Thankful Thursday | sometimes you need whiskers!
(Today's title references a post I wrote: You don't need whiskers to do that.)
This week, I'm thankful:
for my dad's help with my piano bench
My poor piano bench has really been through it these last 25 years; not only did it survive my own four children, but it also was used by hundreds of piano students.
And it's been through multiple moves as well.
So, I was not terribly surprised when it developed a major issue after this move.
This repair was beyond my skill level, and besides, I have almost no tools right now. Time to ask for help!
I put the bench in my van and brought it over to my dad's workshop, where he custom cut a piece of oak to reinforce the broken part.
And he also installed a SERIOUS hinge, which should hold up better over time.
for cold showers
It's been muggy and humid this week so I haven't wanted a hot shower at all; after my morning walk, the cool water feels SO GOOD.
for air conditioning in my van
Zoe and I were running some errands on a super hot day this week and I felt so, so thankful for working air conditioning in my van!
for the wineberries in my backyard
I've been eating them on my oatmeal and adding them to fruit salad.
for this cute kitten
His name is Mark and he is so tiny that he almost feels like he weighs nothing when you pick him up. SO CUTE.
for the flowers I see on my walks
I know Queen Anne's Lace is generally an invasive plant but I do enjoy seeing it along the paths where I walk!
And I like these tiny daises as well.
for an evening with my sister-in-law
We went to a yoga class last night and then hung out together afterward. I am so thankful for her; she is a delight, and we always have fun together no matter if we are painting furniture or treasure-hunting at the abandoned house or hiking or just sitting in the car chatting.
My brother made a very good choice. 🙂
for our cat
She makes my girls so happy, and that makes me happy!
that I got my schooling situation figured out
I think I finally have all my ducks in a row now. I'm taking developmental psychology and microbiology this fall, and since my high school records are too old to qualify, I'm also adding in a non-credit chemistry class.
And after this fall semester, I can finally apply to nursing school. Yay!
What a wonderful letter and great update on your schooling journey!
1. I am thankful for my new granddaughter that my son and daughter-in-love adopted and came to her forever family this week!
2. For my mom who has been visiting from out of town for the past two weeks and has been able to meet her new great granddaughter!
3. For needed rain in our area, we are listed at drought conditions.
4. For fresh tomatoes out of my tiny container garden.
5. For the faithfulness of God every day in my life.
Thanks for letting me share! 🙂
@Cheryl Crawford, congratulations on your new granddaughter!
@Cheryl Crawford, Congratulations!
@Cheryl Crawford,
Congratulations!!!!! What a wonderful blessing children are.
@Bee and @Cheryl Crawford, congratulations to you both on your new grandchildren!
@A. Marie, Thank you, I’m over the moon!
It's July and it's hot, so I'm very thankful for my HVAC system that I had replaced two years ago, right before Covid closed everything down for weeks. It's so nice to turn it on and not have to worry about it.
I got to spend Monday with my daughter and took the train to see her. It's a short trip (two hours one way) that I could have driven, but I absolutely hate driving in the major city where she lives, plus with the cost of gas and tolls, the train was only slightly more expensive, but worth it not to have to deal with traffic.
This morning, I hung my clean laundry on the clothesline and it made me think of how grateful I am for so many things in that simple task--the washer, the dryer (which I can use if I want), the clothesline, the clothing itself, the flexibility in my time now that I'm working from home and can take a break for simple tasks like this, the sun and warmer temps which will dry the clothes in a hurry, the physical ability to hang the clothes.
Be careful of wild parsnips. They look similar to Queen Anne’s lace but can cover you with blisters wherever the plant juices touch. My little one got into it last year and two different emergency rooms had no idea what it was. My dad figured it out looking in books.
Oh, I'd never heard of that! I will be careful to just photograph these. 🙂
@Kristen, you will have to look up wild parsnips and the blisters they cause. It’s crazy! Now that I know I warn everyone about them. 🙂
@J, ty for the heads up. I was just think of a patch I seen of them. I was going to pick some to put in a vase but I am going to just admire now.
@J,
I have read that Qieen Anne's Lace has a tiny maroon-red "droplet" in the center of the flower, which wild parsnip/wild hemlock does not have. Just one way to identify it, though probably a good idea not to pick any of it.
FYI, the hospital where I work had a very, VERY sick patient last year who cane in with respiratory issues after clearing a bunch of wild hemlock from his field. It's serious stuff.
Another one here who's thankful for rain. We weren't officially in a drought, but close enough. And last night's generous downpour gets me off "Our Lady of the Perpetual Watering Can" duties for at least a couple of days.
Thankful also for the good life we've had, and I continue to have, in this lovely house on this lovely street. Yesterday's discussion has reminded me that my remaining time here may not be unlimited, and I'm going to make more of an effort to appreciate what I've got.
@A. Marie,
Laughed out loud at the “Lady of the Perpetual Watering Can” label you give to yourself. I imagined you wearing a nun’s habit whilst wielding the watering can …… 🙂
@Joanne in the U.K., well, I do have the sort of name that goes well with "Sister." (The A. in A. Marie stands for Agnes, in case anybody's been wondering.)
@A. Marie, I love the name Agnes! If we had had a daughter, I was lobbying for Agnes as a middle name.
@A. Marie,
I hope you can enjoy your home for years to come. It sounds like your neighbors and neighborhood are the “best.” Living in a place you love is a true blessing.
