Thankful Thursday | these lists open my eyes!
Lately, I've been realizing how this practice itself makes me think about gratitude all through the week.
Since I know I will make a public list each week, my brain tends to spend the week noticing things to add to my list.
When I experience something delightful, I find myself thinking, "Ooh, I should tell my readers about this on Thursday!"
Soooo...if you are a lurker here, consider joining in with us sometimes. It might make your senses especially attuned to the wonderful things that you experience in the day-to-day.
(Of course, you could always make weekly lists in private if that's more your speed. But I have to say, it's fun to share your weekly delights with other people too. 🙂 )
This week, I am thankful:
for a cool shower
It was really humid one morning this week when I went for a walk, so I felt really grateful for the delight of a cool shower.
In the winter, I am deeply appreciative of a hot shower, of course. But I think a cool shower after a bout of summer exercise is equally delightful.
for a fan that was left here
When I moved in, I found a floor fan in the unfinished part of the basement (we call it the boiler room, because it's where the boiler and oil tank reside!)
It's so great to have when I am lifting weights or am just wanting to cool down after a walk.
And sometimes I like to have it in my bedroom, since there are no ceiling fans in this house.
Sooo...thank you to whoever left this fan here!
for a really crispy apple that I ate yesterday
Some apples are mediocre and some are downright terrible (I'm looking at you, Red Delicious apples!).
But sometimes you get an apple that is the perfect combo of crunchy, juicy, and sweet and that is exactly how yesterday's specimen was.
SO GOOD.
that Chiquita loves her scratching pad
I got her one of those cardboard ones that sits on the floor and my goodness, as soon as I put it on the floor, she understood the assignment.
She's been scratching that thing like crazy, and I'm delighted for her to get her scratching energy out in an appropriate place.
She loves this scratch pad so much, she even naps on it. Heh.
for a little bit of rain
It has been so, so dry here, and it's making me kind of sad to see the drought effects when I go for walks.
But we did get a little bit of rain here this week, and I was so thankful, I didn't even mind that it happened when I needed to walk to the campus bookstore.
that I realized I needed a book for my CPR class
I have a one-day summer CPR class coming up and thankfully, this week it occurred to me that I should look at the course description. And it's a good thing I did because I needed to buy a book and a mask before the class, and I actually have to read the whole book too.
that at least my anxious tendencies make me get things done
Lisey and I were talking about this recently...we both are a little on the high-strung side of things, and we laughed about it because we agreed that one upside is that we DO get things done on time.
When the thought of missing a deadline causes you great anxiety, you tend to do things right away!
For example, my classes don't start until August, and my medical exam stuff isn't due until mid-July, but...I already have my scrubs, I did my background check and drug test, and I have almost all my medical stuff finished up too.
For me, this results in less anxiety...once I have all my ducks in a row for nursing school, I can just focus on other stuff for the rest of the summer!
for Miss Chiquita
She's such a little lovebug.
Soon we can start to introduce the two cats to each other and then you will see Miss Shelly in these posts more often. Right now I hardly see her because she is always downstairs!
for beautiful flowers to see
I love how the paths are full of interesting varieties of plants at this time of year.
I am also thankful for rain. We aren't technically in a drought, but things are very, very dry. Also thankful that less rain means less mowing. The temps have cooled off here this week and I'm thankful that I can get some outdoor work done without roasting.
Thankful it’s finally time for our “Whimsical Wonderland Tea Party” at the St. James Tea Room this afternoon! (You have to make reservations weeks in advance.) Review to follow on Friday’s WIS (too much, I’m sure)/WIA (too much, I’m sure).
Have been meaning for the longest time to read “H is for Hawk” by Helen Macdonald and was thankful to get the Kindle edition on Amazon for $0. Must have had some “digital credits” stored up somewhere by opting for later delivery dates on purchases.
Had an expensive car repair (A/C system needed a new compressor +), but you don’t want to be driving in New Mexico in the summer without air conditioning, so am thankful to have it working. I have an affinity credit card/line of credit associated with this repair shop that gives you 6 months interest free financing. So am thankful for the free use of someone else’s money. Particularly with the Fed raising interest rates to infinity and beyond (although, again thankfully, we’re getting a brief pause).
Thankful my dog, who at almost 4 is no longer a puppy, still wants to sleep on my feet while I’m working on the computer. I think she just likes to make sure I can’t go anywhere without her. Like the laundry room. Or the bathroom. Or the kitchen. Especially the kitchen! And thankful she spent Monday at the groomer and I was able to get some planting and other gardening done that is difficult to do when she’s around to “help”. She’s a tremendous digger. I don’t need to give her any ideas.
And VERY thankful the work week is almost over (except for all the spillover that will take up a chunk of the weekend, but blessedly the phone should not be ringing). Feel like I’ve been playing whack-a-mole all day, every day.
@JDinNM, My sister's first car was our old family car that didn't have A/C. She drove it for two years in Tucson, Arizona. We called it The Sweatmobile. 🙂 We didn't have A/C in any of our vehicles for a couple of years after moving to NM. Now we have one vehicle (out of four) with A/C, and I certainly do not take it for granted.
@kristin @ going country, It's been such a mild spring/early summer down here that I didn't notice the A/C problem until recently. I bought the car in November and the heater worked great!
I haven't even been running the evaporative cooler in my passive solar adobe house. It gets down in the 50s overnight so I just run the fan that pulls the outside air through the entire house, which then stays at 60-70 degrees all day. But temps are rising this week so my utility-free season is coming to a temporary end.
@JDinNM, Years ago we were driving through Indiana in the heat of the summer. We found fluid under the truck after parking it for a time, so took it to a garage. When we went to pick up the vehicle, the guy could barely talk he was laughing so hard. It turns out we had never used the truck's AC before and the fluid was condensed water that had dripped off. He didn't charge us for figuring out the problem.
@Lindsey, I didn't know this would happen until I moved to humid New York. It certainly doesn't happen in Arizona, so when I saw a puddle of liquid under the car in New York after driving with air conditioning, I thought something was wrong.
@Lindsey,
Don't feel bad,many years ago,I bought a used car on my own,hubby usually had some involvement but he was crazy busy at work.
Got the car home and I kept hearing this noise,sort of a hum? He drove it one day,heard it had no idea except to take it to our mechanic.
The following morning I did that and Frank took it for a ride,just like your guy he came back laughing and said...ready? Turn off the radio! It was some noise either from the cassette player or it just wasn't on a channel!
Needless to say,I felt like an idiot.
@Lindsey, I did the same thing when I was youngish driver. I had a new-to-me car, and it was the first time I had a vehicle with air conditioning. I went on a road trip by myself, saw fluid on the ground after parking for a while, and promptly went to find a mechanic in the next town. They were nice, didn't laugh at me, told me what the "problem" was, and didn't charge me a cent. I figured I was pretty lucky that they didn't take advantage of my ignorance and make up some expensive problem I had to pay to fix.
I'm thankful for having delicious avocados to eat for breakfast the rest of this week and next. I finished off the last of the 5 terrible avocados I bought last week and this batch is scrumptious!
@kelly, I have no luck with avocados. First they're hard as a rock (too soon! too soon!) and the next day they're mush (aw, too late!). And they've gotten really expensive. $2 for a "large" (meaning not microscopically small) avocado?
@JDinNM,
Hello, I was the same way about avocados. Then I started buying the individual containers of mashed avocado and keep them in the freezer. Now I can have avocado toast with egg or tuna anytime as the take only a few minutes in warm water to thaw! Best thing ever.
@kelly, I just found out you can grill them and I’m looking forward to trying that this summer!
@JDinNM, I generally buy them six at a time at Costco. I then put them in brown bags for them to be firm to turn almost black. Then I wrap them in saran wrap once they are at their peak ripeness and they last for about another 7 days in the fridge.
They are the large size ones and sell for around $5.99 at Costco for 6.
@Colleen, Grilled avocadoes sound awesome!
Oh, I also love a cold shower in the warmer months, especially after a workout! Now that I've been walking most mornings (so so thankful for that, after 3 years of not being able to do it), the cold water feels amazing.
This week I'm thankful for how smoothly the moving process has gone so far. It's physically demanding, of course, but we haven't had any major issues, and our new apartment manager is just lovely. And the view out out living room window is mostly green, with a touch of wildlife (fox, I'm looking at you). Very nice!
