Thankful Thursday | Sweet Sixteen for my blog
I started my blog 16 years ago today, on July 4, 2008.
It was a pretty random idea, and I probably pondered blog name options for all of about five minutes. 😉
(Which explains why I, as a 46-year-old woman, am still blogging as The Frugal Girl. Ha. I didn't think that one through too well.)
I had no earthly idea that I'd still be blogging all these years later.
I had no idea my blog would grow enough to provide a full-time income for me.
And I really had no idea back then that my blog would be my financial ticket out of my marriage, or that it would get me through nursing school.
But I am endlessly grateful to 2008 Kristen for dipping her toes into the blogging world. And I am grateful to all the past iterations of myself that kept on typing, typing, typing.
I am also grateful for all of you. I cannot imagine my blog apart from the community that has formed here; you are an integral part of what The Frugal Girl is!
Some people in my blogging groups turn off their comments altogether (too much spam, too much arguing, or just not enough participation to make it worth keeping them on) and whenever I see that, I always feel so grateful for the way things are here. I love how busy the comments are here, and I am thankful that it is largely a drama-free zone....a peaceful little oasis on the internet.
Also: I so appreciate all the support you guys have sent my way these past few years. I always tell my nursing classmates that I probably have the biggest group of cheerleaders behind me out of anyone in the class. There are thousands of you, from all around the world, and I do not take that for granted.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
This week, I am thankful:
for the upsides of a drought
It has been dry, dry, dry here for the last few weeks.
I mean, the air has been humid. It's just that there's been little rain falling from the sky.
This is not good, obviously, but since I can't make it rain, I'm being thankful for the upsides.
Like....mosquitoes aren't too bad right now, since they need moisture.
Also: my grass has grown barely at all since I last mowed it a few weeks ago! That's fine with me, since as we've already established, I don't particularly enjoy mowing my grass. 🙂
that we got a thunderstorm on Sunday
I know that what really helps a drought is a nice, slow, soaking rain that lasts all day.
But hey, the water that dropped from the sky in Sunday's thunderstorms is better than nothing, even if that type of rain does fall too fast to be 100% absorbed by the ground.
that summer does not last forever here
I know many people adore summer, but aside from the school break, I do not. I think summer is highly overrated.
So in the days of heat and humidity, I focus on the fact that it does not last all year here. No offense to anyone who lives in South Florida, but if that was my home, I would really struggle! I've been to Naples in February several times, and even then I did not love the weather.
At least up here, I know weather relief is coming in September and October.
As I always say, one day when I am rich and famous, I will spend my summers in the Pacific Northwest. 😉
for a break in the humidity
After an oppressively hot and humid string of days, we got a little break and I was so so so happy.
I went for an early morning walk and the temperature was a dry 65 degrees. I could have cried with joy.
I even got to open my windows, which made Chiquita very happy because she loves to sit in the window and observe the world outside.
for an outdoor coffee visit during the nice weather
On one of those lovely cool days, I got together with a friend at a cute outdoor coffee spot by the water.
for a chance to see a sunset
I cannot ever see the sunset from my house because there's a hill that goes up from the west side of my house, and that hill is covered in trees. No horizon there!
But I realized a nearby park on the water does kinda face west, so on one of our nice low-humidity days, I drove over there after dinner and enjoyed the end of the day.
You know that old advice to be a tourist in the area where you live? I am reminded of that whenever I sneak in a little moment like this.
Sitting on the beach on vacation is nice, but reading a book after dinner next to the water at home is also quite lovely.
And what a shame it would be to miss out on the beautiful and enjoyable things that are right here where I live!
for wild berry season
All of my usual walking haunts are filled with wild blackberries and wineberries right now, so there's always a little snack to be had as I walk.
for the many animals I see as I walk
Just this week, I saw a bluebird up close, a fox, several bunnies, several box turtles, and also some sort of very, very large bird that was running down the path.
And of course, I see copious numbers of squirrels, but they are so common, that's like saying, "Oooh, I saw some grass today." 😉
that slow progress is still progress
I've been doing a lesson or two of Spanish in the DuoLingo app for a little over 500 days now, and even that little bit of practice every day is helping me learn.
I can read things like this and understand them basically as fast as I can read them now.
I'm not fluent, but I know way more than I used to!
Happy Sweet Sixteen Kristen, and many happy returns of the day!
The pictures are gorgeous as usual. My favourites today are orange plant out in the rain, and the sunset. It had not occurred to me that apart from people living in cities, there might be those who cannot watch sunsets from their homes. It is so eays to take these small things for granted.
Today's thankfuls: love, appreciation, and the affection of our elderly cats. We enjoy "reading their signals" and because they've been with us so long, we can tell when they are at ease and content. We've really learned to tune in to them over time.
@JNL,
I'm with you on appreciating the affection of an elderly cat. Our Lovey, who is about 16 years old, hangs out on our bed 99.9% of the time. I think DH and I both kind of took her for granted....we didn't ignore her, exactly, but didn't lavish our attention on her. About 6 months ago, we started being more attentive to her, we open the curtains and blinds so she can sit in the window, etc., and she has positively blossomed. I can tell she's so much happier and content. Dumb hoomans. 🙂
Congratulations on the anniversary of your blog!
I am with you there - summer is totally overrated in my opinion as well 🙂
Happy birthday to your blog! I had to change the tagline on my blog, too, because after 16 years of blogging myself, I am now so far past "going" country. I'm just . . . there. 🙂
Thankfuls:
--I was just thinking this morning that I am actually thankful to be American. Yes, there are many problems here, but that's true anywhere, and I am still proud of this country and proud to be a part of it.
--For the wisdom that comes with age and knowing that I am responsible for making my own life better. There have been several hard things this year for me, but every morning I ask myself what can be done to make my life better that day. It's often very small things, but they make a difference.
--For a bathtub that allows me to kneel down to wash my hair without having to take a full shower or bath. Kind of a random thankful, but I have curly hair that really needs to be wetted and styled if it's not going to be a frizzy mess, so I appreciate that I can do that in the (ugly, worn-out, avocado-green plastic, original to our 1974 trailer) tub relatively quickly.
--For the rain we've been getting this summer. The monsoons are actually appearing this year. Of course, so did the locusts, and they've pretty much destroyed the pastures that were starting to grow with the rain, but my garden has so far been spared by them, and it appreciates the extra moisture.