@A. Marie, Ha, yes, pairs well with sister! And here I thought it might stand for "Aunt." And Marie is my middle name, as well.
@A. Marie, Agnes is an old fashioned name these days but it reminds me of my Aunt Ignes, who was the Danish daughter of my great grandmother Johanne Kristina. I always loved the names of my great aunts--Ignes, Marta, Donna, Ella, and Lillian, as grandma got more comfortable with English names she gave her daughters less Danish ones.
1. Grateful that I got the heck over my mini-breakdown yesterday. Called in to work and spent the day comfort-reading.
2. Thankful for the many encouraging messages here yesterday.
3. Happy that reading is so comforting to me.
4. That the renovation of my cottage is over and done with.
5. My tomatoes are starting to look really tasty. Might be able to eat some this weekend.
@Rose, you listened to your body cues! Good for you.
@Rose,
We all can use a mental health day now and again. Glad yours was restorative.
I will say: our piano bench could use Daddy Kristen, ha!
@Rose,
So glad you took some time off......I like "comfort reading". I need to do more of that. 🙂
I'm having a bad week so this will probably be good for me.
* Thankful for a day date with my wife next week. We don't get to go out together much alone (and I don't get to go out at all) so it will be nice to spend the day together.
* That I can be useful to some people.
* We got some rain for the garden.
* That I have some things to watch and read.
@Battra92,
Your comments here are always on the mark! I am glad you are in this reading community.
Have a great day out with your wife!
I had a terrible weekend, so I sympathize. I have felt pretty good since moving here, but something difficult happened at the end of last week, and all the angry, hurt, indignant feelings came bubbling up. I cried so hard, so many times that I got a terrible headache.
Anyway...you are not alone. We can have bad days and bad weeks AND we can find blessings at the same time.
I hope next week is better for you!
Kristen, I’m so sorry about your incident and how it made you feel. You present such a calm, upbeat attitude in your writing that it’s possible to forget for a minute that you’re going through a wrenching experience. Of course you have such days! Hope you did comfort inducing things all weekend to assuage the pain.
Battra92, Thoughts for a great time on your day out and more of them when you can. You seem to be succeeding in digging yourself out of a painful past, kudos for that.
Also, it sounds like you have a wonderful wife who understands. That is like winning ten lotteries.
That kitten picture is too cute!!
I’m a longtime reader but have never participated and rarely comment lol, but I figured why not….
I’m thankful for:
1. Despite having a frustrating day with them yesterday, I’m thankful that I can still be home with my kids during the summer. They’re 15 and almost 13 so the years are short (and the days are still long sometimes haha).
2. Your post about your schooling reminded me that I need to make a final payment on my summer semester! There was a glitch in the system when they were supposed to process the last one (I’m on a payment plan), and it didn’t go through.
3. Quiet summer mornings. I’m up before my kids are and I appreciate the lazy start to drink my coffee and ease into my day.
4. For coffee! 🙂
5. For an air conditioned house.
Ohh, yay! Another de-lurker. I'm delighted you popped in to comment.
What degree are you pursuing?
@Kristen, originally I was pursuing my RN but currently I’m an assistant pre-k teacher. I had a lightbulb moment this year that made me wonder why I was trying to reinvent my wheel if I loved what I was doing now. So now I’m pursuing my AA in Early Childhood. 🙂
That's so smart; if you already know what you love, then roll with it!
It has been a week! (Mostly in bed with WORST HEADACHE EVER-- plus others). But there are thankfuls.
*Thankful the Lyme rash showed up to confirm the diagnosis.
*Thankful the ER people were nice last night.
*Thankful the IV meds made the headache go away enough for me to sleep finally.
*Thankful the spinal tap wasn't nearly so bad as I expected.
*Thankful my family is really kicking in to help.
*Thankful for me bed, my husband, my family, my friends who care.
And I'm really hoping the antibiotics start kicking the Lyme disease in the butt soon!
@Jody S., Oh my word, you have been through the wringer! I hope you feel better soon!
@Jody S., Oh no! Lyme disease is awful. So glad you're experiencing some relief now and that you've got good support.
@Jody S., best wishes for a speedy recovery from the Lyme. I had it 3 or 4 years ago, but not nearly as badly as you seem to have it (the bull's-eye rash was my only symptom). And the antibiotics cleared it up without any lingering complications.
Oh my goodness. I'm glad you are getting good care and and I hope that you feel like yourself again very soon.
@Jody S.,
Feel better soon!!!! I’m glad that you caught this early. That is a blessing.
@Jody S., I had no idea Lyme could kick your butt like that! Wishing you a speedy recovery.
@A. Marie, I'm the 4th case in our house (not counting our dog). Every case has been different. My unique symptom has been jaw pain and not being able to bite down all the way or chew well. One son limped. Another was "fuzzy" in the head.
Thank you to everybody for kind wishes. I am a little improved, but bed, pain, and weakness is still more the norm for me. BUT I haven't yet had to take the serious pain pills I have. Things are improving.
That kitten just made my day!
I am thankful mainly for another year around the sun; today is my birthday and one of my kids is making dinner, another is making a dessert, and we're going to play Star Trek Scene-It? at some point tonight. And it's beautiful weather today, not too hot, so I may even get a solo walk in.
@Karen, Happy Birthday!
@Karen, HAPPIEST BDAY!!
@Karen,
Happy, Happy Birthday! May all you dreams come true!
@Karen, happy birthday! Just had mine. Sounds so nice that your kids are helping to make your day nice!