I'm thankful that we discovered the reason for our high utility bills at our old/current rental. The utility company said, yup, that's not normal, you have a water leak. The goings on related to the water leak are not pleasant, but I am thankful and excited that once it's fixed we can submit a form to our utility company to get some money back. We estimate that we've spent $1,000 more than we should have because of the leak.
I'm thankful for my husband's parents and sisters. They have physically and emotionally embraced me after losing my family, and this week I asked my sister-in-law if she wanted to do a Bible study with me, and she said yes! So excited!
Aww, I'm so happy for you that you've got a lovely family in your in-laws.
What a cute cat!
Today I am thankful that
- our older son and DIL are arriving tonight for a visit.
- the local Buy Nothing group is providing me with many things for our new home; we can always upgrade later but the group’s generosity let’s us try out a way of living in the house for a while to see what works best and as a bonus is a great way to pass on stuff we moved that doesn’t work for this house and season of life.
- we can walk to the library and other places, as ell as walk the dog and for our own exercise in our new location
- my 6 year old granddaughter randomly sends me texts saying “I love you Nana” when we haven’t seen her for a bit which brings me great happiness.
Count me among those thankful for the rain day this week. Besides the very dry conditions here we had the smoke from the various wildfires and it was hard to breathe. More rain means less fires so I’m hoping for more rain in those areas as well.
Thankful for a husband who has been wonderful on all fronts throughout our marriage. He is also an awesome father, which is important to me. You take things for granted sometimes until you realize that it is not always the norm for everyone.
And, our two sons have turned out to be people I’m thankful for in their turn. Hard workers who’ve made the most of their degrees and great family men.
--For the guys in Oklahoma who will butcher a sheep for me, so I don't have to. We've butchered a lot of sheep over the years, so it's not that big a deal anymore, but I'm just as happy to pay them to do it so I don't have to spend hours cutting meat and cleaning up. I really dislike cleaning up after butchering. Also, this way I get actual chops instead of stew meat. Yay! (We bone out all the meat when we butcher because we don't have the saws and everything.)
--For the neighbor who takes care of our animals so we can go to see family for a week in the summer. Otherwise, either my husband or I would have to stay home.
--For the grass after the rains that makes it so much easier to keep those animals. The sheep will be in the pasture right next to the house while we're gone. There's so much feed in there, all the neighbor has to do is make sure they have water, and that can be filled with our house hose.
--That my son has been liking his summer job so far. It's really hard work, but he's learned so many skills already, and he seems to like the varied nature of it.
--For the adults in our community that take an interest in helping out kids. My son helped at a branding (for calves) where I'm sure he wasn't actually that much help, since he's still learning, but everyone encouraged him to get in there and learn, and the owner of the ranch even paid him. It reminds me of having toddlers who insist that they want to help with chores. It's a pain to teach them, but it pays off in the end. 🙂
@kristin @ going country, Cleaning up after butchering is the absolute worst part of butchering. Other than the killing part, but I have only had to do that with 4 culled roosters.
@kristin @ going country, Agree 1000 percent about the butchering. When we were younger we would get a moose to butcher and while I loved the meat, I hated the processing. I am sort of relieved not to be hunting anymore! And thankful that we have younger friends who share their moose and caribou bounty with us.
I'm thankful for the beautiful view I have of different skies. As I live on the fifth floor with large windows, the sky is about all I see besides a treetop that gives me a chance to see birds up close.
I'm thankful that books have not disappeared, as predicted when e-books came out. I love the feel and the smell of books, as well as the ease of flipping back if I need to.
I'm thankful for my orchid, a gift from my son 2 years ago. It has blossomed a few times and the blossoms last for months, so I almost always have flowers to look at.
I'm thankful that it has not gotten blistering hot yet.
I'm thankful for my health.
Thankful that we got some rain this week too, although our area hasn't been as dry as others. The rain/wind also blew away the smoke that had made our air quality in the unhealthy range.
Thankful for my dear hubby, who spoiled me terribly on my birthday. He always spoils me, but even more so yesterday.
Thankful I was able to FaceTime with our Kenya crew yesterday.
Thankful for a good doctor's report this week.
I'm actually thankful for the cool drought-like weather. I live in a rural area and summer means someone is always mowing, cutting weeds, blowing off driveways or cutting wood. The constant din of equipment during the long daylight hours can be deafening and annoying. The recent silence has been a beautiful thing.
I'm also thankful to Kristen for allowing readers to comfort A. Marie on Monday. This is a great blog with a nurturing creator.
@Bobi, I **completely** second your second paragraph. See my comment below.
This week I'm thankful:
-for the rain that came soon after we planted our garden.
-for a baptism my husband was able to do this week.
-that an insurance company headache was solved. It wasn't even my headache, but it was giving a friend such troubles.
-for the "torture" therapy I received yesterday. Today my face is bruised up some and sore, but I'm having some more movement that I didn't have yesterday.
-that my son is getting more than 40 hours a week at work so far; he needs the money for college.
-that another son is taking the initiative to look for a job. He already has one part-time job, but it's very part-time.
-for continued baby steps with weight loss.
-for children who are willing to help out and who have been initiating doing garden chores.
-for all the pretty flowers. I'm trying to learn a few new names.
-for music. It does make life lovely.
@Jody S., I feel you on the "torture" therapy. My therapist was working on stretching my legs yesterday and I didn't know my legs could be twisted like that! But I am much less stiff this morning, even though the muscles are a little sore.
@Jody S., How could I forget this one--
-My friend called last night and said, "Could you use some pie cherries? We're swimming in them!" So I was able to pick up quarts and quarts of pie cherries. They are safely in the freezer now-- PLUS we are trying out drying some.
@AnnieH, I once had weeks of physical therapy for a broken ankle. When I complained the therapist shouted at me "Is this as good as you want it to be?!!!" "No", I whimpered. And I never complained again. Even when she made me run backwards on the treadmill.
Ooof, yes, sometimes physical therapy is terribly painful. I have had some massages that would qualify as torture!
Red delicious are one of my favorites, but only the ones we pick each fall at a local farm. I never buy them from the store, those are terrible.
This week I am thankful for:
1. Seeing this community support A. Marie in her grief.
2. The nice weather overall, even the rain since it washed pollen away.
3. Local blueberries are in season. Ina Garten has a blueberry crumb cake recipe that FABULOUS!
4. Local tomatoes too, and we have bacon in the freezer...BLTs, yum!
5. I had quite a few days of feeling better than I have in a while. So thankful for a good therapist and a supportive husband who encourages me to keep exercising.
@AnnieH, Your #4 has turned a little of my thankfulness to envy. BLTs sound sooo good!
I've never had a red delicious from a farm. Now I'm curious!
@Kristen,
We used to buy them along with other varieties from the orchards around my childhood home. They were perfectly good apples. I won't buy them at a store - those are made of wood pulp, I think.
@Kristen, I haven't either. I suspected that they would be good if they were fresh picked, because almost everything is, but I'm glad to see that is actually the case.
@Kristen, the only red delicious apples that I like are the fresh-picked ones. Storebought--bleah.
@JD, Red Delicious used to be tasty, crisp, and juicy. Then the big producers changed the breeding again to emphasize good traveling and long life over everything else. Now they're made of tasteless, dry wood pulp.
@WilliamB, I knew something happened. Reds used to be my favorite. Now I can't even look at them.
@WilliamB, yes. They always look so inviting with their classic shape until you bite into them.
1. I'm thankful for a friend's generosity. I'm watering her plants while she's out of town and she urged me to take a large bag of produce she thought might go bad before she returned. She also gave me some chair pads I had admired that she couldn't use.
2. For my dogs, who never fail to make me smile, and get me out on walks every morning.
3. For all the free resources at my library. Not only do I read many books and listen to audiobooks from the library, I'm able to read the New York Times every morning thanks to my library card.
4. I'm so grateful my late father passed on his love of gardening to me. I really enjoy my time spent in the garden, and I always think of him while I'm there.
5.Birds! We currently have swallows, chickadees, and bluebirds in the various nesting boxes on our property, and a robin just finished raising a batch of babies in the tree next to our woodshed. It's so fun to watch and listen to them.
The beautiful mild weather we had this week and that I got to take a long walk with my friend. Chatting and walking is the best.
My sister gifted me a fig tree plant that she propagated.
