it again.
2) My vet. We had some complications with Ziva after getting her home Tues night, and much of Wed. was spent dealing with that while juggling hubby's dental appointment,
and I was one anxious dog-momma. But he prescribed a nausea med and appetite stimulant so we could get her other medications and food into her (can't take her antibiotic or pain med on an empty stomach), and bless his heart, found free samples for us.
3) That my ancient washer, though sounding like a freight train, and my dryer can handle lots of towels and dog beds. Enough said.
4) That the meds worked! She is keeping food down now, and comfortable enough that I could start her post-op exercises today.
5) For my yard guys. With the rain last week, the grass has shot up, and carrying Ziva out into tall, damp grass at night time, in my garden clogs made me apprehensive that the snakes would be out. Everything has dried now, so they were able to come mow it to a comfortable level again.
6) My swing!! I know the pads and sheet "canopy" were on my list last week, but today, after the chaos of the week, I was able to go sit in my padded, canopied swing, close my eyes, smell the fresh-cut grass and listen to the birds singing. I think I even dozed a bit!
I used to be such a cat lover. But the last cat I had cured me. She would leap out of her litter pan, and it didn't matter what litter I used or how I situated it, we walked through gross litter. She also loved to vomit. She ate a wad of embroidery floss and sealed her own doom. I was, and am, very over having a cat. This week:
*thankful that I went with a new realtor for Highlands and she's very on top of it. She showed it less than a week after it listed and the people are mulling it over.
*thankful for really good food this week - my paychecks have increased and that gives me latitude in my grocery budget.
*thankful for my cool, clean home in the midst of this heat dome which is punishing Central Texas.
*thankful for my soft bed and good sleep - highly underrated!
Great job on the kale, Kristen. Heroic effort. 🙂
Today I am thankful that the lab finally uploaded my medical test results. For some reason it took weeks, and the doctor's office had to call and follow up with the lab. I thought for sure something went sideways and I was going to have to re-do them.
I am thankful I don't need to do a ton of yard work this weekend because next week I have a crew coming to clean up my yard and remove the crazy amount of weeds that are waving in the breeze in the back of the house.
I am grateful I finished a super-demanding project at work today. After weeks, I can take a breath and work on catching up on things that got behind.
I am thankful for my raise that takes effect next week!
For books, music, sunshine, summer picnics, my two funny cats, and the rose bushes in bloom that some previous home-owner had the good sense to plant in my yard.
I'm thankful for your blog!
Friendship, air conditioning/ceiling fans, family who are similarly frugal minded, but nothing groups & warm weather!
I thought of you as a neighbor was giving away a free litter box, one of the fancy self turning ones. We don’t have the space for it unless I sacrifice the pantry as a cat room. But I do need to acquire a lid for our cat box as it is in the hall bath & sweeping is a daily occurrence
Chiquita is a cutie. It can be very difficult for older cats that aren't as active to adapt to a young cat that is a ball of energy and sometimes co-existing at a distance is all that is ever achieved.
Forgive me if you already know - covered cat boxes can be detrimental if the litter used is very dusty as a lot of the dust is inhaled when the box is used. Those with doors over the opening hold in even more dust.
Oh yes, our litter is the type that is labeled 99.9% dust free, so I think we are good to go. Our older cat has been using the same litter in a covered litter box and she seems fine. 🙂
I will happily settle for co-existing with Chiquita and Shelly. That would be an improvement over the current hissing situation going on.
We call that litter box rodeo here!
One thing we do with our litterbox is place it into a big plastic storage container so the litter stays contained in that. We use one of those big low wall ones that one might use to store wrapping paper, so the cats easily can walk in/out of it to get to the litter pan.
Oh, that's smart!