I’m thankful for an amazing afternoon with my best friend, whom I don’t get to see often enough because of her demanding hospital job. We ran errands together in the next largest city and especially enjoyed the long car ride back and forth.
Related: I’m thankful for long car rides and good conversations with someone I trust completely and with whom I have the freedom of complete silliness.
Related x 2: I’m thankful that the ambient music wherever we went obliged us with songs from our childhood. We were absolutely bopping and lip syncing loudly in the aisles to Cher’s “Do You Believe in Life After Love,” Savage Garden’s “Truly Madly Deeply” and (deep cut) Ace of Base’s “I saw the Sign.” The teenage cashier thought we were hysterical. 😛
Yay for saving the piano bench! Sometimes a person does need some help, and your dad seems ready and able!
Today I'm thankful that:
1. My horse mint, a native monarda (monarda punctata), is finally blooming. I planted it last year and it didn't bloom, but it's starting to bloom now. It looks a little like a flower from another planet but it's pretty.
2. Past me got a dehydrator. I dried some more elderberries last night while I slept. I can make yogurt, dog treats and meringues, dry fruits and veggies, make jerky, raise bread dough, and dry narrow neck bottles that would take an annoyingly long time to air dry after washing, in that thing.
3. My boss took us out to lunch on the company's dime this week, to celebrate an intern's birthday and wish him well since he is moving out of town this month. My lunch was big enough to provide me with dinner that night as well. We ate at the intern's pick which was a new and only Peruvian restaurant in town, and it was delicious.
4. I spotted the wasp nest on the kitchen door's outer frame when I opened it to go out, instead of after I shut the door behind me on my way out and disturb the wasps building it. I've been stung that way before. When they build in places like that, I have to knock the nests down, and lately, they've kept me busy.
5. My older neighbor who is struggling with A-fib is doing well enough to be outside on the riding mower again, working alongside her husband in the yard. She loves mowing, so she was wearing a big smile.
Oh yes, my dad is able to fix pretty much any problem I could possibly bring to him!
So many wonderful things on your list. Mark is indeed adorable as is your lovely cat. I love seeing her in your posts. And how lucky you are to have such a delightful friendship in your SIL!
Profoundly grateful for the health insurance that I get thru my job. We've had to use it a bit this year for our family and the benefits are superior to our previous self-insurance coverage. That same self coverage cost SO. MUCH. MONEY. each month and it increased each year that we had it.
Thankful for the opportunity to make a little extra money in June. It was enjoyable work and I ended up earning a little more than I thought I would.
Our goofy dog who brings much joy into this house. His personality is a bit different than his predecessor who left large paws to fill. He can be a tiny bit naughty but is so loving so we don't really get mad.
The yoga studio where I go is a very welcoming place. I always feel better when I come out of a class.
For friends who are prayer warriors who kindly lift my requests up to God.
1. I am thankful for all of the fresh produce we are getting from our garden. I am struggling with the amounts of cucumbers we have, how to preserve them before they go off but it is such a wonderful thing to struggle over. Nothing beats the taste of homegrown veggies!
2. I am thankful that a local dentist could work me in to his busy schedule and gave me antibiotics and pain meds. I need a root canal and will have to wait a little over 2 weeks to get it. I am in so much pain - even talking hurts.
3. I am thankful the our grass is germinating after we had it hydroseeded last week. We have some spots that we will have to seed again but for the most part it is growing well.
4. I am thankful for our wonderful neighbors who watered for us while we were out of town for 3 days. They are lovely people, we have a lot in common and I am so grateful for them each and every day.
5. I am thankful for back to school season. It has been a lovely summer but I am looking forward to my son starting school in a few weeks. I always love the start of this season as it feels like a clean slate shopping for pencils and new shoes, taking pictures, and looking forward to cooler fall days ahead.
Blessings to all!
@Angie, re: your cucumber glut, repeat after me: refrigerator dill pickles!
@Angie, A bad tooth's pain is the worst. After that root canal you will feel so much better.
Step by step you are advancing towards nursing and thoughts and prayers for you on your nursing career journey.
Thankful for AC during this continuing 100+ degree weather for days and days.
Thankful that there are no watering restrictions so I can try to preserve my lawn and shrubs.
Thankful that I like food that doesn’t have to be cooked/baked on these super hot days-I can eat the same thing frequently without any problem.
Thankful for my SS class that started meeting shortly after Covid church shutdowns (April 2020) started, in my teacher’s big shaded backyard, so we members who all live alone could keep real human contact. We’ve continued the outside class except for the coldest winter months. None of us got Covid.
Thankful that my 1 yr checkup after heart valve replacement showed all was well so I’m discharged from the Valve Clinic to just regular 6 month cardiology visits.
That is going to be quite a full semester, but you have your eyes on the prize. Go, Kristen! Yay for your awesome dad, and that little kitty is the cutest thing ever.
I am thankful that my bad knee held up to three hours of walking and stair-climbing yesterday (sometimes my office job is quite physically demanding). Our faithful robovac developed a problem, but my husband, who is a wizard at persuading companies to Do the Right Thing, talked tech support into agreeing to fix it for free. In the meantime, he is helping me vacuum, which is a major housekeeping issue for us with six cats and dogs. So I am always thankful for his skills of persuasion and sweeping! 😀 Also thankful that the varying food shortages in my area seem to be easing, for my sweet family, and that this week is 20 degrees cooler than last week.