--For all the apricots this year. I've made 4 gallons of jam so far, from apricots harvested from our neighbor's tree in the pasture across the road, and a friend's house. I have yet to make a quantity of apricot jam we don't finish off long before the next year's harvest. 🙂
@kristin @ going country, This might be the first time I've heard someone refer to jam-making in the quantity of gallons. Ha! Well done!
@kristin @ going country, Oh, and I meant to tell you: We don't have squirrels here, because we have no nut-producing trees. It was so weird to notice that after living in a house surrounded by walnut trees and the accompanying squirrels. I do not miss them gnawing on and rolling nuts in the attic above my bed, though.
@kristin @ going country, Oh the dream of no squirrels!
At my previous house (in country few miles from town) we had few squirrels & the birds would run the squirrels off the yard/property. We had huge oak trees & walnut trees along with mulberry trees in yard before I added fruit tree mini orchard. The chipmunks were the only ones the birds had difficulty running off the yard. I was so thankful for those birds. The few squirrels that managed to evade the birds were usually live trapped & relocated away from us, especially the red squirrels (which are very destructive).
@kristin @ going country, we don’t have squirrels in my part of AZ either, although there was one on campus not long after I moved here. It used to follow my friend sometimes. I decided it must have been a stowaway on a truck because how else would a squirrel traverse all that desert?
I don’t miss them chewing on wires to make a nest in my engine compartment. Cost me around $500 to repair the damage, so I was happy to discover they’re not indigenous to my new home.
@kristin @ going country, One year I had such a bumper crop of apples I had a squirrel invasion. They formed little cheerleader-type pyramids so they could jump up and grab the apples from the lower branches. I was taking 5 gallon buckets full of apples out to vacant land just to keep the squirrels out of my yard (and house -- but that's another story for another day).
@kristin @ going country, I have oak trees in my yard, as do several houses around me, the neighbor down the street has several pecan trees and the squirrels have the run of the neighborhood. My yard has numerous pecan trees and oak trees sprouting up due to various squirrels squirreling away the nuts and forgetting where they buried 'em. One of my friends' dads calls squirrels "tree rodents," and that's what they are -- a real nuisance!
Congratulations on 16 years! I’m so glad you started this blog, as it is my absolute favorite of the blogs I follow.
After many years living in FL, I am totally with you on the summer heat and humidity. About the only comfortable months in our area of the state were December and January. So the heat and humidity we get in NC is uncomfortable, yes, (especially this year!) but it does come to an end. We took full advantage of a couple cooler and less humid days at the beginning of this week, enjoying being outside and seeing the brilliant blue skies.
Happy Independence Day to those in the US!
Congrats on 16 years, Kristen! Thanks for carving out this wonderful corner of the internet and sharing your journey with your readers. 🙂
-Thankful for a fun visit with family during the past few days.
-Thankful for really beautiful weather during our time together.
-Thankful for jobs that are interesting and fulfilling.
-Thankful for freshly picked berries.
-Thankful for our sweet dog who loves to cuddle.
Happy sixteenth year of blogging! This blog is like your own personal expression of freedom!
Congratulations, Kristen! I recently paused a moment when I was outside and thought, "absorb the joy!" I sat right down and listen to the squirrels scampering in the woods. Thank you for sharing your joyful moments with us!
Long time reader, first time commenting, Kathleen
Happy sweet 16!
I am thankful that I found your blog. I so enjoy the daily ritual of reading it!
That my son finished his treeplanting contract and is home (though our sopping wet tent is recovering in the back yard. ha!) That the tickle I had in my throat did not progress and I can return to work for my next shift. That the MIA wire transfer that my SIL tried to send me but was lost in the banking neverland has been returned to her account (we will try again AFTER the holiday weekend). For Canada's health care system plus good insurance: I will have my colonoscopy and shingles vaccine this summer. And for summer!!! I like the slower pace.
Along with the rest of the Commentariat, I am thankful for Kristen and this blog on its 16th anniversary. Simply put, I don't know what I'd do without you all. Happy blogiversary, and many more!
I'm also thankful that I finally found the missing extra key to the Honda Element. (It was in a remote corner of a backpack I'd carried one day during Grad School BFF's visit.) Now when those programmable key fobs arrive, I'll be able to approach programming them with less anxiety.
And, like Kristen, I'm thankful that I've been able to keep the windows open for a good while this week--and for a cat who likes to sit in open windows. Betty, like Chiquita, appreciates her "kitty video" with fresh air and smell-o-vision.
@A. Marie, Oh my did you steal that from Yan Can Cook? "Very simple, very easy, I wish you had smell-o-vision." Hadn't thought of that in years, he was so entertaining.
@Bobi, Smell-O-Vision was actually an attempt to release smells in movie theaters to enhance the effects. Obviously, it didn't catch on.
@A. Marie, When we brought Clark home from the shelter, he was agog that the windows opened and he could smell the outside. The shelter he was in has windows, but they do not open, nor does the shelter have "catios" as some places do, so the poor kitties content themselves with watching. He loves his Smell-O-Vision!
@A. Marie, I'm thankful for A. Marie. To paraphrase her tribute to Kristen, "I don't know what we'd do without A. Marie."
SO TRUE. What would the FG community be without her??
@JDinNM and @Kristen, awwwww, you guys...thanks. But the great thing about the Commentariat is that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. With Kristen's infrastructure and example, we've built this wonderful virtual village. Long may it endure.
@JDinNM,
Here, here!
@JDinNM, Yup!! Three cheers for A. Marie, in all seriousness. But in fairness, there are many others who also make this site so entertaining. For one, I think I am in love with Rose.
Happy Blog anniversary!
Thankful for-
Keeping on budget during vacation.
For the amount of exercise I got during the vacation.
For puzzles, they are so much fun & relaxing.
Thankful my co-workers love puzzles too. It keeps costs down because we trade.
For my picture perfect back yard. It is my tranquil place, right out my back door.
Congrats, Kristen!
I am thankful the weather has been pretty good here. No need for the AC on this summer.
I'm happy I got the landscapers to do a really nice clean up/trim/weed my property. I don't know what the bill will be ($$$$) but that's in the future! Right now I'm just gonna relax and enjoy it.