I am thankful my son has adapted to his summer internship. He lived in a dorm at college so this is his first apartment and real full time job experience. He also had not practiced driving much and has to drive himself everywhere. I am thrilled that he is learning to grocery shop and cook because eating out all the time is too expensive. I helped him find things at his local Aldi. And the big news was the sudden lump I felt turned out to be a cyst! I tried not to worry but it was a relief to know for sure.
@DH, Great news about the cyst!
@DH, glad to hear that you are only dealing with a cyst. Whew!
You and I must be living similar mom-lives--my son is also living alone in his first apartment this summer (it's a paid internship, so this is short-term). Due to the expense, we have held off on having him get a car until he needed one--well, now he needs one. Like you mentioned, my son also hasn't had a ton of driving experience. I think he is reveling in his newfound freedom. 🙂 He's pretty good about cooking, but it turns out that he doesn't need to do much of that. He spends weekends with my in-laws, who are more than willing to supply him with meals as well as produce from their garden. He's living his best life.
@DH,
Yay that it was only a cyst!
I am thankful for a job that allows me the flexibility to teach my (last) kid to drive during calm traffic hours. Rush hour or dusk driving would be much more stressful for both of us!
I am thankful the brownies my oldest daughter made for us when she came over last night. Delicious - and always better when someone else makes them.
I am thankful for the decisions I made 4 years ago to plant and nurture our backyard. It started as a poor excuse for a backyard and has now become a true oasis. Planting small plants and allowing them time to mature is always cheaper than buying established plants - and more satisfying in the long run.
I am thankful for the mild temps we've had here this week. I hate being super hot and being able to wear long sleeves in mid-June has felt like a gift.
I am a lurker , at least for the past 2 years or so=) So this is my first post!
Things I am grateful for this week:
We had a really gorgeous day this week ( Massachusetts in June tends to be rainy!) so I was able to get in my pool and swim while dinner cooked on the grill. It was such a simple thing but it was so relaxing !
My birthday is Saturday , and I begin my vacation also on Saturday . I have a "me day" planned and then will meet up with DH and DS for Mexican food . I really didn't want gifts, just time with them so it's perfect.
We made a sales goal at work ( I'm a personal banker at a local bank) so I will be getting a nice bonus to add to my savings account.
My rose bushes are blooming like crazy and it means I wake up every morning to that rose smell through my window .
My 9 year old puggle and my 2 year old grandcat are extreme cuddlers and seeing them brings me a lot of joy .
YAY! I am always delighted to have someone delurk. Welcome, welcome!
@Dawne B, Welcome Dawne! Always happy to have lurkers, always happy when a lurker decides to become a commenter.
Like you, I mentally list thankfuls all through the week. Which is a good thing, otherwise big worries and small peeves might get the upperhand.
This week:
Living near open water, so I can water our plants regularly
Having a loving brother
More sweet peas
Finding pretty summer shoes that I can wear my arch supports in
Seeing our two cats come into the house in the evening, after they have hidden themselves from the heat all day long. We want them in by dusk!
The beautiful music we sing in the choir
@J NL, Do you mind sharing which shoes you chose? I also need to wear arch supports.
@Jody S.,
I wear Durea for leather shoes and have discovered that I can put my arch support also in the light and colorful Ilse Jacobsen shoes. Heels alas are in my past (kept them for car to bar, bu have not worn in two years) and I am not happy about sneaker style arch support shoes as I've never been a jeans and sneakers person.
(there are several more brands in different sizes and width but at present these are my preferred ones)
My husband was rear ended yesterday on his way to work. So most of these relate to that.
1. I’m thankful it was a very slow moving vehicle that hit him. It was actually a tow truck. The poor driver was distracted thinking about his daughters wedding this coming weekend.
2. That he was driving a company vehicle and didn’t ruin one of our cars. And thus someone in HR can figure out the insurance headache and not me.
3. That he or the other driver weren’t injured. The cars look pretty bad, but they must have absorbed the impact because my husband said he didn’t feel much. The airbags didn’t even go off in either vehicle.
4. That the accident happened 20 minutes from my house instead of the 1 hour and 15 minutes away that he was traveling to. I would have picked him up that far away, but it wouldn’t have been as convenient.
5. That the weather wasn’t rainy or super hot while he waited for us to come. I had to rouse all four kids to go pick him up.
And some not accident related ones:
6. For friends that have pools and share them.
7. For a good swim instructor for my three year old. In five lessons she is already swimming a bit by herself.
8. For really crunchy grapes at aldi this week.
9. For a space to garden.
10. For not being sick. We spent half of last summer sick with various awful things and it makes every day we are not sick this year that much better.
I'm so glad he's ok! And yes, what a relief to not have to deal with the whole insurance hassle. I've done that a lot of times and MAN it is time-consuming and stressful.
1. Protein Coffee. Many of you may have seen all the recipes for proffee on TikTok or Instagram and my oh my I am loving them. These are delicious, low in calories and give me an easy boost of 30 grams of protein for my day. I am really enjoying them.
2. Being taken off of blood pressure medicine following my weight loss and exercise regimen. This is huge for me and I am so, so very thankful that I have reached this milestone. Strength training and being active in general is my newest love and the benefits of it are the berries 🙂
3. A new support group I found for Alzheimers/Dementia patients. This is local and free and my oh my it is such a blessing to have people to lean on, gain knowledge from and have solidarity with. Caring for someone going through these diseases is seriously no joke and support for caretakers is key.
4. Painting of our home. We have been able to schedule this finally and I am so excited for the outcome. The colors and fresh paint will warm up our space and make the walls washable and last for years to come. Plus the sterile pale gray will be gone...hooray!
5. For the last few days of rain to water and nourish the gardens and our newly hydroseeded backyard. There is nothing like rainwater to plants, seeds and grass and I am so grateful.
Happy Thursday!!!!
@Angie, congratulations on your #2, and I'm glad for your #3. Also, in case you haven't already discovered alzconnected.org from the Alzheimer's Association, check out the various categories there. The one for spouse/partner caregivers in particular kept me sane, especially during the pandemic.
@Angie, congratulations on kicking blood pressure meds to the curb! Kudos to you for the hard work you had to put in to attain that!
@Angie, Wot A Marie said! Those are big things.
I, too, am thankful for the rain. Things were turning brown around here in WV, so I was very glad for the rain. And that it wasn't a flooding rain.
Thankful that the previous owners left a strawberry patch for us. We ended up getting 6 cups of strawberries. And the week that we did, had Aldi with $1.99 strawberries, so I was able to combine all my berries and make some jam.
Thankful for my team lead and the training she is providing. I know I mentioned this before, but sometimes I test her patience. But she is very good at providing additional information when I need it!
Thankful for the patience of the CSR that I spoke with at the collection agency this week. I know their job is tough -- who really wants to be sent to collections?!?!?! Well the MD did not accept my electronic payment back in January, so it was deposited back into my account and then the MD sent us to collections for non-payment. We made the payment immediately when we received the notice (over a month ago) and they still have not cashed the check. Well apparently, the MDs office has an extremely slow accounting dept. and when I was there on Tuesday, I spoke to someone about it. They are now handling it and hopefully the check will be cashed soon. The CSR was very knowledgeable and sincere when I spoke with her and she explained everything. Its always nice to speak to a nice CSR that doesn't have an attitude.
Thankful that I've had a chance to work on my scrapbook this week. Almost done with another one. On to other projects soon!
Grateful for cooler weather to get the heaviest yard work done (spreading barkdust and reshaping the yards).
The most awesome neighbor helping me cut up the biggest oak tree in the back pasture. I got a quote for $2000, he's doing it for cookies and anything that he remotely wants, I find to give to him. He did make me buy a new chainsaw...not frugal ($700), but it will
be used on our tree farm, too.
The other neighbors improving their property, getting rid of underbrush and making it less inviting to coyotes and fire prevention.
Grateful for my neighbor who rigged up a remote control car with a GoPro on it to assess the insulation, duct work and cables in the crawl space. The older I get, the less I like crawling around below houses, barns, sheds...
Thankful my favorite kitty who was missing for 4 days, showed up scared to bits. He thinks he is a house cat now. Because of cougar, bobcats and coyotes - we put our cats in the house or garage (their choice) every night. Dog always is in the house when we are.
Thankful for this community. Kirsten has made a wonderful place to have my first cuppa each morning. Bless you all.
Oh man, a $700 chainsaw is a small investment compared to $2000! Good for you, and yay for your neighbor!
The ability to work from home a few days a week.