So happy for you that you have your schooling situation sorted. That must be a relief!
1) That my 16 y.o. was able to go back to work this week. He's working at a summer camp, and it's so good for him.
2) For food delivery services. We rarely use them, due to exorbitant cost, but I was sick with a fever this week, and just really needed soup. I used a gift card, and while I still paid a lot, it was so worth the delivery fee to have someone deliver exactly what I needed in that moment.
3) For carpools, which reduce all of our activity driving
4) That my 15 y.o is having a fabulous time at residential camp. He was nervous about it, but has loved the experience of staying the dorms, eating in the dining hall, hanging out with kids his age, etc.
5) Our local Buy Nothing group. I'm mostly a giver of things, but occasionally find something we want/need. I adore giving stuff to people who need/want it. Yesterday, someone just found out that she's going to be a mom of two boys under two (a situation of which I'm very familiar), and when she saw my profile, asked me about it. It led to a fabulous conversation, and it's so nice to meet people I wouldn't otherwise know.
You and your SIL look fantastic, a good SIL is a treasure. Where I live, you could easily make a living teaching piano. It's $105/ hour for piano lessons. My kid's friend, a high schooler makes $54/hour!
I did teach piano lessons for 20 years, but I stopped once I was homeschooling all of my kiddos. I could always go back to it in the future if I wanted, though!
I am thankful I am slowly getting my calm back after a disturbing week of protests, also near my home town.
I am thankful I disabled social media 8 years ago. Even if I miss out on Kristen on Insta, I am not reinstalling!
I am thankful for my daily outdoor swim. I've been able to start the day nice and cool.
Those "tiny daises" are known in north Iowa as "fleabane" an invasive weed. I like them and leave them growing in my gardens.
1. I'm not so thankful my husband is between jobs. I am thankful he's home and we are able to work together on our long overdue "to do" list. The farm is shaping up.
2. I'm also thankful that the neighbor's 2 bull mastiffs that woke us at 5:30am didn't harm my 20 year old lap cat who wanted outside at 4am.
3. We're having beautiful weather to work outside.
4. Figured out why our zucchini weren't growing. Added calcium to the soil, 2 days later much improved.
5. Starting to pick veggies from our garden.
@Karen, I thought that the "daisies" might be fleabane, but thanks for confirming it. The variety I have here in Upstate NY (and also leave to grow) is called Philadelphia fleabane, so I tend to wander around the gardens singing "Philadelphia Fleabane" to the tune of Elton John's "Philadelphia Freedom."
I don't know why, but a kitten named Mark is really funny to me.
Thankfuls . . .
--That my husband and two older boys had a good and uneventful trip to New York. Hoping now for a very uneventful drive home.
--That the vehicle I was left with has been working with no problems while they've been gone. It's an old beater without air conditioning, but it's gotten us everywhere we've needed to go the last couple of weeks.
--That there have been no snakes, water problems, sheep breakouts, rats in the house, or any of the other myriad things that I really, really didn't want to deal with on my own. I prefer delegating those things to the whiskered one in our household. 🙂 Again, hoping for an uneventful last three days on my own.
--That the younger two play so well together. It was a good idea to not have all three boys go and leave me with just the daughter. Entertaining one kid on my own is WAY harder than caring for two.
--I don't like having half my family gone, but I must say, the house is much less messy and chaotic with just two kids and me. Plus, I can't believe how easy cooking is! So much less food! So few pans on the stove at once! So few dishes! If I hadn't had to can a bunch of things this week, it would have been almost boring. 🙂
@kristin @ going country, My friend has an adorable tiny kitten named Jenkins, which cracks me up.
This is precisely the kind of name my kids would come up with. And we all thought that a tiny kitten named Mark was funny/perfect.
@Rose,
Our vet once told me that my (past, not current) dog, Random, had the most unusual name he had encountered so far.
We had been sitting around trying to think of a good name for this odd-looking little rescue dog and either my daughter or husband said "His name should be something really random..." and with that, his name was made.
Mark and Jenkins both made me smile. I love a good pet name.
Ok, that's a great name! It's like the dog in Sarah, Plain and Tall, whose name was Guess. So someone asks, "What's the dog's name?"
And they'd reply, "Guess." 😉
@kristin @ going country,
Oh my goodness... I totally relate to a couple of these! Next year my middle child starts school and it will only be my youngest at home and I'm, uh, curious about how it will go being the only playmate. I'm looking forward to it more than I was a few months ago. 🙂
And my house looked so good while my oldest was at camp, but within 36 hours of her being home it was horribly messy! It was so much easier to keep clean with just two.
With all of that being said, know that I'm also really, really loving this stage of parenting.
Do you also feel very grateful that YOU didn't have to drive all the way to NY??
@Kristen, Yes. I do not like road trips. Although I'm thinking I'm going to have to woman up and do the drive next year with the whole family. My daughter and I haven't been back in three years. She probably would not like to make that drive with just my husband--his method is to get there in two days by throwing snacks at kids and pretty much never stopping except for gas--and I would like to see friends and so on, so I guess I'll just have to resign myself to the insanity of six days in a van with four kids and two dogs.
@kristin @ going country, Your huband must be related to mine! Every other year we drive from Fairbanks to the east coast and if he had his way we would do it with each of us driving 12 hours/sleeping 12 hours, so that we would be moving 24 hours a day. He never complains about stopping to take a break or to sleep, but I can see his brain calculating how much time we are losing when we have to shut the engine off. I am slighly offended that when we did the trip with not one but two Irish wolfhounds filling the entire back of the van, he stopped about every hour "because they need to run when they are so cramped back there," which, apparently, is more pressing than "the wife has to pee."