I plan to spend the day reading a new book, sneaking bits of last night's dinner leftovers (so good) and thinking about our mini flag cakes for later. Mini because we'd never finish a large cake ourselves. Dinner is gonna be grilled hot dogs, even though Son keeps nagging for pot roast. Probably pot roast tomorrow.
I am grateful and happy to live in America. Sure we've got our problems--when have we not?--but on the whole, this is the best country in the world. [cue the "Stars and Stripes Forever"]
Happy Sweet 16 Blogiversary! So glad you took the leap all those years ago.
Was the large running bird possibly a wild turkey?
Thankful for freedom in all forms and proud to live in the USA!
Are there many snakes where you walk at? We love to go hiking, but there are so many snakes (including two venomous types). Other than those I love seeing animals in nature. Our last hike saw several black bear prints, but I'm glad we didn't actually see it.
Happy Blogiversary. I've read every entry ever even though commenting has been more of a recent thing.
Thankfully, there's been two mornings this week cool enough to open the windows. My cats love it. One would prefer to be outside and allowed to come and go as he pleases, but he's 13 now (and missing a leg and sort of part of an ear) and probably wouldn't be able to get away if something came at him so he stays in.
I do not like summer. I hate the heat.
Congratulations on 16 years. That is amazing. Look at where you are now and working towards a life long goal. I am pretty sure you are the motivated nursing student I have read about. But I have to remember 30 years ago I was exactly like this to. And now 30 years later I am one tired girl.
Today I am thankful for stronger pain medication to control long acting back pain.
Also grateful that my college aged daughter will be coming in for the day to celebrate the 4th.
Happy Blog Birthday! And thank you for your blog, Kristen. You've inspired and encouraged so many!
I'm also thankful for the cooler, low humidity days we had earlier this week. We had the windows open all day, much to Clark's delight.
I'm thankful for a very handy husband who rigged a good, practical way of keeping Clark out of our bedroom--the Commodore was waking me up earlier and earlier for his Churu treat, which he's used to getting in the morning, and 4:30 am is not a good wakeup time for anybody. Now Clark is being made to wait until 7, a reasonable time, and he's a much better cat for it. And we're getting sleep. He is not well pleased about the door, but the flipside of that is he wants to be around us more during the day when we're available.
Also a DH merit: the A/C was not doing a great job of cooling the house, so he went out and hosed down the outside exchanger and changed out the air filter, which was weirdly clogged with dust bunnies. After that it was fine. Very thankful it wasn't a mechanical problem and a pretty easy fix!
Tonight I suspect I'll be thankful for a solid brick house that is good at muffling sound, as fireworks go off everywhere.
First and foremost I am thankful for your blog endurance, for your sake as stated above and for my sake too. The dialogue is the best. I forget that other online places are full of conflict. That just ruins my day if I were to read it.
You already know that I’m crazy about your photography.
I deleted my apps some time ago and just check in with Facebook (installing it each time) to see my neighborhood happenings, overseas relatives' pictures and sometimes Buy Nothing.
Verrry thankful for caring veterinarians. Our DS1 is in France visiting his wife's family and we’re minding their pup, as usual. One day two he became listless and worse things. Our former vet made room in a fully packed schedule to see him, give him oxygen, a blood draw, blood pressure and heart check. She called the next day to see how he’s doing on the bland diet and probiotic med (bounding around again on day 3). DS was able to relax into his visit again. As were we.
Congratulations on your blog's sweet sixteen! I hope it involves cake. 😉
Happy Sweet 16, Kristen! After Donna Freedman pretty much quit her Surviving and Thriving blog, I was floundering for something to read and then I googled "frugal" and found you! (And thanks to Frugal Girl, I also found Non-Consumer Advocate.) Congrats on being able to support yourself via the blog; nice to know it literally has been a lifeline for you. Kristen, I very much enjoy your writing and the comments of all the folks! Greetings and well wishes to all this 4th of July!
1. For the birds who are enjoying my water sprinkler. Mandatory conservation is now in effect so I can only water 3 days a week, during morning and evening hours only. Tuesday morning, I put on the oscillating sprinkler in the back yard and set it on full blast. Numerous birds sat in the shrubs and enjoyed getting a "shower," and they serenaded me with their songs. I could see them as they flew from one branch to another and up to the electric wire and through the water. A momma and poppa red bird pair, in particular, were going all over my yard singing. It was really amazing.
2. That two families in our neighborhood are putting on various holiday events for us. Today will be an Independence Day cookout from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. -- it'd be too hot to keep it going much beyond that. Looking forward to meeting folks up and down the block. Oh, and living in a country where we have plenty, where we are allowed to freely worship God, and where we can celebrate freedom -- that's the best part.
3. My boss scheduled my work hours around #2. I will be on duty from 2 until 6 p.m. Working in the air conditioning (which means I can turn my home AC up and not have to pay as much electricity) is great. Ditto, getting to see all the nice people coming in to the store -- we have the nicest customers in town -- which will keep me from being lonely today. Not having family is especially difficult on holidays. This makes it more tolerable. Not to mention I get paid, as well!
4. The book club at church. We met last night. We're reading "To Kill A Mockingbird" and we will view the movie starring Gregory Peck when we're done with the book. We've just finished Part One, which was full of all the kids' mischievous antics. Now we're going to get to the sad part where Atticus has to defend Tom Robinson, and he already knows he'll lose the case. As he says in the book, courage is doing the right thing even though you know you're going to lose.
5. For the unexpected: Yesterday, a customer looked at me and said, "you have beautiful eyes!" I laughed and told her "thank you; they're store bought" -- and explained that I'd gotten cataract surgery last year. That resulted not only in being able to see better, at least at a distance, but also having brighter-colored eyes. (The cataracts caused my eyes to look "cloudy". ) I'm not used to getting compliments about my appearance, so this was a happy incident.
@Fru-gal Lisa,
Kind words and deeds from a stranger can be uplifting! It helps me to remember that most people are good.
@Fru-gal Lisa, I'm thankful for Fru-gal Lisa's posts, and her always uplifting and optimistic perspective on life. She's bright-eyed in every sense of the word, and I find her comments both funny and inspiring -- a terrific combination!
@JDinNM, and I agree @fru-gal Lisa posts are uplifting & inspiring.