My son is learning to play La Vie en Rose on his trumpet and it makes me smile every time I hear it.
My propagated houseplants are thriving.
Date nights with my husband – I made reservations for a restaurant that has been on his “to try” list for a very long time and it was delicious!
Our deck. It’s a comfy little retreat once the sun is low in the sky (too hot during the day) and I love spending time just chatting with my boys and relaxing.
Propagated houseplants are so rewarding!
Some of my thankfuls echo what I said in my FFT on Tuesday, but here they are again anyway:
Thankful for Kristen for creating this community, and to everybody in it for the outpouring of support on Monday. As Kristen said on Monday, you folks are the best.
Thankful for my IRL communities, as described on Monday.
Thankful for a funeral home director who was simultaneously helpful (against his own best interests), smart, and funny. As I mentioned on my comment on Katy's most recent NCA post, the one base I didn't already have covered when DH died was the anatomical donation to our local medical school. I was about to ask the medical school for the paperwork when DH started going so rapidly downhill. The funeral director, bless him, pulled the necessary strings to get the donation done within the 48-hours-after-death time limit--and this was against his best interests, since the donation reduced the funeral home costs considerably. And he actually made me smile more than once. Dunno how all this goes over with the general public, but I appreciated it.
Thankful that I knew DH's wishes in advance. What he really wanted was to be an organ donor (he signed every organ donation form he ever got in his life), but this wasn't feasible given his age and condition, so I figured that anatomical donation was the next best thing. I was only sorry I couldn't slip him into his "I Am A Force For Science" t-shirt beforehand. (And for those who may be wondering, Upstate Medical U. will cremate DH once he's done his tour of duty for science, and will return the ashes to me. Upstate also has a nice annual ceremony to honor donors and their families, which I will be glad to attend.)
And, finally, thankful that Betty's annual trip to the vet on Monday resulted in nothing worse than the annual lecture about her weight; she is otherwise as fit as the proverbial fiddle. Betty and I are also glad that Kristen's Chiquita is enjoying her cardboard scratching pad; Betty has worn out several!
I think it is such a lovely thing to do a donation to the medical school. I am positive that your DH would want to advance the cause of curing this disease, and I'm delighted you had someone to help you make it happen.
@A. Marie,
There actually are some nice, not greedy funeral home directors. I'm so glad you got one! A good one makes a world of difference.
@Kristen, a quick clarification: Sadly, I wasn't able to direct DH's donation specifically to the folks at Upstate doing research on Alzheimer's; this really would have required advance paperwork. So he is in the pool (so to speak) for general research and education. But I was happy to be able to do even this, under the circumstances.
@A. Marie, I was also thankful for this community and that we were able to learn of your loss.
When my mother died, the funeral director(s) were wonderful. I guess it was helpful that I've known them as long as I can remember as they were my next-door neighbors growing up. I think growing up in a small community can be so comforting in times like these.
@A. Marie, back when I was getting my degree, I had a cadaver lab with my human anatomy class. It was a truly excellent learning experience and I want to thank you and DH for your thoughtful and generous donation. Also, thank you for detailing the "what happens next" part of the process--I was always curious about how that was handled, and it sounds like an excellent way to honor a loved one.
@A. Marie, as you alluded and for those who don't know, donation to medical science is the absolutely most frugal avenue for handling a death. In my state, if you sign up for donation in advance, the the medical board picks up the body directly and no funeral home assistance is required. As you mentioned, free cremation is also provided. If the family wishes to have a service, one can be organized by family or friends at a church, park or even a private home, again for free or very low cost. You do have to sign up in advance but not only is it a wonderful gift, it can save your family thousands of dollars in funeral costs. Even simple cremation these days can run $5k!
@A. Marie,
Thank you for donating your DH's body to science. My mom intends to do that when she passes, and has already made the appropriate plans, signed the paperwork, etc. I need to check if she needs to redo the process, as she now lives in a different state (she now lives with my oldest sister in Colorado).
On a different note, I had the opportunity to attend an "honor walk" a few years ago in the hospital where I work. A young person's family decided to honor his wishes to donate his organs (he was in a terrible accident thst he could not survive). We lined the hallway on both sides as he was moved by bed from the ICU to the OR. His family was there, understandably grieving. It was very, very emotional, and I will never, ever forget it.
Thank you to everyone who has signed up to be an organ donor. That selfless family made the right decision under extremely trying and sad circumstances.
@A. Marie, It was a truly lovely thing to see this community come together in support for you and it was my pleasure to be a part of it. You have been in my prayers for a while now.
Also, thanks so much for the information on donating a person to a medical school for advancing science on medical fronts.
I am thankful for a bit of rain, a bit cooler temps and bike rides.
I am thankful that my herb garden is growing well. Cooking with fresh herbs is my fave.
I am thankful that school is out for the summer—year 29!
I am also thankful for rain, although not for the storms and tornado watches we had yesterday. Thankfully, no hail at my house, although others in the area got some. Still, rain means I don't have to run about watering when I get home.
Besides that, though:
1. I'm trying to see the silver lining in the cloud here. I'm thankful that, in spite of the fact that my granddaughter did NOT get to go to Norway with my daughter on a business trip this week because her passport was not sent in time, even though it was expedited and they had two months to process it, my granddaughter took it calmly, although she had been beyond excited to go. Aware that her mother was really upset over it, she remained calm so as not to make her mother's distress even worse. So there's my thankful. Just don't get me started on what I think of the passport process right now.
2. I'm thankful that I ate the first "lemon squash", a round yellow summer squash(Baker Creek Seeds), off of my plants yesterday. I am still paranoid about the snails and worms because they almost destroyed the entire crop last year, but I at least got one squash this year! We'll see if the many baby squashes make it.
3. I'm thankful the power only stayed off a few minutes at my house last night, and that I have oil lamps, oil and matches at the ready.
4. Two of the oil lamps are lamps from DH's grandmother's house. She lived - in Florida - without electricity and cooked on a wood burning stove until she was in her 80's, insisting she needed no modern conveniences. She was a long-time widow and chopped her own wood for the stove and fireplace. She plowed and planted her own garden. Her household water came from a pitcher pump in the kitchen and she used an outhouse. She died at 93-4 in 1975. I'm thankful for her courage, her endurance, her example, and that I don't have to live that way myself!
5. I'm thankful that when I couldn't meet my Azure Standard order, because I already had out of town appointments scheduled then, my daughter volunteered to pick it up for me, and when she got a sudden stomach bug the night before, my son-in-law kindly went in her place and picked it up. The organizer was going out of town the very next day after the drop, so I couldn't ask her to hold it for me.
@JD, you've reminded me that whenever I get a minute, I need to start the process of renewing my own passport (which doesn't expire till November, but your granddaughter's sad story is one of several I've heard about delays).
And your DH's grandmother's story is inspirational--though you're right that not many of us would want to do all that now! There were giants in the earth in those days, as my DH used to say about his paternal grandmother (who came to the US from present-day Slovakia and never really learned to speak English, but could do compound interest in her head).
@JD, Boo on the passport story!
We sent our renewals in the end of March and got them back the beginning of June, though that was just a little before the summer season. Getting our old passports back, (sent in for the renewal), will take another eight weeks! They are returned separately.
Advantages compared to ten years ago when we last got them were a very friendly and efficiently post office staff, including for photos, for the application, and online tracking, not that there was much to track. The new ones have James Bond level security features, stopping just short of biometric scans.
I hope your granddaughter will have great international adventures soon.
I am thankful that my lightning fast reflexes (not) saved my laptop from a spill of ice water. Also that my dog has been tick-free for two weeks. That today’s plan includes picking up requested books at the library, the dog visiting the groomer, and a trip to Aldi. And that my bad dream last night was actually funny — I dreamt that I was pregnant (I’m 74) and I was so excited, but I decided I was too old to attend PTA meetings.
@Jean, I think I snorted with laughter at your dream!
@Jean, what a dream, oh my! Thanks for sharing!
@Jean,
Thanks for the much-needed laugh!
@Jean, I'm 74 and have that dream somewhat regularly. I do not even want to think what that means psychologically.
I still have dreams that I'm pregnant and my reaction is, "OH NO." lol
I am thankful for so much but there are two wild bunnies on the trail I have been walking in the evenings that bring me such joy. Last night my husband walked with me and I was so proud of that.