@Lindsey, hilarious story. Sometimes when I'm trying to get treated as well as the cat, I sit at my husband's feet and meow.
You guys are making me giggle!
I am a cat person, and love any and all kitty pictures that you post.
My TT, the thinking through the fog of pain edition, see #1.
I experienced lower back pain on Saturday, this is a first for me, now on day 6. (most likely due to my overzealous exercise routine on Wed. or weed picking). My mother had years of chronic back pain and I never understood it, now I do. Thankful that I am able to stand, walk, sit, lie down, indicating that my back is not broken.
Continuing the wasp saga, in addition to the one wasp nest my husband found in the vent from my range hood to the outside, there were 3 more nests inside, that got cleared out, for which I am thankful, plus he re weighted the outside flap so wasps do not get in again.
I have removed probably close to 25 wasps out of my kitchen (they appear to be mini wasps and not aggressive), and thankfully no wasp stings. (I capture them and take them back outside).
Thankful for the cherries that my husband has picked from bestest neighbours huge cherry tree, the branches that hand over our side of the fence. (with permission of course).
Wishing everyone a good weekend coming up.
@Linda in Canada, Hi Linda, I suspect your mini, non-stinging wasps may actually be “hover flies” (I credit DH, who is an entomologist, with this info). It’s good that you are releasing them outside as Hover flies are considered a beneficial insect (they eat aphids, etc). Cheers.
I hope your back is better soon!
I am thankful that I can do professional development virtually. I am also thankful for coffee.
I really liked micro!and chemistry too ( obviously) since I am a chem teacher! Cats are soooo funny.
I am anticipating that these two classes will not be my favorite. I love learning about the body, but the chemistry stuff is not usually my fave.
Oh well. I will get through it!
I really really want to adopt your parents!!
Understandable. 😉
Thankful that I have the financial means, the time and the personal circumstances that allow me to avoid purchasing goods online or from national chains. I recognize that's counter to frugalness but it's more important to me to support local businesses and have a smaller carbon footprint (less packaging and transportation). The owners and employees are members of my community, and they support other local businesses (e.g., printers, sign-makers, banks, accountants, etc.). I've heard that if you spend $100 at a local store, $68 of that stays in the community. Spend the same $100 at a national chain, and your community sees $43. Spend the same at Amazon and your community benefits even less.
@MB in MN, I totally agree with your goals and approach. I try to do the same wherever possible. Cheers!
@MB in MN, Locals also support school fund raisers and donate to charitable events in ways the big chains either can't or don't.
And they pay taxes locally, as do their employees. And provide the people who make up business community events.
It wouldn't take thousands, perhaps just a few hundred, people to shop at a local grocery chain or restaurant once a month to help keep it going.
@Heidi Louise, yes, yes and yes!
I am...
so thankful for my friend's news of a new baby girl Feb 2023!!!
thankful for my new website and the visitors it is getting (if you're interested it's thisbeautifulcoloradolife.com)
thankful for my kitchen, my home and favorite comfy spot
thankful for the opportunity to build a new website
thankful for Kristen's blog which has gotten so many of us through so many days!
Ooh, a new blog! Yay for you!
I am so thankful for this little pleasant corner of the internet and the community Kristen has created. I have been reading since prior to 2010 and very very rarely comment but it puts a smile on my face every time I make my way to the comment section. I have been re-reading the blog starting back in 2008, and it truly is an internet anomaly. Kristen, I'm so proud of you, and you should be so proud of yourself!
Aww, thank you Liz!
Aw shucks, I thought this was going to be about your cat sleuthing out small spaces for you..Kristen and Kat's latest adventures... a cave in the basement, or something like that.
Tiny whiskers Mark is a cute surprise.
Ohhh, haha, it did not even occur to me that the title could be read as meaning cat whiskers!
@Kristen, Oh, you meant your dad. I totally thought, until reading this comment, that it was about cats.
I am so thankful for my parents' health - we're getting ready to do a weeklong bike trip together, and I know my grandparents weren't this active at 69 years old!
This morning in particular I am so very grateful for my neighborhood and community - my kiddos are growing up in a much more tolerant, diverse community than I did as a high schooler, and I can already see the benefits of regularly interacting with people who are different than they are.
My parents are so active too! They are both in their 70s and they actually do weeklong bike trips as well.
I hope I can manage to be that way when I am in my 70s!
@EngineerMom, I'm grateful that my kids went to such diverse schools for elementary and high school. Totally different from how I grew up and I went to the same schools.
I am a long-time reader (I think over 10 years!) who rarely comments, but I noticed a few other "I rarely comment" people in the comments section today and that inspired me 🙂
I am thankful for:
1. Summer break--I am a high school teacher and the last few years (last year in particular) have been extremely tough. I've been teaching for a little over 20 years, and I've never experienced anything like this. It is exhausting. I still have about 3 weeks of break left, and I am soaking up every minute!
2. A financially stable season of life--It hasn't always been this way (which is why I started reading Kristen's blog!), but we are enjoying a season of life in which we feel like we don't have to be especially frugal. We are still frugal by nature, but it is nice to feel like we can spend a little extra when we want to.