@JDinNM, I feel exactly the same way about Fru-gal Lisa's posts, which are among the best. Stories, happy and tough, from your life, Lisa, make it feel as though I know you. Lots of interesting side bits and a really great uplifting attitude.
@JDinNM, well said! I always enjoy reading Lisa's posts--here, at the NCA, and on Donna F's Surviving and Thriving. (Donna has said she's been struggling with some mood and weather issues lately, but let's hope she doesn't give up Surviving and Thriving altogether.)
@Fru-gal Lisa, "They're store bought" - that's hilarious!! What a funny response. Glad the surgery was so helpful for you!
Happy Birthday to your blog! I'm thankful to you for writing it!
I actually love summer but only if I can be near water, so I'm thankful that is the case for me. I also live in Europe where it doesn't get outrageously hot!
I'm thankful that I got past the suck stage of running and now I'm actually enjoying it!
I'm thankful that I live near a gym because otherwise I would struggle to go (more than I do already do 😉 )
I'm thankful that I was able to get tickets for a show with my sister and her boyfriend. It was sold out but I went on a waiting list and managed to get a ticket.
Biggest thankful: I'm about to go on summer holiday for three whole weeks. I cannot begin to even talk about how thankful I am for that.
Happy 16th!! Look how far you have come! There are those who stoutly and loudly do not like it, but it is so, that money is why so many, many desperate, unhappy marriages lasted in the Good Old Days. You *could* divorce, absolutely, provided you were happy to be dragged through the mud and leave with literally nothing, often not even your kids. When people say ''in the old days, people used to *work at* their marriages / didn't just bolt at the first issue'' and so on, it makes me ragey. Having and nurturing in amongst all of the many, many other hats you wore, wear and will wear, is YOUR income, your stream for options.
I am very happily married. I hope I always will be. Being financially trapped in an unhappy situation, under the control - not physically, obviously - of another person who has total sway, however well-intentioned they may be, fills me with angst. As my darling mum always said, you must have your running-away fund. Not necessarily from your marriage, but just generally. You need to be where you are by choice, more or less.
For sure; I am so grateful that I had choices in front of me. I do not take it for granted; I know so many other stay at home/homeschooling moms have a much bigger uphill battle than I did when it comes to finances and divorce.
I always thought it was important for me to have a means of income, but for most of my marriage, I thought of it as insurance for if I was widowed. As it turns out, I needed it for a divorce!
@Caro, Sorry, but ”in the old days, people used to *work at* their marriages / didn’t just bolt at the first issue” is actually often true, in my opinion. Many people DO bolt for no good reason, and if they'd hung on and valued their marriages, life would have gotten much better.
I think the point here is more that historically, women have been in a position of having no choice of whether to stay or go, due to lack of financial independence or resources. And I think we can all agree that it is a sad state when someone has to stay in an abusive, harmful situation for that reason.
And I personally was saying in this post that I am so grateful my blog afforded me choices.
I know that there are people who bolt from relationships because they do not want to do the work. And I can't speak for those people, but I can say with a clear conscience, that I stayed (probably much longer than I should have) and that I exhausted every possible avenue to make my marriage work. Given that, I am endlessly grateful that I had financial options to help me exit.
I also can say that in my enormous online support group for women in marriages like mine, I noticed that people have typically stayed for 25, 35, 45+ years trying to make it work before they leave. And I am so so thankful that in these modern times, women like that do have options to get out.
@Kristen, Well ... You did start your blog on Independence Day! Coincidence? Prescience? Regardless, we're all very happy you did. ;-}
@Kristen, I know, I thought all that was a given. Of course I agree with you. Having options is always important. I'm not talking about abusive marriages, what sociologists call high-conflict marriages, nor ones in which one partner has little choice but to stay.
I hope you know I would never judge you nor anyone else in your situation for leaving.
It's just that we didn't have divorces in our family. We just didn't and so I got to observe marriages longterm and draw my own conclusions. Did my parents, who were happily married for 56 years, go through bad stages? Yes. I believe all marriages do sometimes. But they stuck together and life got much better for them. My maternal grandmother and grandfather had a marriage that most people would consider bad--I don't know how they behaved to one another when alone--they constantly sniped and bickered at each other. My grandfather's last words to my grandmother were "Get the hell away from me, you son of a bitch." Would their lives have been better if they'd split? No, they would have been terrible. They stuck together and it was better than the alternative. Obviously they should have gotten some counseling about keeping their big yaps shut now and then, too.
Meanwhile, my ex's family got divorced at the drop of a hat at the behest of men who got bored being married to the same woman for too long. And the ex-wives were complaisant and didn't cause trouble or make waves when they were discarded, so hell, why not just get married for the fifth time? If it doesn't work out, no biggie. Of course, they're all still shocked and angry at me for not going along with their crap and being a good little girl. Eff that.
@Caro, My father, who never, ever swore, taught the girls they needed F-You money so they never got stuck with a man or a job they could not stand. I have never used it for a man, but I sure have used it in the world of employment. It also gave me the freedom to, as they say, "speak truth to power." (Often said by the powerful who don't think it applies to them...)
@Rose, I also think the definition of a good marriage has changed. My grandfather was a very damaged man and caused my grandmother a lot of heartache. When I asked her why she didn't leave, she looked at me like I was nuts. "He works hard, he gives me his paycheck every Friday, he doesn't drink. What more do you want in a man?" He also brought home a fish every Friday, wrapped in newspaper fresh from a fish monger. She was Catholic and he was not, but he brought home that fish every week for her religious observance.
Happy blog anniversary! I love that your blog had provided you financial freedom and a community of cheerleaders. I have been reading your blog almost since the beginning and after all these years, I still read it almost every day. That is a testament to your writing and the positive community of likeminded people you have brought together.
Thankfuls
I'm thankful that we had a pretty good view of the city's firework display last night from the front yard of our new home.
I'm thankful that we found another handyman to help us finish projects before we put the old house on the market. The painter we previously hired is not working out.
I'm thankful for a four-day weekend. Moving is stressful and we need a little break.
I'm thankful to have DH's support when dealing with a thorny problem with my brother.
I'm thankful our heat advisory expires tomorrow night and there is rain forecast over the weekend. Sick of the heat index being in the 110 range!
Congratulations on your 16th Anniversary!