I'm thankful for my pain management doctor who helps me do just that. I get so discouraged sometimes but he always steers me back in the right direction.
I'm thankful for the rain. I'm thankful for the improved air quality.
I'm thankful for a roof over my head, clothing to suit our needs, and a kitchen filled with food.
I'm thankful for this opportunity to express gratitude. I'm thankful for the kindness that is expressed through this blog. It makes the world a brighter place.
I've got a few and I try to think of them during the week as well.
I'm thankful that I'm finding out some people I know share my political beliefs. I live in an area where one party rule is very much enforced and wrongthink is seriously punished socially so I am happy to see people who think like me.
That while we missed out on a home opportunity we are not homeless or in danger of losing our current place to live.
That my daughter can see an allergist without a referral or an insanely long wait. Our system ain't perfect but it works.
That some travel is in my future. I could really use the time off also I am looking forward to the fun parts of travel (I am trying to see if we can find a Royal Farms on the route so I can try the fried chicken that I think you said one of your daughters was a big fan of.)
@Battra92, remember the olden days when people could discuss politics and learn one another's viewpoint without vitriol?? Sigh. I really want to understand why people who believe the opposite of me think their view is The One Right Answer. After all, we all want safety, prosperity, and health. We just can't seem to agree on the right path to obtain and retain those things.
Agreed. I do not like how polarized things are in the current climate. I don't think people's minds tend to be changed in these conditions; they just dig in further and don't want to listen to the other side (and I see this on both sides of the spectrum!)
I'm thankful for the woman who planted beautiful perennials many long years ago...and for those flowers that continue to bloom and spread and look more beautiful today than they did 33 years ago when we bought this place!
I'm thankful for our heat pump that dehumidifies our home, making it nice and comfortable (also air conditions as we need it...usually dehumidify is enough). Right now, we have been having cooler weather, so it hasn't been necessary. But it will be nice when it finally gets hot!
I'm thankful for my clothesline that my husband built a long time ago! I love to hang things out! And I'm thankful for the dryer as back-up when it's too rainy to dry things outside!
I'm thankful that my husband can still work, even though he has a disease that is taking his muscles (he has Inclusion Body Myositis). And that he still WANTS to work! It is good that he can still be out with other people!
I'm super thankful for my sweet grandchildren (a five year old, a 2 1/2 year old, and two little babies). They give me such joy!
And I'm thankful for Kristin giving me this chance to make a list! I tend to be on the pessimistic side, so it's good to be reminded to sit down and think about all the blessings God has given me!
@Debby, Gotta love those perennials!
Nice invitation, Kristen.
I'm thankful for your ongoing blog of kindness and mindfulness. I'm thankful that I have caring and supportive friends and family while I'm grieving. I'm thankful that I have healthcare insurance to treat my (comparatively minor but nevertheless distracting) medical issues. I'm thankful that I have beautiful gardens around my home to ground me and provide beauty and distraction in my life. Lastly, I'm thankful my sons are home for the summer while they intern or manage the process to obtain their desired adult career path.
nadine3243
I have been a lurker for the past 3 years. I look forward to reading all the posts from this group. Just wanted to let the group members know how much I enjoy this group!
I am thankful for my sweet 13 year old dog. She has cancer and is on chemo but is happy and active. The doggie oncologist assures me that she feels no discomfort.
I am thakful for my home and living so close to the water and the beach. I am thankful that I have "enough" and I recognize that I have "enough".
This is new to me so I'm going to stop!
I am in the same boat where I notice things more throughout the week because of this Thursday practice and I'm thankful for that. 😉
Also thankful...
* that my daughter is cabinmates with my friend's daughter at summer camp this week. It's a friend that I met at that same summer camp almost 30 years ago and our friendship was one of the most important ones of my growing up years. I love that our girls get to be together now!
* that we have everything lined up for our dog to be at a kennel during our upcoming camping trip. I was getting nervous that I had waited too long and we would have to bring him with us, but things are working out.
* for our library and the cool things that they offer.
* for salad and the way that it makes my body feel better.
* that I get to go to a weekly spin class this summer.
* like Kristen... RAIN! We got it twice earlier this week and should get more today.
Rain! We've been in a drought, which is highly unusual for May/June.
Thankful that I could go to my friend's daughter's graduation open house--this involved a 1 1/2 hour drive during a busy time period for me. It was good to honor the graduate, and it was wonderful to see my friend. I combined that with a girl's overnight with yet another friend (the city where the open house is a middle point for both of us) and it was nice to have extended time to spend with her. Thankful that I haven't been schedule for any weekends in June, which has allowed me to make it to more grad parties as well as helped us schedule our vacation.
Thankful for the fun of planning our getaway. Our summer trips are something that I look forward to every year.
I'm thankful that I allowed my front yard to grow, it's full of dandelions. And the bees have shown up. That's the entire reason my lawn isn't cut short like my all of the neighbors.
My dogs… 100% idiotic clowns that make me laugh a lot!
Long summer days with my daughter- I used to kind of dread summer because of all of the un-filled time, but now I am relishing it for the exact same reason (she’s almost 13 and I can literally feel the time slipping away like water.
A spouse that has been supporting me without complaint through nearly 3 years of a chronic illness that now has a name but sadly will not go away. We are both learning to navigate this but I am thankful for his support and care and love.
Writing with fountain pens!
And rain! Love summer storms so much!
I'm thankful that I was able to treat my daughter and my mother to lovely new dresses for my niece's upcoming wedding. My daughter, who is beautiful, with bright blue eyes and curly red hair, always feels ugly, so for her to pick out a beautiful dress (navy silk) for herself is kind of a breakthrough. My mom told me, "How did I ever get a daughter like you?" I'm going to be SO smug next time I talk to my sister. Ha.
I'm thankful about my beautiful repainted kitchen cabinets. Folks--try Amy Howard's One Step Paint. Miracle, seriously.
Also thankful about how this beautiful community rallied round A. Marie and glad for the de-lurkers.
Thankful for an upcoming three-day weekend.
Not thankful about my inability to be patient. I want it all NOW NOW. Not thankful about my neighbors. One, with whom I've been friendly for 24 years, suddenly hates me and keeps calling local authorities about me to complain. I think he's getting senile. The one on the other side, with the motel, is back to using an air horn on my dogs if they make a sound. Last year I told him if he did it again, I was gonna use an air horn on his loud guests and he stopped. Well, he's back to it. Shrug, I have an air horn. I warned him.
@Rose, this could be fun with that air horn. Keep us posted! You are such a colorful and lively part of this group, and I always look forward to your comments.
@Central Calif. Artist, Translation: #bigjerkenergy. Heh. My daughter last year suggested I go talk to them, and I said NO. You can't chat people out of being bullies. They think because I'm a single middle aged woman on my own they can intimidate me. Ha ha ha ha NO. Better people than you have tried, folks. Hope you like a dose of your own medicine this summer.
1. I’m thankful that school is now out for the summer! My oldest graduated a few weeks back and we were not sure if it was going to happen all the way up until he had the diploma in his hands at commencement.
2. Thankful that my youngest is now in 7th grade and moves to middle school so we can be done with all of the elementary school things (I’m looking at you spirit days, field trips, field days, etc).
3. Thankful in a few weeks my almost 12 yo and I am traveling to Chicago just the two of us for her nationals dance competition. Not only am I excited to see her on stage but im glad it’s just us. My middle daughter has many special needs and does not travel well AT ALL. It’s no fun for anyone (especially her). As a result we don’t really travel. My oldest never really cared but my youngest loves to travel. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun to do it together.
4. Grateful that we are finally getting some rain. I haven’t had to water my garden in several days.
5. Thankful that it has been a year now since my youngest was finally diagnosed with celiac disease and went gluten free. It hasn’t been nearly as hard as I thought it would be and her health has improved so much. It was so hard to see her suffering for so long. So thankful for the doctors that got to the bottom of her issues.
@KimN, I snorted at the parenthetical for your #2. I am SO with you on that stuff. And I WORK in an elementary school, so I have to participate myself. Some of it really is fun, but most of it . . . nope. Spirit days make me sour.
I'm thankful for...
- delivery options for big or heavy items
- safe neighborhood parks
- walking and biking paths
- beautiful weather
- family to help with kids
-reciprocity for zoos and visiting a new zoo for "free" (animals that we don't have at our local zoo!)
We moved a few weeks ago, this my absence in commenting.