3. My local library--my husband and I are both avid readers and use the library for the majority of the books we read. I was reminded of how thankful I am for the library when my book club recently chose a new release to read that I could not get from the library because the wait was too long. I went to purchase the book and was sad to see I'd have to spend $28 for the hardcover in order to read this title!
4. My small garden--I don't think of myself as having the greenest thumb, so when I see small little tomatoes starting to come in on my plants, I get unreasonably excited 🙂
5. Kristen's blog--What a lovely space this is! Kristen, I appreciate your positive outlook on life, your sound frugal advice, and what a special place your readers have created in the comments section, which is truly a testament to you and your kind nature. Thank you for continuing your hard work here!
Yay! I'm so delighted at all the de-lurkers lately. Woohoo!
I'm so glad that you popped in to say hi. And I hear you on the green thumb bit. I am very delighted when I manage to keep things alive!
@Jamie S., You can sign up for Amazon Prime, read the new book, then cancel the membership. Just an FYI that I learned on this blog.
@Vicky Mac, Oh--I would have never thought of that! Thank you for sharing. Interestingly enough, we just cancelled our Amazon Prime membership last week after having it for many years because we couldn't justify the increase in cost they seem to keep throwing on every year. I wonder if Amazon will let me rejoin Prime after just cancelling. I'll look into it!
@Jamie S., another option is to purchase the book from a local independent bookseller and then return it for partial trade credit (or cash) after you're done with it. My local independent bookseller loves buying back books.
@Jamie S., one of my coworkers recently recommended the app called Libby to me. As long as you have a valid library membership card, you can download books from several different libraries at no cost. It's really kept me reading this year, as I often don't have time to get to the library!
@Corrie R, Thank you for all the good suggestions! I do have the Libby app, but I didn't realize I could download books from libraries other than my local library. I'll look into it!
It's so wonderful that you have your Dad to help you out with projects. And Mark is adorable. Kind of makes me want a kitten now. 🙂
This week I'm thankful for
- Finally finding and buying a car for our son. He totaled his in an accident and replacing it for the insurance settlement was a chore
- Being able to go to lunch with a friend I haven't seen in a while
- Being able to plan a family celebration for my husband's birthday tomorrow
- Getting an appointment with Orthopedic doctor two days after calling to schedule. I have had pain from tennis elbow since Feb. I have gone to PT and it has helped but not relieved the pain
- Having really good health insurance
This week I'm thankful for friends!
1. I called a friend Tuesday morning to ask if she could watch my kids while I went to the doctor that afternoon (where I got better news than I was expecting - thankful for that!) and she happily watched them at the park.
2. The same friends had already been planning to come over for a playdate on Wednesday and it was so good to spend time with them. I'm also thankful that I have such a good friend with 3 kids that are such good friends with my 3 kids. What a gift!
3. My favorite workout buddy and I took different exercise classes today, but stayed after to walk together. It was great to catch up and I'm glad she asked me to do it.
1. I’m thankful for health and enough flexible time to get to spend time with my Grandmother as she’s going through a rough time health-wise.
2. I’m thankful for the raspberry canes we planted eight years ago. The kids can eat free raspberries most of the summer since we planted several different varieties and they produce in waves. (We weren’t smart enough to plan it that way - but I’m grateful for how it worked out!)
3. For summer fruit.
4. For the antics our cats who make us smile at least daily.
5. For the Alexandra Cooks website and free newsletter/IG. I’ve found so many new-to-me delicious recipes. The roasted broccoli with tomato butter is amazing.
Whoa, what is tomato butter? Is it like apple butter, except with tomatoes?
Yay, Kristen, for getting your nursing ducks in a row! Having been in your shoes 16 years ago, I got my bsn. Loved critical care nursing, it was my calling.
This week I am thankful for newly found tools (yay church tag sale), that helped me fix a couple of fences. For cooler nights and not having to use a/c. Dog obedience classes, helping me understand my rescue dog. For essential oil solution to keep deer flies away, for the warmer days to make scrubbing down the house more enjoyable. For my cousin who shared fresh ocean fish with me! In turn, he received 10 quarts of homemade soup for his freezer. Win, win, win! Looking forward to 2 reunions this weekend.
I'm thankful we don't have to grow our own food. Critters usually eat our blueberries, tomatoes, and now figs. As much as I'd like to grow more of what we eat we aren't proactive enough to protect all the fruit bearing plants. I'm also thankful we are able to freely water plants as needed. We are working towards having more plants that don't need regular watering but we are not there yet.
I'm thankful my niece, and her baby, are doing well after having her C-section date moved up due to elevated blood pressure.
I'm thankful for A/C in our house and our vehicles. What a difference they make.
I'm thankful for friends. They are the icing on the cake of life.
I'm thankful for the convenience of easy to fix foods. I bought some pre-cooked chicken burgers at Sam's Club last week and they are delicious. We are eating them a couple times a week.
I'm thankful for our neighborhood. People are friendly, keep their properties up, and there is such a wide variety of people. We have neighbors in two nearby houses that have moved within the neighborhood to live in houses that suit them better and neighbors that have friends that move here to be near them. The houses are small but it is a nice neighborhood.
@K D, we had a dwarf fig tree the same year we had our new puppy (now six years old). I kept finding long cuts on the ripening figs. One day I happened to be looking out the window and saw the puppy testing figs for ripeness. She is half dachshund and half Eskimo spitz and at that age looked like a little golden fox, especially when she was wrapped around the tree, poking her pointy snout delicately among the leaves with her white fangs shining. The ripe figs popped off in her mouth and she ate them. The ones still a little hard were cut by her fangs and stayed on the tree. It was not a good year for edible figs, but it was fascinating to watch her.