I am not a fan of summer in Florida, but I have been many places where it is a beautiful gift.
I am thankful that my daughter seems to be doing well after having emergency surgery last week.
I am thankful that DH and I were able to travel to see her and help. It was a long drive, but I needed to make sure she was okay.
My first grandson shares his birthday with the USA. Today he turns 2. I am so thankful for this little guy and his sweet little sister.
Happy 4th!
Thankful for Kristen and this blog, which I only found because A. Marie tagged it in one of her comments on Katy's blog.
Thankful for my mountain view, and the glorious sunrises and sunsets and blue skies of New Mexico.
Thankful for the trails along the acequia by my house that make for beautiful walks with the dog.
Thankful for the dog and her incredible, and incredibly contagious, zest for life. I swear I hear the hymn "Joyful, Joyful" when she comes running.
Thankful for good friends, who have taught me how to be a good friend.
Ohhhh, that's how you ended up here! So fun.
I'm glad you stuck around. 🙂
@Kristen, Me too!
@JDinNM, I moved from Alabama to NM in 1983, to Hobbs, which in my shell-shocked opinion was the armpit of the nation, if not the world. We lasted 8 months before moving to Albuquerque, which I loved. We drove around the state while we were there, and I used to tell my family that New Mexico was the US's best kept secret. We were there from 1984 to 2003, when I really got homesick for the south, and moved back to grits and "ma'am", and thunderstorms--and claustrophobia from not being able to see for miles and miles.
But I miss those sunsets and sunrises and hot air balloons and anything green chile. I order some from Hatch every year, and roast them in my kitchen oven, and for a couple of wonderful days that scent lingers and I am homesick for NM.
Happy sixteenth!
I am also not summer's biggest fan. Fall wins for me as the most beautiful season, plus I love cozy sweaters.
I'm feeling very grateful for my daughter, who is so funny and sweet. I love having a toddler.
Kristen, I forgot to say before that when you said you had visited Naples several times I was very confused because I could only think of Naples, Italy!
Oh, that is so funny! Naples, Florida is not quite the same as Naples, Italy. Ha.
@Kristen, I would love to visit Naples, Italy! Not so much Naples ,Florida 😉
@Sophie in Denmark, Have you visited any where in the U.S.? I'm happy to say I made it to Denmark (years and years ago, and only to Copenhagen). Loved all the Scandinavian countries (and made it up to Hell, Norway, just to get my picture taken and be able to say that Hell does indeed freeze over).
@JDinNM, Only NYC this year. I loved it! I have been to Norway but not to Hell 😉
@JDinNM, that's funny about the picture on Hell because we have a Hell, Michigan that definitely freezes over. 😉
This week I am thankful
-For the last year of cancer care. It was 4th of July last year when I did my monthly self breast exam and found the lump. After one helluva year I am still here, healing from everything my body has been through, and even more deeply grateful for every single day.
-For getting to spend most of the last five weeks in my home town. We have always split our time between our small town and our big city. Both are part of me, and for 21 years we have gone back and forth, back and forth. Since the kids got out of school, we have just been here on this dirt road. No doctors appointments. No loading up the car. Just peace.
-That the only time I left home was to spend five glorious days with my husband in Mexico City. Cool days, eating tacos whenever we were hungry without regard to schedules, and seeing 1000 years of history.
-That my kids are finally fun. For years and years we always had a baby or a toddler. I love babies and toddlers but they are so much constant work. Our youngest is five now, and they all go play on their own, mostly eat whatever I put in front of them, wipe their own butts, and have long conversations with me. We’ve been swimming every morning, and then I retreat to write every afternoon on my own.
-For my country. I lament the sins of its past and fear for its future, but I am so happy to be who I am. I am proud of the successes of the American experiment.
I am so happy that you are here and healing!! <3
@Amanda in VA, I just checked the TV listings and was happy to see that the movie 1776 is playing. So I am immersing myself in (musical) John Adams and Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson and John Hancock ... and Abigail Adams! And not reading today's news.
@JDinNM, OK, now you've done it. I just checked out "Yours, Yours, Yours"--my favorite song from 1776--on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j17CLYJAcKM), and now I'm between laughter and tears.
@A. Marie, I had a book of Abigail's and John's letters to one another -- not sure if I still have it but if not I'll hunt it down. "Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favourable to them than your ancestors." If I can find Hamilton on a streaming service maybe I can do a double-header today.
@A. Marie, "Saltpeter! John!"
@JDinNM,
Hamilton is on Disney+. I just love the songs from the show!
How great that you got to see that beautiful sunset over the water. You are so lucky to have great spots by the water to enjoy yourself. I am most comfortable being by the water, but don't get to very often.
Thankful for a good birthday yesterday.
Thankful for a really great birthday dinner at Cracker Barrel. They actually had my favorite dinner (at their restaurant) of Chicken & Dumplings. (They have been out every time been in last few years so was very happy they had available.) It was the best chicken & dumplings had! The waitress & manager who sat us were wonderful. Thankful for the free french pastry birthday dessert. We were so stuffed that we had to take it to go.
Thankful for my family (in Florida) that makes efforts to be here for me/us in spirit. Thankful for the beautiful birthday card that also provided birthday dinner. 😉
Thankful we got to see the pretty fireworks on my birthday. It's a tradition that I try hard to continue.
Thankful for rescue dogs with their love & kisses. I can't imagine a life without them! My neighbor just lost his dog Tuesday after being together 16 years. 🙁 The grief & sadness is heartbreaking.
Thankful for teen. Teen has been doing work around yard needing to be done & some additional work that tern decides to do.
Thankful for teen (physical) strength. Teen is able to easily do so things that I just can't physically do by myself anymore.
Thankful for a upcoming relaxing day. We are planning on attending so festivals today. One festival have never been to & interested to check out.
Thankful for fireworks tonight.
Thankful that my utility bill was not as uch as I expected. The frugal practices of keeping house cool helped with the A/C during the heat wave.
Thankful that I got to order my rain barrel & it didn't come damaged (as many reviews commented on that). 90 gallons is big, buy needed.
Thankful no rain predictions until this weekend over night. I need to finish mowing the grass. I got part done yesterday, but humidity was so high that I was sweating (unusual for me) so much had to do in shifts.