I’m thankful for feeling better & my body finally being better after 10 months of sinus infections, bronchitis, pneumonia & asthma flares. It feels amazing to be able to walk up & down stairs without getting winded!
I’m thankful for the giving community I live in. Although we don’t have “buy nothing” Facebook pages for the base housing community I live in people do share freebies they have weekly. I have acquired free buckets & soil for planting, as well as 6 types of seeds.
I’m thankful to be able to stay at home and take care of all things related to the house. I’m hoping I can add savings to the mix but for now I am enjoying gardening, neighborhood walks, menu planning and tidying.
I’m also thankful for cat snuggles with my cuddly old man cat, Milo.
As a (mostly) lurker I'll try to answer this challenge 🙂
Things I'm thankful for:
- a cool house. I live in a ground floor apartment with a green and leafy garden. In winter it's quite cold and dark, but the upside is that it is still pleasantly cool now that we have hot and dry weather.
- a nice place to swim nearby. About 15 minutes by bike, so I have been going for a morning swim regularly.
- strawberries! Strawberry season has started in my local CSA, I can pick as many strawberries as I can eat, and that is a lot 😉
- helpful friends. My son's bike broke down just as he arrived at work (about 5 miles away). I came down with a severe cold this morning so I didn't feel up to driving, also my car is too small to fit a bike in (I need to borrow a bike carrier for that). But I asked a friend with a bigger car and she will pick him up tonight after work. This will be a 45 min round trip for her so I'm very grateful!
- a steady job where I have sick leave (which is usual in the Netherlands, but if you are temping or self-employed it's different).
I am thankful the landlord allowed me to put out window boxes for herbs. I love fresh basil and rosemary.
I am thankful for the rain today. Our grass was getting a bit crunchy.
I am thankful for technology that lets me see and talk to my girls back home.
@Paula, Yay for fresh herbs! They intensify the flavor of food, and are easy to grow.
Thankful:
1. The June frost killed all my cukes, peas, and tomatoes and most of my flowers. Since we are leaving for the Last Hurrah trip the first week of August, I am not replanting because things would not be ready to eat before that. Plus it is still in the mid 40s at night and terribly windy during the day, so no one's garden is doing that well. I am thankful that my scallions survived and are thriving, since I use them almost daily.
2. Our stump grinder stopped by and the job turned out to be less than we thought. He is married to the next door neighbor's daughter and his MIL told him to give us the family rate, so he barely charges us when he does work for us. We insisted on giving him much more, but it was still less than anyone else would have charged us.
3. Our mower has been in the shop for almost a month. It is a very small business, the owner is about 80, and he can't find more than one other mechanic to work for him. The next door neighbor on the other side of us mowed our lawn without being asked.
4. My husband sings with a guy trying to rebuild his life after a prison term. His apartment building was sold so he had to find a new place. He was denied place after place due to his criminal record and had to move to a water free cabin 15 miles out of town. The husband has been picking him up for singing rehearsals, so 30 miles round trip twice---once to pick him up and once to bring him home. We also took him grocery shopping a few times. He works remotely so didn't leave home otherwise. At last he found a place in town so no more rides! I am finally paying it forward for all the years I did not have a license or car and various friends toted me around---but I am glad it is done because it was a lot of time and gas!
5. The husband, always the husband.
@Lindsey, how kind of your husband to provide transportation for his friend. I suspect that those who have success after prison are the people who have a network of friends who haven't given up on them. You and your husband rock!
@Kris, your suspicion is correct. It also helps if the person is incarcerated close to family and friends, who then continue to visit and provide support.
This is a great prompt!
1. I'm so thankful for the rain we got this week. We need more, but it's a start! It's been fun to be out and about and to see people laughing as they walk in the rain! The garden has grown a lot just in the past few days. My lima beans that were sitting dormant have begun popping through the soil and the corn in our fields is growing by leaps and bounds!
2. I'm thankful that my BIL is recovering well from his immuno-therapy treatment for lymphoma!
3. I'm thankful for cool nights for sleeping without AC. Our window AC unit is so loud, and my hubby usually puts it in the window in late April. I enjoy hearing the outside noises...yes, even the dogs barking from across the fields!
4. I'm thankful that my 90 year old Mother is still in good health and has a sound mind. She lives next to us, and it's a blessing to both us and her to have her so close.
Right now I am deeply grateful for extra time with our grandson. I am on the front porch with him as he is sleeping peacefully in his stroller after we walked for about a half an hour.
And what a lovely Spring day this is… glorious birdsong, sweet breezes and wonderful temps… so relaxing.
I’m so thankful for good neighbors, friends and family.
I don't usually offer my Thankfuls, but I'm gonna give it a try.
Thankful for...
Reconnecting with an old high school friend several years ago. He reached out right before Covid hit, after 40-(mumble mumble) years....though we don't message each other often, it's been so nice catching up recently. His kids are grown, and he's a grandpa - in fact, he and his wife are moving to Virginia soon to be closer to the grandkids. He frequently reminds me of the blessing I have of having a child in my life, even as my son has entered his teen years. He's right. 🙂
For having a nice camera, and the ability to photograph the local flora and fauna at a favorite local park last evening. I, too, needed a cool shower after that expedition!
For the rain we had a few days ago. We needed it. My gardens are all looking great!
For my three cats and dog, especially my cat Punkins. The big guy is very attached to me, and insists I sit mostly horizontal in the recliner so he can sit on my chest. It sounds awful, but it's really quite endearing.
For the free lunches we can choose from daily at work. Free coffee, tea and soft drinks all day, too. I do not take this perk lightly.
Have a great day, everyone!
@Liz B., So... how did it feel to do a ThTh?
I have been a bit cranky this week as we have the opposite problem from. you - we have had 3 straight weeks of rain. After one of the coldest, snowiest winters in decades we have now had one of the wettest springs in decades. Being cooped up with a two year old grandson who just cheers "Outside!" all day long has made me a bit weary. So I am going to turn this around and say I am thankful for the gift of laughter that my grandson gives me everyday (I'm his Monday through Thursday caretaker) and I am thankful for all the green that I see around me from this extremely wet Spring. I know that this will eventually end and I will be able to get out and walk everyday - and I will be thankful for that, too.
am so happy things are falling in place for you. miss chiquita is just so cute. am glad she is making you happy. she makes me happy too.
I am running behind on reading the blogs; I only this morning got to the Tuesday FFT's, and have just finished reading the Wed. cooking for 2 or 3 people blog, for which I have a question, which I'll hopefully put into Fridays food blog (if I remember).
- This is a HUGE thankful: Rain! and lots of it. It poured from Monday evening through the whole day on Tuesday (I am in southern Ontario). #Canada on fire. I hope that the rain made it up to Northern Ontario and Quebec where some of the wildfires are burning. Though I did hear on the news that Nova Scotia now has all it's wildfires under control. To add to this: rain coming in at 5pm today, and then rain all day Friday, we'll take all the rain we can get. (hopefully with no lightening).
- I had my eyes checked yesterday, first time since 2018! I've been having blurry vision, which may have been due to the smoke haze, I noticed it 2 days after we had smoke haze. The optometrist said my eyes are in good condition, even though I have a number of "floaters", and that there is no sign of glaucoma or macular degeneration for which I am thankful.
- I am not a hot shower person, I am a warm shower person and that is even too hot for me. I have a routine that I began months ago (yes, in the winter too), and that is that at the end of my (not long) shower, I do a cool shot for at least a minute. I find it revitalizes and energizes me. (I love it!)
- this rain has been good for the garden, everything is very green; it looks like my growing vegetables are coming along nicely. I believe it is time to harvest my radishes, hoping they did well. This is only my second year growing them.
- And lastly I'm thankful for a (mostly) cool June so far. I am not a hot weather lover, which is in direct contrast to growing up in a hot African country.
@Linda in Canada, I'm assuming that your optometrist did this, but I wanted to give a heads up to be checked for retinal detachment with floaters and/or flashing lights. I had that happen to me (the flashing light phenomenon was different from what I thought it would be. It was in my peripheral vision) and fortunately, I have vitreous detachment in both eyes (where the vitreous pulls away from the retina), which is the lesser of two evils. I don't love the floaters (I'm never sure if there are bugs flying around me when I'm outside or if it's the darn spots in my vision) but overall I have good vision. Apparently this is one of the fairly common joys of aging, woo hoo.