I love this thankful Thursday. I find myself thinking daily of things to write about. I'm thankful that even though this month has been very expensive(new central air conditioning ,a new power chair for me) we have the money in savings. That I can afford cut flowers most weeks just because they make me happy. That my youngest daughter is still in remission . She is always not only very helpful but so relaxed about it.And finally that I inherited my dad's positive personality.
I once had a little tiger-striped kitten like the one in the photo. He came home on the school bus with one of my children who found him outside the school. I named him Romeo, because he was such a lover. He grew into a 22 pound cat and lived with us for 15 years.
My husband and I have Covid. Grrrr…..it’s pretty awful. As always, there are things to be thankful for:
1) I am grateful that I have a wonderful doctor. He comes from a family of doctors and practices medicine the old fashioned way. Although he belongs to a large group, he’s very possessive of his patients. Even when I call him after hours, he always calls me back. The call never goes to another physician . He is also a great communicator.
2) I am thankful that my daughter is helping us with grocery shopping and food prep. She had Covid last month. I hope her antibodies are still strong. I’m sure this isn’t the vacation she hoped for.
3) I am grateful to have access to television and audio books. I don’t feel much like reading and these pass the time.
Wishing everyone the blessings of peace and good health.
@Bee, I'm so sorry to hear about your and your DH's COVID. I'm glad you have a good doctor and a good daughter to help. Hang in there and get well soon!
It's so great that you like your sister in law so much! When your friends are your family, things get a lot easier I think!
To go along with your cat theme, I'm thankful for the joy that our furry beast brings us. Also, my daughter has started volunteering at a pet shelter this summer and she is SO HAPPY to be in the cat room, so for the opportunity for her to do that, I am thankful.
Said daughter is slowly gaining hours of driving experience and while I don't especially enjoy the process, I am thankful for the time together (and for the quiet roads that I have discovered, which are great for new drivers to learn on).
Rain.
My son was awarded another scholarship for his sophomore year of college!
Thankful for the more relaxed days of summer.
Thankful for:
1. a medical supply company employee who spent literally hours on the phone with me over a week's time, helping to fix an issue that the insurance company kept refusing to pay when she and I both knew it was covered. My husband stopped by the bakery and bought her two pastries and dropped them off in thanks. I would have sent something I baked but if I were she I would have been hesitant to eat something a stranger made, but I figured she would eat the contents of a sealed bakery bag. She saved me at least a thousand dollars with her persistence.
2. my garden peas that are now ready to eat. I love, love, love fresh peas so we are gorging on them. You never know with gardening, sometimes things just don't perform so I am very thankful for these.
3. an honest mechanic who told my husband that he could install a part on our van but that it was so easy that my husband should do it himself. We could have bought the part cheaper at Napa but we bought it from him so he still made a little off us.
4. for a kind neighbor. I was feeling pretty good so I sat down on the ground to deal with some weeds and then I kind of laid down on my side to reach some weeds behind my pumpkin plants. He saw me and came running over, certain that I had fallen out of my wheelchair and needed help.
5. For the five vases of peonies that are distributed all over the house. They are so easy to grow and actually come back year after year.
6. For the now ending but wonderful while they lasted honeyberries that grow in my yard. They are the first thing that we eat every summer, as they mature before all the other berries. They come back every year and they are tasty. They were first cultivated in Siberia, I was told, and are now grown all over the arctic climate countries. They look like long blueberries and have a similar taste and can be used interchangably in recipes. They cost me $22 for two (you need two for pollination) 10 years ago and have repaid me with prolific production every year since.
Ohh, reader Denise mentioned on Monday that she grows honeyberries! I've never had any, given that I do not live in a remotely arctic climate!
Yay for the employee who helped you get the coverage you deserved!
I want to say how thankful I am for the reader who commented recently that Bar Keeper's Friend worked on her porcelain sink (or whatever porcelain fixture it was). On that recommendation we bought some to use on an awful-looking sink we had following a plumber's visit (!). I can report that we had outstanding results, so thanks again. As always, I will remain a faithful and usually silent reader here, where the readers are a lovely community.
I am thankful for friends to loan extra chairs and a table. (we are hosting a dinner party and I don't have enough chairs and table space).
I am thankful for the spare tools my Dad gave us. We really wanted a shop vac and chain saw.
I am thankful for the friends who are coming to celebrate my husbands birthday.
I am thankful for the mild summer weather. We moved locally (to a town with higher elevation) and our weather improved about 5 degrees.
I am thankful for windows! We moved out of an apartment with few windows all of which were on the same side of building. Our house has lots of windows and I can get a lovely cross-breeze in the evenings.
I’ve never done a thankful Thursday comment so here goes:
-I’m thankful that I got to see and hold a close friend’s baby last weekend and get doggo kisses from her dog
-I’m thankful that they caught my grandma’s bladder infection from temp checks at the assisted living(they’ve had some recent COVID cases so they have been checking everyone’s temperature)
-I’m thankful for the less humid weather we have been experiencing
- thankful for my car, food on my table, roof overhead
-I’m thankful for the walks I took with my mom when I went home last weekend
@Ali in the midwest, welcome to Thankful Thursday. And I'm glad that your grandmother's bladder infection was caught early as well. Every time a patient with dementia (such as my DH) takes a sharp turn for the worse, the first question everybody asks is "Have you tested for a UTI?"