Thankful I got through my list & don't have to retype again because I accidentally pushed the back arrow key & go back to beginning of blog. 😉
Thankful for Kristen's blog to share with all of us & in return a safe place to share & learn from all of you.
Have a great weekend everyone! 😉
@Regina, Happy (Belated) Birthday!
@JDinNM, Thank you! 🙂
I am also so grateful for your blog, like many others have said, it’s the only one I read and it keeps me inspired and on the frugal path, especially since I live in a high cost of living area and don’t know many frugal people (although I find by being open about it, people are willing to admit their frugal habits too so maybe I’m in a high cost of living area with a lot of secretly frugal people)
My big grateful for today is about running. I hated running as a kid and especially as a teen. Middle school PE was especially bad, we frequently had to run a mile and I would often walk part of it and the teacher would scold me and even gave me a poor grade in the class (my only poor grade since I was a good student) It really soured me on running for years after that. In my mid-twenties though, I decided to try easing into running though, by doing a combo of walking and running and then finally just running. Now at almost 40, I still run a couple times a week and today I am signed up for a 5 mile 4th of July run being put on my our parks and rec department today. I never thought I’d be a person who regularly runs and would even voluntarily sign up for a long run on a holiday! I’m just so grateful for my ability to change and what my body can physically do now (also so grateful to never have middle school PE again!)
@LB, I am in the same boat! I'm working my way up a 5k after years away from running and discovering that I really love it!
And amen on PE class.
@Sophie in Denmark & @LB, glad you both are enjoying the running more lately! I did my normal jog & weights this morning, and it's always a chore for me. Now competitive volleyball, that's my jam.... 🙂
@LB, I got all As my freshman year of college except ... for a C in Beginning Tennis. Thankfully, compulsory "athletic" courses did not factor into your GPA. When I was applying to grad schools, someone from the admissions office at the University of Wisconsin called to tell me I was admitted (ended up going elsewhere) and how happy they were to see that C in Tennis. I guess it made me ... real somehow?
@PD, I am the total opposite and can't stand competitive/group sports! But our differences are what makes life interesting 🙂
It's nice to know that I am not alone in thinking that summer is overrated! I get raised eyebrows when I tell people that I'm not a fan of hot, humid weather.
Which leads me into ... thankfulness that we had a couple of below-average days of heat and humidity, which I loved!
Thankful my son is visiting for the long weekend!
For pleasant coworkers.
For enough rain to keep things green, but not so much that I can't get outside.
For living in an area with lots of wonderful hiking options.
Happy sweet Sixteen. Time flies whether you’re having fun or not.
I live in the PNW and agree our summers are the best except for the upcoming weekend. We have an extreme heat warning for the next 5 days. It will not be a heat dome but when we heat 100 degrees we all melt. And they are saying we might hit 103 or 105 this weekend. A few years ago I moved out of my 1912 bungalow in Portland that had the master upstairs and no air conditioning. This weekend I am extremely grateful that we now have central air conditioning. No more stand alone room air conditioner that I would use for a few days a year but couldn’t sleep without on those few days when I needed it.
I am grateful for our summers it gets me through the gray days of winter when we can go weeks without seeing the sun.
I am grateful for my patio that I can sit on anytime of the year and be protected form the elements. The old house had a nice front porch but a busy noisy street.
I am grateful that I learned many years ago to be a tourist in my hometown. Now I am showing it to my grandkids.
I am grateful for the fruits of summer and farmers markets.
Happy Blog Day, Kristen! You're absolutely right, this is a sweet place to visit and share and cheer on.
I went to town (30 miles away) for grocery basics and I was thankful and grateful for my ease of buying milk after reading kristin @ going country's escapades.
My recently retired cousin came over and picked our Montmorency cherry trees and we made gallons of cherry juice (steam extraction w/a vintage Saftborn). I am encouraging him to get healthy since he just retired. We had a great day!
In the PNW we are heading into a mini heat wave (over 100 for the next 4 days) I am a big wimp with heat and we don't have humidity, so that makes me a super wimp.
Thankful that I have one big room with A/C. My whole house unit from 2004, gave up the ghost 2 years ago. Will probably go to a favorite mountain stream to play in the water, picnic and read a good book.
Picking the blueberries today and move the chicken coop to the shady part of the field.
Will use the warmer weather to scrub the white fences, which will include water fights with the pup - she is a crazy border collie (she just turned 1).
Have a safe and Happy Fourth of July!
@Blue Gate Farmgirl, border collies are crazy by definition. (DH's and my second and final dog was a border collie mix who was absolutely over the top.) But I'd give something to see a video of those water fights.
Living in Florida, summer is the season I dread. Unfortunately it lasts six months!
I have thanksgivings!
1. Like everyone else, for Kristen, for this blog and commenters!
2. For this day and all it means. For people brave enough to pledge their very lives for our freedom.
3. For the rain that flooded my garden but then sunk in. No watering for me today!
4. For the many kindnesses my family has received lately. We have been greatly blessed. For my church surrounding us with prayer and assistance.
5. For friends taking me out to lunch this weekend. They are both widows as well.
@JD, Oooohh! I should have added your #3 to my list today. 100 degree temps but monsoon season has arrived (see Kristin @ going country for confirmation) and I am thankful afternoon and evening showers mean I don't have to be out there hand watering!
@JD, I hear you on your #5. My cobbled-together "widow network" here is a great solace. And I hope that you and yours are hanging in there generally.
@A. Marie, We took the Queen Mary 2 from NYC to London. On board was a group of 12 women who called themselves the Merry Widows. Every night they would come to the ballroom dancing area and the gentleman hosts employed just for the purpose of dancing with unattached woman would be kept quite busy. They were forbidden to dance with the same woman twice in a row, to avoid cries of favoritism. I had mixed feelings about the group because on the one hand I thought how comforting it must have been for all of them, but on the other I could not imagine dancing away if my husband died. I realize how idiotic that is...
Oo great list today! I am thankful for your blog (one of only a few I read). I like that many of the tips work for anyone, not just readers located in the USA.
Also thankful for sunny weather, kiddos having fun with cousins, and my sweet grandma. I feel lucky to be in my 40's and still have a grandma (and she is sharp as a tack!).
Happy blog birthday, Kristen! Congratulations!