I am really glad for these lists too. It makes me have a minute every week where I actually have to think about all the amazing gifts I have been given. And then I feel a little ashamed that I don't think about them as much. Thanks for giving me a weekly gratitude journal!
I am thankful for:
- summer produce season is almost here. I know that I am incredibly spoiled living in CA where it is almost always a growing season but there is few things in this world better than a greek salad in July with tomatoes and cucumbers still warm from the sun
- expedited passports. My husband and I are taking our first big vacation in almost 4 years (gotta love the Chase rewards portal) in Sept and I realized his passport expired in May. The current wait is over 10 weeks so the extra money was well worth it
- Tik Tok artists. While Tik Tok can be the greatest time suck ever, my FYP has recently become curated for local painters/photographers, which is great (and dangerous lol) for someone who is trying to slowy (and meaningfully) fill her house with non-mass produced art
- Hats. Keep my hair off my face, shade me on runs, covers a bad hair day and makes an outfit look slightly more intentional
- espresso beans. Makes the greatest cold brew. Lavazzo super crema. Thank me later
@Heather,
What does FYP stand for?
That my "better to spend a lot of time in the airport" tendencies were in place this week in a non-US country. I was traveling with a friend who needs a mobility scooter. Lufthansa continued its trend of royally screwing things up and did not share the necessary info either with the subsidiary airlines (that there was a mobility scooter involved) or with us (that we had to register the mobility scooter and that the rules were dramatically different). It took 90 minutes to check in - don't ask about all the contortions it took - and we made the deadline by literally one minute.
The other lesson of this experience is that it pays to be nice. We never lost our cool with the various agents, which is probably why they were inclined to take extraordinary measures to get us checked in by the deadline and to ask the pilot not to take off without us. So I'm also thankful for my long experience in keeping my cool in situations such as these.
Thank you for the prompt to actually write the thankfuls down! Too often I lurk, or mentally echo someone's comments, but you're right; I do need to articulate it. So,
1. I'm thankful for the timely and kind reminder to look for the ways God is giving grace. It's been an aching week with one of our children and we're trying not to lose hope.
2. Thankful for an unexpected financial gift my oldest got from my husband's employer for college. My son's determined to not take out loans, so every bit helps. In that vein, that he is also taking the reins for college in his own hands, and handling everything he can. We cheerlead and offer counsel as needed, but he's running with it and doing it well.
3. Same son made it to semi-finals in the national speech tournament he's at now. He's worked so hard, but was just excited to go, and has made it his mission to be a joyful encourager to folks around him, not to be cutthroat in competition.
4. That another son's needed genetic testing has been approved by insurance. Knowing his disease will affect his long term care, so it's a gift.
5. Moments of sweet, slower times with my two younger kids this week, just cuddling, reading books, etc. That's not been possible for a long time.
6. Being reminded that God is able and promises to not leave or forsake His children, no matter how much what we are walking through hurts.
@Amanda P, Oh, I"m so sorry it's hard right now. I'm quickly learning that my children's pain is much harder for me to handle than my own. It was much easier to handle when I could kiss it and make it feel better; not so much as they get bigger!
I took a hike today and got to see turtles and an egret at a pond.
I love having somewhere to come and read about what everyone is thankful for! I,too, try to see the good things, all week long, as much as I can.
This week, I am thankful for:
1. Cool dips in the pool on hot summer mornings (Arizona)
2. The beautiful river park where can drive and jump into a cold flowing river for a nice swim (swimming theme, here!)
3. My kitchen.It’s equipped just the way I like it, I enjoy cooking our meals there, and it is like a “hobby” not a chore to spend time there!I guess I am also grateful I like to cook, many of my friends don’t!
4. So thankful for my husband.Through thick and thin, good times and challenges, he is a rock.
5. So thankful our grown son is having a decent week,healthwise. He’s been up and down with long covid/vaccine reaction since 2021 and I am grateful for every good day he has now.
I'm thankful that
- the mornings have seriously calmed down since it's summer break.
-the speech screening we had done by a speech pathologist on our younger daughter said there was nothing severe going on. I've been concerned that she's reverting.
-things have calmed a bit a work temporarily and that has allowed me to close up a lot of loose ends
-for my husband who is a super caring and involved dad.
-for my own dad who is one of the most special people I've ever known. His body is slowing down but his heart is big as ever.
I am so thankful for:
1) My Nurse Practitioner and my endocrinologist. Both these women are so encouraging, even when I sabotage my own self-care, and they always take the time to ask about my husband and his health, knowing that affects my life in a major way.
2) My mower guy. I know it would be more frugal financially to buy a lawn mower and do it myself, but it's not frugal with my time and efforts. Jamie and his guys will often provide additional services, such as pruning the really tall bushes, power-washing the house and vinyl fencing, and will do some of the heavy lifting outside for me if I just ask.
3) My gifting group. It's been a blessed week. One member gave me some starter potatoes she had left over a couple of weeks ago, and one of the grow-bags (gifted to me last fall) has just gone crazy with potatoes! (I've never grown potatoes before!)She has also blessed me with some seat cushions that are allowing me to use my A-frame swing again, something I haven't been able to enjoy for a couple of years. Another gifted us with some awesome chocolate cookies. And others have been able to use some things cluttering up my garage, which makes it more accessible for DH.
4) Front porches. Mine is not very big, but it will hold a couple of chairs and a small plant stand, and when a friend came to pick up some jewelry for her twin teen daughters, we were able to sit outside in the very mild weather and catch up for the first time in months.
5) Our vet. Because he is able to do the less extensive and less expensive repair of a torn ligament in my senior dog's knee, we don't have to take her to a specialist in an unfamiliar city and leave her with strangers. Less trauma for all involved.
I read these each week and today's post did a great job of motivating me to add my own.
I am grateful....
1- that today is a sunny, clear day and I have the day off work and can take my mum out of Aged Care to go to the park with my dog.
2- that my work contract has been renewed without me having to reapply
3 - that I had a paid day off this week
4 - that this extra day off has given me extra space and I'm not feeling rushed or stressed.
5- that I have friends coming over this weekend and we have a chance to light our firepit.
I appreciate the lurker comment, as I usually follow along without adding to the list here.
The weather here in northern California is finally turning warmer and sunnier (in the afternoons, at least). It's been a cold start to summer break so the sun really cheers us up!
Since it's been sunnier and all 3 of our kids are out of school for the summer, we went to a local swimming lagoon/obstacle course park this week. The boys get lots of fun and exercise, so it's a $10 (per kid) well spent.
Speaking of said park, I drove the 15-minute drive (through back roads and vineyards) to get to the park and walk this morning. I've been doing my morning walks around our neighborhood lately, so it was a nice change to be more fully immersed in nature. And a fun bonus is to walk through the adjacent campground and check out all the fun camping rigs (which I am in the market for).
A non-frugal splurge recently was buying a tandem kayak from Costco to take on our family adventures. My mom wanted to get out on the water more often, so she split the cost with us (so maybe it's a more frugal splurge than I let on). In the 3 weeks we've owned it, we've taken it to the lake once and are taking it to the park after work today.
I'm noticing my nature theme here, so my last one is that I am truly thankful for my regional county parks pass. It's $69/year (vs. $7 per visit) and I use it multiple days a week at different area parks to hike, walk, run, and explore. I also feel truly grateful to live in a place filled with easily accessible nature!
I am forever thankful to you and all of your readers. All of you give me hope and inspiration. I have a neverending list of things to be grateful for but it's such work to remember sometimes.
This year long journey with breast cancer seems never ending. The past few weeks have been left me feeling defeated.
At the same time, I am so thankful for my treatment team and all of the support I have from family and friends.
I'm going to work on your idea of writing the daily things.
Thank you to all of you
@Kathy M, I"m sorry about your cancer. I think sometimes we're all fighting that feeling of being defeated-- we just all feel it for different reasons? It takes some serious toughness to just keep going.
@Kathy M, Good luck!
@Kathy M, best wishes for health and comfort. I’m glad you shared the mixed feelings with us. Now you have friends here on the blog thinking of and supporting you!
I was just thinking this week that I am actually thankful for my job for the first time in a loooong time. My co-workers are nice, the equipment works, the hours and pay are good for me. Plus, my benefits are awesome and now I think I can make it a little longer until retirement. I'm also thankful that my knees quit hurting (after a bout of ladder standing). And for my cozy and clean house - especially so after returning from my mother's house today. I may never know where I got this clean gene from, but I so appreciate it.