Thanks for the photos! Beautiful women, piano bench with a future.
Modest frugality for me this week:
Shopped at Aldi instead of Kroger, spending less on "luxury" foods.
Cooked every night though I didn't feel well after my second COVID booster shot and pneumonia shot on the same day.
Stayed away from tempting sales on plants, garage sales, and Prime day--I don't need anything.
Mended husband's summer shirts--they will last at least through this summer!
And made lunches for him to save the money it costs to eat out, and he had better lunches as a result.
PS Be careful not to confuse Queen Anne's Lace with poison hemlock, one of the most poisonous plants on earth. Any part of the hemlock plant can make you very sick; look online for pointers on the differences.
Oops, I confused thankful with frugal practices! No reason they can't be together.
I'm thankful...
for cold drinks on hot summer days.
for the window shades that make it feel cooler inside.
for tv streaming services that offer wonderful shows on our schedules.
for clean sheets, a small joy I relish every week.
and for beautiful summer fruits and vegetables, making shopping easy.
* I have a terrible sense of orientation, so yay for GPS!
* hubby and daughters support regarding my soon-to-be weight loss surgery, and lots of information online about it
* My king size bed
* summer dresses
* the public library (books!!!!)
@Isa, Best of luck with your surgery. I had a gastric sleeve done in December 2021 and have lost 98 pounds so far. I was over 300 lbs when I had it done. It has been such a life changer for me. No more tiredness, depression is waaay less than it used to be and I'm happy to be alive and able to do things I couldn't do before.
1. For the rain a few days ago that helped our drought conditions in Texas!
2. For our church friends who lovingly took care of our dog while we were on vacation last week.
3. For the parents who all agreed to help carpool our kids to a worship team music camp in the city, saving everyone on time and gas, and for the new music skills they are learning.
4. Even though my son got covid from our cruise vacation, it wasn't until after we had returned home that he felt sick and tested positive, and that he doesn't have anything important to miss while he is isolating at home this week, and the rest of the family didn't get it.
5. For good family time during our cruise, that we were mostly unplugged from electronics while on the ship, and that everyone got along well while living in close quarters for a week! Also that we live close enough to drive to a port (Galveston) and not have to worry about the hassles of flying this summer!
I'm thankful that my kids are at an age where they are still old enough to pretend play together but old enough to where I don't have to be present in the room. I can hear them downstairs and it's super cute. They're 11 & 9 so I know my days are numbered with this kind of stuff.
Thankful I can work from home to hear it.
Thankful that whatever got my husband feeling horrible last night didn't linger. He had a lot of weird things going on and I was getting concerned. Luckily this morning he felt much better.
Thankful that the permit was approved this week for the garage conversion that the previous owners had done at our house. They converted part of the garage to an office and never got it approved. We were so worried about how much effort and money it was going to cost to get it taken care of. It cost more than we thought but it's a relief to get this settled. Just need the dry wall to be textured and painted and then we're done.
Thankful for the beautiful California coast weather and the sunshine.
1. Thankful that after 2 weeks with no AC, due to our heatpump deciding to die right before July 4th weekend, we have a new heat pump and wonderful cool air! Also thankful that we had the money to pay for it and got a 6% discount by paying cash. I asked about discount for cash and the company owner said absolutely but it has to be cash cash. I said I understood, lots of Benjamin's! This company was recommended by the guy who fixed our heat pump 4 years ago but no longer did work on the side. The company was great and had very competitive prices. Our old unit lasted 30 years which we learned when the lead installer mentioned it was built in 1992, which was the year he was born! He said the most important thing you can do to make your unit last is to change the filter monthly. He said buy the cheapest filters available but change them monthly and you will get the maximum life from your unit.
2. Thankful that the hole punch I got for Kristen worked! I didn't think to test it as I had only 10 minutes before they closed and I was intent on finding one.
3. So very thankful to have wonderful neighbors. I know how truly blessed we are after having a truly terrible situation for so many years.
4. So happy that it's summer! Wonderful fruit and veggies and late sunsets. True perfection!
How awesome that there are already over 100 comments on Thankful Thursday!
Work edition... I'm thankful that all is going well during my travel for work this week. I wouldn't want to travel all the time for my job, but it's nice in moderation.
And I'm so thankful that I enjoy the engineering project I currently support. Our team contracts to nasa and it's so fun to be part of the various space missions.
Thankful for great coworkers that make the long days more fun.
Thankful that my husband works from home, and that our three kids are older and quite independent now- makes my absence at home less stressful than even a few years ago (when he worked at an office and the kids were younger).
And thankful for this blog community - y'all are so great 🙂
Thankful for good weather on our camping trip.
Thankful for my kids getting to play with all their cousins at the beach. They had a lot of fun.
Thankful for all the wild black raspberries in our yard. They are very delicious.
Thankful for my husband putting up and taking down the tent. It is not a fun task and I’m grateful to him for doing it.
Grateful my kids are not picky eaters. I love to cook a variety of foods and if they refused to eat all the time it would be difficult.
Thankful for-
Much needed rain this week.
Facetime and videos of the grands.
For super duper neighbors.
For all the veggies, berries and free produce I am getting.
I survived a week of a heavy work load, 2 birthdays and 1 anniversary.
I really enjoyed my developmental psychology courses (you know, exams and such aside). I hope you find your fall classes interesting and your professors helpful and engaging!