This week I'm thankful:
* that the forecast of 80% chance of storms and rain all day last Saturday made a dramatic change last minute and we were able to have most of my daughter's birthday party outside.
* for some really nice days (or mornings, at least) to work out in the garden. It was feeling pretty neglected and it's been good to get the time in this week!
* for friends. We've met up with friends in one capacity or another every day this week and I'm so thankful for the community around us.
* that my husband is able to do so much work on our house. It's how he likes to spend his spare time and it's his stress reliever... it's not really my thing. But I love all that we've been able to accomplish over the years because he has the skills. Was I just crying up on a ladder because my arm muscles were shaking from holding a board up high and the height kinda freaks me out and because I may have hurt my back that I'm now icing? Yes to all of that. So I'm reminding myself of how thankful I am that he has these skills. Also, praise Jesus that his parents are coming to visit in a few weeks and his dad can do all of the ladder helping things!!
* for hot coffee to drink while I ice my back.
* that I got to finish my book yesterday and I have two ready to go in its place.
* that my house is clean right now. It's been a less stressful week because it started with a clean house.
Ice, ibuprofen, stretching, and now I'm good to go! All is well.
@Ruth T, But still ... let his dad take over the ladder work shift!
Happy blog anniversary!
I'm thankful for this blog and a few others I follow and for the friendly community of commenters.
I'm thankful for time off work to rest and do things I enjoy, and to just have time to think.
I'm very thankful for the fact that this heat wave ends tomorrow and we'll have cooler weather for a few days afterward.
And I'm thankful that I live in America, which, for all its faults, I still believe is one of the best countries in the world.
I know a woman who has been studying Spanish using Duolingo long enough that she now watches Spanish TV shows with Spanish subtitles as practice! It's amazing what just a few minutes a day can accomplish.
I'm thankful for a walk this morning, even though it was already 90 degrees (high of 112, not thankful for that).
I'm thankful that we've developed some little rhythm in the midst of this hard time.
I'm thankful for my husband who has helped me with toddler duty and has weeded our son's front yard.
Congratulations on 16 years of your blog. I love reading whatever you write about, and also love to read all the comments. You have a beautiful community here.
p.s. also not a lover of the heat. I like the Fall and the Spring. Winter is so-so, I like the cold, not so much the snowstorms, unless I'm cozied down at home. (though to be fair, we only had maybe 3 snowstorms this past winter).
Happy Sweet 16!
I've been hoping you WILL change your blog's name to the "Frugal Woman Blog" because although you've been an adult all along, those of us who have been long-time followers have watched you truly grow into your womanhood and it's time you owned it. I'm blown away at all I've seen you accomplish in these past few difficult years. You have set an incredible example for your daughters and your many readers. THAT's what I'm thankful for today!
Aww, thank you!
Changing my blog name would be a challenge because my traffic all gets directed to thefrugalgirl.com and so I would probably lose a whole lotta traffic if I tried to rebrand.
¡Eres muy buena blogueando! Siempre aprendo algo nuevo de ti y de la sección de comentarios.
Gracias!
Congrats on 16 years! You (and the readers) have given me a lot of ideas and solace over the years.
1. I am with you on summer. As you know, I am absolutely joyful every time June 21 comes around and I know our days are getting shorter. By August, we will have some nighttime. Right now we have daylight around the clock, so no July 4 fireworks for us. We have them on New Year's Eve, at the university. Located on top of a hill, you can see them all over town, so even if it is 40 below you can enjoy them. So, thankful the days are getting shorter.
2. Thankful my garden is producing something besides scallions and basil. Hurrah for these early producers: cauliflower, zucchini and bok choi. And two cherry tomatoes that never made it into the house.
3. Thankful for rain. Our forest fires are so bad that they actually had to close Denali National Park, which is devastating to the small businesses near the park entrance. They are all family owned and close down during the winter, so summer is it for them. our smoke was so bd for a few days we had the worst air conditions in the U.S. and one day they said it was the world. (But Alaskans do like to exaggerate how we can do everything bigger and better...so who knows.) Today I am off an inhaler, so the air is definitely better.
4. Thankful that literally months of beating the insurance company with letters and phone calls, they finally admitted that Viagra is a legit use for pulmonary lung issues and not only did they agree to cover it in the future, but they are reimbursing me for previous out of pocket payments I had to make (I have 100% pharmacy coverage, so I have a far amount coming back to me.) And yet, still, the person who called to notify me had to make a snarky comment on the order of, "He,he, now don't be sharing it with your husband." I filed a complaint because that was totally unprofessional.
5. Thankful for the husband, always the husband.
I love having you here! ♥️
@Lindsey,
Ugh! That insurance rep! Good for you for filing a complaint!
@Becca,
Also, Kristen, I posted a comment earlier this morning on this post and it still says it's "pending" for some reason. This one went through fine, so maybe I used too many exclamation points? I dunno...just thought I'd let you know in case there's something weird happening on your end. I don't want you to miss out on any of your cheerleaders' well wishes. (Imagine the exclamation point instead of the period.) 😉
Oh geez. Thank you for letting me know!
My spam filter has a mind of its own some days. You are unspammed now!!
Happy 16th! I am glad you started blogging. Very much. 🙂
This week I am thankful:
*that I can usually get my kids to play pinochle with me when I want to play. Ditto my father.
*that we were able to unload lots of stuff at a yard sale. (Good bye New Kids on the Block stash from my teenage years!)
*that my husband is grilling supper right now.
*that some people really seemed to get a kick over their finds at our yard sale. I LOVE it when somebody enjoys something I don't want anymore. It is the best.
*that our friends invited us to sell at their sale; it's a big one. They say it's 10 miles long? Or something. Let's just say there were multiple food trucks and ice cream trucks. It's an event. It attracts so many more people than I can lure out here to our little stretch of nowhere.
I'm with the crowd in that I am grateful you started this blog. I didn't find it til a couple of years ago, and I wish I'd found it back in the beginning; this would have made such a difference in my mindset. But I'm here now! And I love the photography--the turtle is my favorite this week.
I'm grateful for: the backyard crew of birds and squirrels. They are so entertaining, even the grackle bullies, and when I let the feeders go empty, they scold me.
I'm grateful for the rescue squad. Again.
I'm grateful for the brief lovely Monday we had weather-wise. I made a little more progress on pruning the bushes and was able to work outside for several hours, as there was just enough cloud cover and breeze to make it comfortable.