I am thankful for a fun (and frugal) day at Disneyland with my husband.
I am thankful for the safe drive home very late last night.
I am thankful that some of the pregnancy-related back pain has eased. I'm not sure if it was the stretching and balance ball work, the belly band "belt" or if the baby just shifted into a better position, but I didn't have pain last night for the first time in 5 or 6 weeks.
I am thankful to have been gifted some baby toys including a musical elephant just like the one my parents have that has soothed many an inconsolable baby. Somehow this little item makes me feel like we will be okay with our crying baby.
I'm thankful that we have had some rain recently.
@Rebekah in SoCal, Maybe your baby won't cry much! My first one cried so little that my older sister wanted to pinch him just to hear his cry.
@Rebekah, what Jody said. My second one, my daughter, barely ever cried. She smiled and smiled and smiled (and still does). I am slightly ashamed to admit that I sobbed to my mother that she couldn't be intelligent, she smiled so much. (Thinking of Wang Lung's daughter in The Good Earth.) My mother reminded me of this when my daughter started writing and writing on her own at barely three. Heh.
I have gotten out of the habit of writing down things I am thankful for in the evening. It is fun to go through my journals and read the things I have written down in the past. I am thankful that the tree lily bulbs I planted in the fall are growing and have a few buds. I have been watching them grow outside my bedroom window. I am thankful for my beautiful granddaughters as well as proud of three of them who graduated this month. The older I get the more important family has become.
Thankful for our string of nice weather days.
For clear skies, we spent a week in the smoke. Several days you could not go outside.
For the bonus I got at work, sometimes my work load is so discouraging.
Thankful we have the basement at dad's house organized and ready to be cleared out, we will hire that out. Many things will go to a local Habitat store.
I spent the week selling things from the house, most people showed up on time for the sale.
It feels good to be thankful and try to distance myself from complaints and criticism. Thank you for these reminders! I am thankful this week:
* For the low expectations of my garden group. I am behind my own schedule for producing our newsletter, but they aren't worried!
* For my piano teacher, who patiently guides me to slowly improving skills.
* For the handful of peaches growing on our young tree, in spite of spring weather that has killed the local commercial peaches.
* For my new doctor, who is helping me control my weight very sympathetically.
* For high school graduation this week for my grand nephew, who is on the Autism spectrum. He is thrilled to be graduating and I am so proud of my nephew and his wife, who are extraordinary parents for this extraordinary boy.
I am grateful for my wonderful cousin who picked me and my DD up at the airport, drove us around town and gave us dinner when we arrived in Australia. My DD has accepted a nursing job here and just has to get her accommodation sorted. It is such a consolation for me to know that she can call on family when I go back home.
That my DD has the confidence and maturity to take a job overseas - she is so excited - I am letting go and trusting in her.
That DD had a fantastic last weekend at home with all the family - we all went to ‘Hamilton”, went out for brunch and then hosted an afternoon tea for grandparents, cousins and all to pop in and say goodbye.
That I had annual leave due and could come over for a week with my DD settle. I’m also grateful that she chose to work on the East coast ( far closer and cheaper to visit than some Australian cities).
For my relief manager who I have complete confidence in and I know I will return to a happy and productive workplace.
Went for a walk today and saw the bluebells are just starting to open.
There are flowering trees in full bloom and lovely scent.
We had some sunshine today.
Yesterday we had a work trip and I got to visit a colleague.
A few seeds are sprouting up in the garden.
We have several projects going and they are coming together. A fun one is getting an old 3-wheeler going after scavenging parts from a junk one at the dump. I'm thankful for the husband's skills in fixing so many things!
Thankful for many things lately here.
1. My mother has started going to a day program. I am so glad I found it and I am so grateful that my step-mother is doing the hard work in getting my mom to go despite her resistance. It also has a strong caregiver support component which will help my step-mother a lot. Dementia is the worst.
2. Went on the most beautiful hike yesterday and saw many wild flowers.
3. I’m happy that I will have a lot of time with my children this summer. My oldest is sixteen and I can see those opportunities dwindling.
4. I have lost ten pounds using new medication. It feels miraculous.
5. I have been able to spend more time than usual with one of my best friends this summer. She is just the best. We love each other, share so much history, and have fun non-stop when we are together in person.
Red Delicious apples, I agree, not so good.
And Yellow delicious apples are very good!
I needed a reminder to focus on good stuff, so I'll add my thankful list here (for the first time!)
1. An unexpected work trip came up for my husband which just happens to be in the same city as oldest daughter and I was able to book fairly inexpensive plane tickets to accompany him.
2. I'm retired, so I can do last minute things like go on work trips with my husband!
3. My two younger daughters attend local universities so still live at home. I'm thankful for this time with them.
4. It is overcast, cool and a little rainy today - so refreshing.
5. Coffee.
6. The view out my back windows - lots of trees! I love all the green and hearing all the birds singing
7. Stuff growing in my garden (tomatoes, peas, beans, carrots, zucchini, spinach, chard, peppers, rhubarb, herbs).
8. The wholewheat sourdough bread that's currently baking. Smells so good!
Chiquita is just darling!! How fun that she is a snuggly one-we've got one of those over here too (her foster mom at the shelter even named her "Cuddlebug!"). I hope her introduction with Shelley will go pretty smoothly for you.
Hi! lurker finally convinced to chime in today:)
I am thankful for a friend who offered to share her spa gift certificate with me and it was much needed and appreciated.
I am thankful for the friendly crew at my new hospital ED workplace
Like Kristen I am learning Spanish for work so I am thankful for my online Spanish tutor who is very patient with me !
I am thankful that my knee pain is improving so I can get back to running and exercise !
@Elaine, glad to hear all of your thankful thoughts! And I am thankful for those who work in ED (Emergency Departments, although those who work with a different ED are to be commended, also.) And to think that you are trying to be more able to communicate with people in a scary, painful, and confusing situation is so heart-warming.
Amazing participation in this post's comments!
Thankfuls:
• There are 3 cucumbers on my little plants!
• Had a brilliantly wonderful 3 days with some old friends at a mountain cabin on a lake in a Christian conference grounds with a terrific speaker, lots of walking, and too much good food (how many prepositional phrases can I fit into one thankful??)
• A plumber showed up and repaired a plugged shower disaster
• The road to our mountain cabin is now passable with all the hazards marked, due to many volunteer hours by my husband in a rented backhoe. (His work has benefited several groups of cabins, not just us)
• A new solution to deer eating my flowers, called Deer Out (I bought the concentrate) seems to be working
I’m thankful
my daughter has such affectionate grandparents that she loves so much,
for rain and for being able to see rain as a gift rather than something ruining my summer day
for being able to really disconnect from work for a few days of vacation
for international influences in my life, always so interesting
**Delurking here** I’ve been reading along for about a year and a half and after reading your hope that folks would chime in, here I am! You are one of my favorite blogs. I don’t remember how I found you, but I’m certainly glad that I did!
I wanted to say first of all, A. Marie, I am so sorry for your loss and Kristen I’m sorry for all the heartache you’ve been going through. I have been divorced and it’s tough (my children were young then) but I’ve now been married for 34 years!
This week I am grateful for a week in Mexico with my husband, my oldest brother and my sister-in-law. We had a wonderful time and I treasure the time with my sibling as well. I live in Missouri and he lives in Colorado.
For finding new recipes that I can adjust to make low sodium for my husband who had a heart attack in late January. Some of the things I was making were virtually tasteless without some salt.
For having time with four of my five grandchildren on Tuesdays. I watch the two youngest every Tuesday when my daughter goes to her office (ages 8 months and 2.5 years). I have two of the three boys while they are out of school for the summer (ages 11 and 12). We had a great day talking and playing and I set up the sprinkler for three of them to run through. They had a blast!
Thank you for encouraging me to come out of lurk mode, Kristen!
"When the thought of missing a deadline causes you great anxiety, you tend to do things right away!" This is definitely me, too! I am a planner (due to my anxiety, says my therapist), and I loathe not being prepared. One day last school year, I was in the front office of my kids' school, and the staff there said something about there not being school on Monday. Another parent was like "Oh, there's no school Monday? I didn't realize that." And I'm over here thinking "HOW can you not realize that. It's three days away!" To clarify, not in a judgy way, but like an "I do not understand how that is possible" way. The school days off are on my calendar from the time the academic calendar is posted lol.