I'm grateful that the AC is working everywhere. I love summer much more than winter, but southern humidity can be a killer sometimes.
I'm grateful for fresh produce and little farm stands and that after a lifetime of urban living, I am in a rural small town. Guess it's just that season of my life.
So happy to be able to follow this blog! Happy Birthday, Happy Anniversary! The Author and the Commentariat make it a wonderful place. Thank you!
1) Thankful to have been switched back to night shift work. I know the change wasn't really long enough (two months?) for my system to adapt, but it was NOT adapting to working afternoons, and the sleep pattern change necessary to survive.
2) I am thankful to have learned several things when I was doing the afternoon shift. I was able to enjoy and get to know better some residents that are asleep at night. I also enjoyed most of the staff. We worked well together.
3) I am thankful for my church and the kind and loving friends I have there and the new ones I am making. I am thankful for the Sunday morning service with worship and prayer. And I'm thankful that we have carry-in dinner afterwards so we can visit and share each other's needs and joys.
4) I am thankful to have gotten the yard mowed this week. At last mowing I had asked my young mower friend to drop the height a couple of notches since the rain was making it grow so fast. And I said to "Mow close" without explaining what I meant. He scalped the yard, which made me laugh, but still did not "mow close." What I meant was "mow close to stuff," since I do not have a weed eater. It got rather gangly, so I mowed it myself, which I really do rather enjoy. It gives me the opportunity to see where the tree sprouts are that need lopped off and to see where volunteer desirables have come up. It is quite the eclectic mess. It looks so much better. And it's rained twice so mowing it higher was a disadvantage again as it is already growing fast.
5) Contrary to so many, I like summer. Of course, the 70-80 degree weather is preferable. I do like to be able to work in the yard. Getting my hands in the dirt is therapeutic. I love watching the birds, varmints, and myriads of insects. The blooms are the cherry on top.
Happy blogiversary! Blogging agrees with you, you look the same after 16 years! 🙂
I’m thankful for this blog, where I learn so much.
I’m thankful for two friends who have been giving me rides to and from a new treatment I am trying for a long-term condition.
Happy Birthday to your blog! Glad you're still going after all this time. I'm thankful for:
*my country
*for my parents' courage to move here from their home country as very young adults
*for google photos for putting together incredible photo/video collections - today I relived all the 4th of Julys we've celebrated together to date: my babies in their diapers, as toddlers with pigtails and flag colored ribbons in their hair, as little kids screeching in glee over fireworks, as bigger kids eating watermelon and as tweens in all their awkward (but oh so adorable) glory.
*watermelon. I love it so hard, especially today.
Congratulations on 16 years of blogging. I only discovered your blog a few years ago, but it has become a favourite and I am grateful for the space you have created here.
I have been reading your blog since it’s tidally the beginning, and cannot believe it’s been 16 years!
Congratulations, Kristen!
You are my favorite spot on the internet!
@Kim from Philadelphia, apologies for the typo. Meant to say “ reading your blog since practically it’s beginning”
Well, I feel the same way. Wild it's been 16 years!!
Happy 16th blog anniversary, Kristen! I’m in Florida and let me tell you, there is no break in humidity or heat here! So enjoy it for me please. I know that your life has taken turns that you would not have chosen, but we play the hand that we are dealt, and it is good to see you and your girls thriving!
This week I am thankful that …
We are not in a drought! We’ve had drought warning each year for a few years running and I know that is hard on the farmers in our state. We’ve had so much rain that we are constantly in a flood warning (which isn’t great either) but in areas where it isn’t flooding everything is so green and lush.
Our CSA farm is very generous. Because of all the rain they had to push the start of our pick-ups back two weeks. To “make up” for this they offered all shareholders two free hanging plants from their greenhouse. They didn’t need to “make up” for anything, Mother Nature does what she will, but it was a generous offer that I happily made the hour drive to pick up. And now my front steps look a little more festive.
I started a new crochet project this week (I usually don’t crochet in the summer) and I was reminded of how much I enjoy this little hobby.
Evenings with my husband. He works a very “think-y” job and his brain is going as soon as he wakes up. But when he comes home at night he does a very good job of putting work away for the evening and focuses on being home. I know he could easily work from the time he wakes up until he goes to bed so I appreciate that when he’s home, he’s HOME.
As always: my family, books, coffee, my job, the view of the trees out my back window. We are blessed and it is easy to take that for granted.
Oh wow, you are reading "Small Great Things"! I read it in May and thought of you, and may have emailed you about it. It was too detailed for me in the medical department, but that Jodi Picoult sure can tell a story.
16 years! Wow, that's wonderful.
I'm thankful for cool weather right now so I, too, can open the windows.
Local summer produce. There's nothing like it.
And that I've kicked my whole pot of coffee habit, having usually just one cup or a cup of cacao before I start in on tea (iced). I've noticed I feel a lot more hydrated.
Wow! Congrats on writing your blog for 16 years!
Here in NW Iowa we went from extremely dry and wondering if our crops would grow in the dry dirt, to rain, rain and more rain, to the point that Rock Valley, Iowa had a very devastating flood a couple weeks ago. It was the worst flood for them ever. We go to church there, my parents and hubby’s parents were from there, family and friends live there! Yes, I am thankful that there was only one death, because it is amazing there were not several! The town will never be the same.
My husband mows the yard at least twice a week!
You talked about mosquitoes, wow we have more than we need. I always ask hubby how bad they are before I go out! I really don’t feel like wasting bug spray on every inch just to feed the birds or check if there is a cucumber in the garden.
I’m thankful we live far enough away from any creek or river to ever flood our home!
I’m thankful for no water in the basement!
I’m thankful we can donate to the fund to help the flood victims!
I’m thankful my air conditioner works!
I’m thankful for electricity!
I’m thankful for fresh water and heated water.
After seeing these people to have to flee from their homes in the middle of the night, and then live in a shelter and have to cleanup all the debris, and all the decisions they will have to make is so hard.
We take the simple things for granted!
Thanks
I’m quite sure I’ve been reading your blog for the entire 16 years! I believe I connected with you via The Frugal Gazette. I almost never comment but faithfully enjoy reading of your “cheerfully frugal” life and adventures!